Shoal Creek Trail

I've been wanting to hike this trail forever. Driving along Lamar it looks like the most peaceful completely accessible hike alongside the road. So the other day Brando decided he was going to take us hiking and mentioned it would be somewhere along Lamar. I was so excited because I realized it was exactly the place I've been wanting to go forever. Warning: me using my new to me but Brando's old camera, plus Brando with his camera = a plethora of photos : ) .

Little did I know that just off the side of the road was a wonderland of nature that was so fascinating I didn't even notice the road just on the other side of the creek.

except for when it crossed the creek over pretty bridges.

The parking was so easy to get to and immediately you felt like you were in nature with trees budding with random flowers,

a babbling creek,

a dried bamboo forest

that was way too tempting for two little boys,

turtles,

fascinating bed rock that reminds me of the tide pools in Santa Cruz,

old stone steps that lead to nowhere (I love that mystery),

minnows and fishies,

reeds among the water,

and a Blair Witch like forest - this might've been my favorite part of the whole hike.

- that, and these adorable moments between brothers,

and the golden dried bamboo.

Fortunately flat ground hiking is one of the things that's relieving to me, and it was the perfect easy hike amongst our busy day of breakfast, a basketball game for Justinbustin, and lazily hanging out downtown at the park like we've been doing the last few Sundays.