Unexpected Detour

Found a strange pocket of motivation today and decided to go and hike the Y. It was a warm, sunny morning and I was finally ready to strike out. I knew it would be tough. I knew my toddler would be a bundle of fun to get ready and haul up the mountainside in his pack. I knew I would feel the burn in places that have long been hibernating. Yet, despite all I knew I still went for it. I packed up our water, I got us dressed and ready, I even slotted a few cookies in my pockets and off we went. 

We drove to the trail head. I got the kid up in his pack. We started off. Then, as soon as the trail was in sight I could see it was roped off. For real?!? There was also a make-shift sign suggesting I take the Bonneville Shoreline Trail as an alternate route. The sign also suggested falling rocks. After all my motivation and preparation the trail was closed for maintenance. I was so disappointed. I was even a little mad. What! Why now? Why me? What a waste of this beautiful day!

Just then there was a couple walking down the Y trail as I was standing there staring in unbelief at the cardboard sign. "You can still take the trail up," the young woman said. "You can't go all the way. There is a grumpy man driving a small front loader up there who sent us back down. He was pushing rocks over the edge and kinda yelled at us, but we made it maybe 2/3rds the way up." I thanked her for the advice and stood there still debating. Her news hadn't brought me any comfort. To be honest, there was no way I was hiking the trail and risk being buried by falling rocks. And, perhaps even more substantial a reason, I did not want to be told off by that grumpy frontloader driver. Yet I was still standing there debating for quite a while. Really my two choices were to just get back in the car and go home, or walk along the Shoreline Trail. After much struggle I ended up choosing the latter. 

It was still a nice day, and it wasn't a bad walk, but it sure wasn't hiking The Y. I spent a good thirty minutes on the trail total and am glad I did, in the end. Sometimes you just have to work through detours and disappointment. We were both happier from spending what little time we did outside, but next time I would really just like to hike The Y. Please and thank you.