Up the mountain

The beautiful spring weather has finally come around, so we headed out this weekend for a big adventure. We met the Wilson's and their 3 children, and all climbed Stone Mountain!

Stone Mountain is one of the largest exposed outcroppings of granite in the world, and it is right outside of Atlanta. The west side slopes much more gradually, and makes for a great walk up - with exciting (though completely safe!) results. The first picture shows the Confederate carving on one side of the stone.

What a view from the top - it was a clear day, and we could see the buildings of downtown and Buckhead, and Kennesaw Mountain in the distance. There were hawks and other birds swooping all around, small pools of rainwater to splash in, and tons of nooks to climb in and out of, for the young adventurous set.

The kids were absolutely thrilled - rock-climbing on a kid-safe level - it doesn't get any better than that. We had a total of 7 children under 8 with us, and it was one of those days where everything goes smoothly, no meltdowns occur, and even the little backpacker Phoenix was happy with the proceedings. It took about an hour to make our way to the top, with the kids running around like little squirrels, looking into every interesting crevice and thicket. Then we spent a good while walking around, enjoying the view and the breeze, and having a snack. The way down was quick and simple as hungry bellies kept everyone focused. Phoenix was so content in the backpack that he fell asleep on the downward climb.

After the climb, we drove a little ways into the park surrounding the mountain, and found a picnic spot to relax in for a few hours. Eating, playing, strolling, sharing stories and watching babies on a sunny day in the spring, in a beautiful park - it felt like a tiny vacation. We returned at the end of the day pleasantly exhausted, and ready to plan the next outing.

The season of weekend adventures has begun!