Adventure #3

[naomikritzer]

The body of water Molly soaked herself in today was the creek below Hidden Falls.

We rendezvoused with friends after the girls' swimming lessons. We had a picnic in the park, then walked up the path to Hidden Falls -- or rather, the adults walked up the path while the kids mostly scrambled along rocks at the creek's edge. Hidden Falls is much less dramatic than Minnehaha Falls -- it's a splashy little waterfall that then pools and trickles downhill in a series of short cascades. The kids threw rocks in the water for a while, then we walked downstream to a spot where they could fall in without making us nervous and they tried to build a dam.

I ordered Molly a pair of water shorts and a quick-drying tank top from Cabela's, but they haven't come yet. Are there any significant advantages to those sneaker-shaped water shoes over a pair of rugged, water-friendly sandals? Molly clearly does not view an outdoor adventure as worthwhile unless it involves getting wet.

We got home a little while ago. Kiera changed while I hung up towels and bathing suits. I came into the living room to find Molly flopped on the couch, still in her soaking wet clothes, reading a book, and sent her up to change into something dry.

Comments

[tanaise.livejournal.com]

If you ever end up in the Poconos (and I know the likelihood of that is slim) in the summer, make sure you go to Rickett's Glen (http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/rickettsglen.aspx). There's a 5 mile hike loop that includes 21 waterfalls from the 'oh, how pretty' size to "wow." Last time I went there (while I was in college), I think we just went about a mile or so from the parking lot up to one of the big waterfalls, and played in the water for an hour or so. I used to go there a fair bit as a kid too--we'd park at the bottom of the loop (see map here (http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/rickettsglen/rickettsglen_mini.pdf).), and hike up one branch of the creek, across the top (kinda boring, alas) and down the other branch.

[naomikritzer]

Molly would love that.

We were actually in PA last summer, but at the other end of the state.

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

The advantage to the sneaker-shaped water shoes is that they provide more protection against stubbing or scratching one's toes, if one is wading or climbing over rocky surfaces. Rugged, water-friendly sandals tend to dry faster. Your choice should be guided by what bodies of water Molly will be falling into while her feet are this size.

I generally prefer quick-drying t-shirts to quick-drying tank tops, for ad hoc getting wet. They keep the sun protection on my shoulders much more easily than trying to re-apply sunscreen, and they're so light they don't really feel noticably warmer.

[sylvia-rachel.livejournal.com]

Water shoes vs. sandals is all about the toe protection: both types protect the bottoms of the feet, obviously, but where rocks are involved the sneaker-type shoes are better for avoiding stubbed toes -- and also one is less likely to do that thing I do all the time where the front of the sandal sole catches on something and you trip and fall.

Of course, I let my kid run around the park barefoot all summer, so clearly you shouldn't listen to anything I say about foot safety :P

[naomikritzer]

My kids always want to take off their shoes/sandals at the park, and I'm happy to let them. They have wanted to wear their shoes/sandals into the creeks/rivers/lakes I've been letting them wade in, probably because rocky bottoms are rough on feet. (Also, the city parks are all very well-maintained and kept free of nasty stuff like broken glass. Hidden Falls had some broken glass around.)

[imponderabilias.livejournal.com]

Cheap tennis shoes work just as well as the water shoes. At camp we actually had an extra pair we called "creek shoes". The only problem with them (as opposed to the mesh shoes) is that if it isn't sunny and fairly dry, they don't dry out and there's nothing worse than putting on clammy, damp shoes a day later. Of course, you can just throw them in the dryer when you get home.

I don't know if you have any pebbly beaches (Michigan's east side, on L. Huron is mostly this) - but sandals are annoying on these beaches because the waves wash the pebbles right between your feet and the sandal.