Trail Diary

I woke up this morning knowing it was just right for a you-ride, I'll-walk jaunt with the two younger boys. We had nothing on our agenda except grocery shopping, so I piled Loic's trike and Alastair's stroller in the back of the Acadia and we made our way to the East River Trail. During the short drive I could almost feel the crisp air, slight breeze, and warm sun on my back; longed for the smell of fall in the air, the sound of leaves crunching under our feet & wheels...along with a little exercise and time alone with my thoughts. We get to the trail, get everything & everyone unloaded, and set out. The air was crisp, there was a slight breeze, the sun felt warm on my back; I breathed in the smell of fall in the air, gazed at the leaves that are well on their way to peak color, and spent the next hour alone with....LOIC'S thoughts. HO-LEE-COW can that boy talk. I remember Laurence at this age and thinking 3 was utterly exhausting. Loic has been 3 for just a little over two months and has put Laurence to shame. Here's just a small sample of our conversation along the trail...

(Just as we approach the main path from the trailhead, it begins.)

Loic: Is this the path? Where I can ride my bike?

Me: Yes.

Loic: Why is this the path?

Me: Because this is where people walk and ride their bikes.

Loic: Is that a bridge?

Me: Yes.

Loic: Are we going under that bridge?

Me: Yes.

Loic: Does the path go under the bridge?

Me: Yes.

Loic: Why does the path go under the bridge?

(I pretend not to hear him...it works.)

Loic: What if I go in the lake mom? I don't want to go in the lake.

Me: It's a river, and you won't go in it. Just stay on the path.

Loic: Why should I stay on the path?

Me: So you don't go in the lake...I mean river.

Loic: Oh. You said lake, Mom!

(We are all of 25 yards into our walk by now.)

Loic: Hey, now we're going into the woods! Why are the woods like a jungle?

Me: Well, it's not really a jungle. I'd call it the woods. Jungle's are a lot more--

Loic: YES it IS a jungle!

(Why do I even bother?)

Loic: Are there animals in the woods?

Me: Yes, some small animals & lots of birds.

Loic: I don't see any animals.

Me: Maybe if we're really quiet, we won't scare them and you can see some!

(It didn't work.)

Loic: What's that quacking?

Me: Oh! There are some ducks swimming in the river. See?

Loic: Yes! Why are they ALL quacking?

Me: That's how ducks talk to each other.

Loic: Why are they ducks?

(Seriously, kid?)

Loic: Hey, why is that boy on a bike?

(I guess we're done with the ducks. I look and there's a boy on a bike with his mom.)

Me: For the same reason you are. It's fun & good exercise.

Loic: I like taking exercise. Does that boy like taking exercise?

Me: Yes, I suppose he does.

Loic: Who's that man?

(Trying not to think about the mystery I'm reading about this serial killer who watches his prey from the woods, I glance away from the boy and breathe a sigh of relief when I see a man on a tractor as we're approaching a clearing.)

Me: I don't know him, but it looks like he's working here.

Loic: Why's he working here?

Me: He's spraying something...probably to keep bugs away.

(The man stops because he's gotten a phone call.)

Loic: Why did he stop?

Me: He's on the phone.

Loic: With who?

Me: I don't know, maybe someone from work.

Loic: Where does he work?

(Now a man approaches on a bike.)

Me: OK, here's comes a person on a bike, move to the right to let him by.

Loic (as the man passes): But that's a MAN. You said person.

Me: Men are people.

Loic: Are ladies people? And babies? And moms & dads?

Me: Yes, we are all people.

Loic: But not animals. Why do animals live in the woods?

Me: Because they don't build the kind of houses we do. They have houses made of sticks & leaves & grass, some even live in trees.

Loic: Oh, they live in the woods. They don't live in the zoo, like we do.

(What? I just let that one slide.)

(We walked for almost an hour and there was never a lull in the conversation. NEVER. We walked on the path, came to a park, made a loop around the park and headed back the way we came. As we approached the little bridge just before the trailhead I had a moment of déjà vu...)

Loic: Is that a bridge?

Me: Yes.

Loic: Are we going under that bridge?

Me: Yes.

Loic: Does the path go under the bridge?

Me: Yes.

Loic: Why does the path go under the bridge?

Would someone PLEASE tell this kid why the path goes under the bridge?!?