Monday's Adventure.... Enchanted Rock

He really is a ham.

About half way up.. looking over to Little Rock

Lunch at the top.

Exploring a cave passage.
(I stayed out!)

We left Joey clinging to the side of the rock so we could get this photo!
(actually, no, don't call CPS, it is a trick shot!)

I first heard about Enchanted Rock when I was in High School. I remember Mrs. Carroll, Geometry teacher and German Club Advisor, took the German club to Fredericksburg and Enchanted Rock on a field trip. When I was at UT I heard about it, but never took the trip to see it. I have thought about a visit all these years.

Finally, with November here, the weather is cool and beautiful, the kids had a teacher's in-service day, and David had a work holiday. So we decided to make the trip down. We thought it might be crowded due to Veteran's Day, but it seems only Austin schools had a day off, so we had the park almost to ourselves. The weather couldn't have been better. The clouds were beautiful and kept the sun from being too intense. There was a great breeze on the rock and all the kids are like little billy goats with lots of energy for climbing. Just a perfectly fun day.

A big bowl feature at the summit.

Emma
We all laid down on the rock and it was really comfortable because
the slight curve stretched out your back just right.

It's been dry, but there were little pools here and there. Some were just puddles and some had the start of little ecosystems in them. Later, when we got down, the Ranger's station mentioned that they are used to learn about how little ecosystems develop.
If you click and enlarge this photo (taken from Little Rock looking back at Enchanted Rock) you will see tiny people to give you a sense of scale. We walked up Enchanted rock first, then over to Little Rock, then "off road".
Little Rock

More amazing life taking root

Just one of the big old rocks scattered about. This is where we started to blaze our own trail, and just beyond we got to ....

I was the most nervous about our "off the beaten path route". The kids and David didn't seem to mind the 10' drops between the boulders they leapt among, or the possibility of SNAKES that I was so acutely aware of!!!