afternoon hike

Ventured out into the beautiful afternoon sunshine searching for the alleged pod of orcas that have been hanging around the Seattle ferry lines.  What I didn't know was that the beach front park I was attempting to make my lounging pad and viewpoint was quite a hike from the easily accessed street front parking lot.  Getting there worried me slightly as we wound our way through trails dotted with giant evergreens and then down a fair grade and down and down and down until we reached the sound.  Beautiful warm spring afternoon, smell of saltwater in the air and my kids having a ball.  Finally, as the sun is sinking lower and I am thinking if it gets any lower I will be concerned for our safety in an unfamiliar park that was quite a hike to get into, we make our return.  My sweet innocent babes find a set of stairs that lead in a slightly different direction from the trail that I know will be burning my thighs by the time I reach the sweaty top. 
Sure, let's go that way, why not?
An easy dozen or so man made steps in the side of a forest cliff and a turn.  Another dozen or so and my breathing is getting quicker as we are steadily scaling what I am now sure is a giant mountain that my car is precariously perched atop.  Oh look, another dozen or so before they seem to disappear at what must be near the end.  Nope, another turn and more f-ing stairs.  At this point I am wishing that whatever little rock is preventing my car from plummeting down the mountain and staight into me would slip.  Believe it or not, more stairs.  My breath is getting ragged and my normally energetic beyond belief kids are trying to hand off their pails and shovels and collection of beach treasures to me because they are feeling the burn.  If I stop now, it may take a mountain climbing rescue crew a week to find me.  More stairs.  At least any threat of danger or violence I had envisioned in a starnge park has long ago disappeared since the only thing my oxygen deprived brain can comprehend is that there... are... more... stairs...
At some point as the madness left my brain and sanity returned, I realize we're back at the scenic overlook portion of the trail and we survived the never ending stairs from hell.  Now if we can just figure out where the parking lot is from here in the last rays of the beautiful afternoon sun we can catch our breath on the long ride home!

Needless to say, I got my workout outside today...