https://www.indianadunes.com/explore-the-dunes/indiana-dunes-state-park/
https://secure.in.gov/dnr/parklake/files/dunes_trail.pdf
My 11-year-old grandson Ethan wanted to go hiking with me today. I gladly complied. We had lunch at Fazoli's in Valparaiso, Ethan's first time at this rather pricey fast-food Italian chain (our lunch was $18!). We then briefly stopped at a CVS drug store so that I could get him a hat. I told him it was important to wear a hat while hiking because a hat keeps the sun off the head.
Then we drove off to Indiana Dunes State Park, paid the $12 non-resident fee and started the hike off trail #8 at the Wilson shelter, where I always start. I figured heading out on trail #10 which branches off of trail #8, a longer but flatter trail through an old black oak forest would be easy. Ethan was confident he could do it. His initial plan was to do a six-mile hike, but the Three Dune Challenge (3DC) was too much for him to pass. So instead of turning east on trail #10, we continued on trail #8 and began the 3DC.
He quickly learned that running up a sand dune is not easy. That fine, thick sand will pull you back a foot for every two feet you make. We broke out in sweat. I reminded him that his football coach would surely make him do workouts like what we were doing for the 3DC. He replied that a coach for 6th grade football would probably not demand that of his players. He's a wise kid, but it was worth mentioning that "no pain, no gain!" at times makes sense.
It was tough for me, too, in that 80% humidity and a full stomach, but I never let Ethan see that. I was up front, slowed down for him to catch up, and encouraged him to drink his Gatorade. We stopped at every dune peak for him to catch his breath. Even Zeke was hurting in the heat. I was excited to see him want to hike with me, and to agree to the most difficult trail in the Indiana Dunes was admirable, so I wanted to make sure I didn't turn this short but strenuous hike into a torture session for him, and him not wanting to hike with me ever again.
We stopped at the Nature Center for a quick restroom break. This was the official end of the 3DC. A ranger outside was talking about the native turtles of the Dunes as she held up a young Eastern Box turtle. The Nature Center at the park is a great little learning center.
We had hiked 1.64 miles at this point, the end of the official 3DC. "That's all?!" was Ethan's response. That look of disappointment and disgust will forever be imprinted in my mind.
"Want to hike a little bit longer?" I asked. I was hoping he would say yes, and he did. Yay.
"I'm glad you have some of Omi's (that's what Ethan calls me) genes" I then said, referring to his love for hiking.
"Yeah" he replied. So there is hope that my love for the outdoors gets passed on to at least one of my grandsons.
"I don't see too many kids out hiking" he said.
And just as he said that, a family of five passed us at an intersection going the opposite direction. The three young kids, all who looked younger than Ethan, were wearing hats and were walking at a brisk pace with their parents. That shut Ethan up.
We got back to the Honda within two hours and left the park.
I told Nick (Ethan's dad) that I would drop Ethan off at his mother Annette's house where she was having a birthday party. Annette has a large above-ground pool and often hosts pool parties. Ethan then remembered that he had left his swimming trunks at his other grandmother's place, and that was an excuse to go with Ethan to the Valparaiso Walmart before dropping him off at Annette's place. Minutes after getting back to the Honda, it began to rain hard. It turns out that Nick was still at home so I dropped him off at his house and I drove on back to Crown Point, barely missing another violent downpour once I got home there.
I spent the rest of the evening talking to Carol's in-home nurses, Aramiss who got off at 8pm and then Jessica, who is also an in-home nurse for Carol's sister Marge who has never fully recovered from her stroke she had in October 2018.
Rain is now forecasted every day for the rest of the week. Ethan wants to do more hiking so I'll do my best. Doing shorter trails near his home would also be fine.
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