San Juan Loop Trail with the kids and the dog...

Ever since going on the three day trip to San Gorgonio with Garrett (which I have yet to post about - so this is a little out of order I know), I have wanted to go on another hike with the family.  And I really wanted to take the awesome pooch, Umi.  After seeing a couple dogs on the trails a couple weeks ago,  I thought she would really love it.  So today I took the kids and the dog out to our local trails off the Ortega Highway.  That's one really great thing about living in Lake Elsinore - we have easy access to the hills/mountains.  I don't know if there is an official name.  Google maps seems to say Elsinore Mountains.  Gina had a project she had to work on so sadly our family was incomplete and we missed her, but the kids and I had a great time.  And Gina enjoyed the chance to work with the sewing machine without Jeremiah stepping on the pedal in the middle of her work.
Jer fell asleep shortly into the hike and napped while riding on my back for about an hour or and hour and half.  A little while after he woke up we were a quarter to half mile away from the car so he walked that last bit.  It was really fun and nice just to get out with and take a walk.  The whole thing took about 2 hours and 20 minutes at our very leisurely pace (which became even more leisurely when the Jer man started walking) and several breaks.  I hope to return and do this hike in the winter or early spring when the streams will be flowing.  This time there was only one spot that had a little still water from the rains a couple weeks ago. 

The one downside was that since the hike is relatively short, and a lot of it parallels the road, you can hear road noise for a good portion of the hike (maybe one third or so).  However, for a hike about a ten mile drive from home, with the kids and the dog, it was great - got some fun pictures and video.  Enjoy!!