Have To Be Tough Valley aka Apple Orchard Falls Trail

What makes me love trail running as much as anything I suppose is my honest and everlasting love affair with the great outdoors. From camping with my best friend as a kid to getting lost in the woods for hours on end with my sister, my love for creeks and trails has been around as long as I can remember. I can recall long aimless hikes, cool summer days dipped in the creek, swinging from long sturdy vines, traipsing along fallen trees and beaten paths. Unfortunately, I remember only two outings of this nature as a family growing up. One I actually only remember through pictures, the other an infamous afternoon I only wish I couldn't recall. Now with a young family of my own and an ever growing love for the mountains I want to share them with the small people in my life in the hopes that they will develop a life long love of their own.

Even before I took up running we started them on their way, when Cooper and Bailey were five months old we carried them up to Sharp Top. However, our hikes were sporadic until my pregnancy with Brodie. Every Sunday through much of the summer and fall that I was pregnant we took the three children hiking. Occasionally we took them into the mountains but most of the time we stayed nearby, exploring the trails of Candler's Mountain, Peaks View Park or Falling Creek Park in Bedford. That first summer the hikes were short and incredibly slow and often ended with at least one child being carried to the car. However, over the past two years they have grown and become more capable explorers.

We had a busy fall training for our first 50 Miler and took the kids out less and less and even post Masochist we haven't taken the kids out nearly enough. Yesterday, missing the mountains myself, I decided we should take advantage of my break from running and take our kids into the mountains. Apple Orchard Falls was my first choice. I think at first Todd would have rather just taken them to Candler's but he agreed that while convenient, Candler's isn't all that scenic.

The kids were excited about our adventure and helped me pack snacks and a picnic lunch. They picked out water bottles and chose their 'running' shoes. They didn't complain at all during the duration of the drive, they seemed to enjoy the winding roads and Sean asked over and over "Are those the Blue Widge Mountains, Dad?"

Being me, I worried about my leg, the cold and how the kids would handle the distance to the falls and back. Being kids, Bailey, Cooper and Sean immediately turned it into an adventure. On the way down to the falls they chattered excitedly about the sound of water up ahead and helped me clear the trail of debris. At one point there was a fallen tree and a scattering of tree bark. They wanted to stop and rid the trail of every piece of bark, after five minutes or so we hurried them along.

They loved climbing under fallen trees and over large logs and finding walking sticks their height. They didn't once complain about the cold and got their feet wet even though we tried to get them not to. They were excited as we approached the falls and headed down the stairs, something I have never been when arriving at the stairs.

Upon arriving at the falls they shrieked with joy and ran back and forth over the bridge. Again I worried they would wear themselves out before we made it back to the car. They paused momentarily for pictures and were ready to carry on with the adventure. Going back up the stairs they were a tad bit whiney which is only to be expected but when Todd told them when we made it to the higher falls crossing they could have a piece of chocolate they picked up the pace.

It was a smart move to bring along the Super Hero Chocolate they had received the day before at a birthday party, it was good incentive and a nice pick me up over the last half of the hike which is all uphill. Bailey and Cooper turned it into a game at this point. With Todd, Brodie and Sean behind a ways I just listened to the twins as they turned our hike into fantasyland. The group behind us were evil and Bailey and Cooper were trying to escape their capture. They started to name the sections, "We've made it to Low Valley", "This is Wet Valley" they called a low stream crossing. Bailey's names were my favorite, she christened one section "Mailboxy River" and referred to the whole hike as "Have to be Tough Valley". When we reached the service road crossing that takes you to Cornelius Creek we stopped to wait on the rest of the family and a bite of chocolate. I overheard Bailey tell Cooper, "My super powers will never dissolve." Cooper quite seriously responded, "Well, except when we get to the car."

For those who have run the Promise Land 50k, they know this last section of this trail to be the toughest, our kids were definitely tuckered out and cold and some whining did set in. To move them along we turned ourselves into turtles and rabbits, mice and snakes. We stopped and climbed rocks and found hiking sticks. Cooper, who had been our best hiker, grew tired and fell behind but overall we made it to the car without incident. Only Brodie had to be carried.

It was a long, slow hike with many stops and side adventures but my fears as usual were ill conceived. My leg held up fine though I was careful not to run a step. The weather, while cold, was planned for and proved to be no problem. The kids hiked better than any past adventure I remember and talked about it all evening long.

They all did a great job and I hope that many memories were made. My favorite part though was this morning in the car. On the way to pick Bailey and Cooper up from preschool Sean said to me, "Is that the Blue Widge Mountains, Mom?" It was, the view of the mountains is spectacular on that side of town. "Now that I can hike are you and Dad going to take me running in the mountains, Mom?"

Soon, Sean. Soon.

-Alexis