Amanda's class goes rock hounding....

I headed out with Amanda's class on a field trip today. Since I hadn't signed up for it, they didn't need the extra driver, but I went for the fun of it. (Originally I had been scheduled to work) So it was just Amanda and I in our vehicle. We made a detour through Tim Horton's for a coffee/french vanilla and a hot chocolate with whipped cream. Mmmm yummy! Neither of us won anything. ): Amanda was completely thrilled because she got to sit in the front seat. This is probably about the third time for her!! (I don't let them sit there until they're big enough to withstand an airbag deployment.) We kinda cringed when we headed out on the road and found everyone pulled over waiting for us! Oops! Oh well, no problem.
We got to our spot and headed out on foot. We were hiking along an old rail bed- the KVR (Kettle Valley Railroad). It was a beautiful day for a walk. The sun was shining and the wind was nearly blowing us off our feet. Mr. Gray talked about the different kinds of rock that we were seeing and the different layers and how they were formed. It was quite absorbing. There was alot of purple rock. It was embedded in the layers of rock, but for some reason I didn't ask Mr. Gray what kind it was. It was pretty though, kinda like amethyst without being translucent like the gem would be. We sat down and ate our lunch... well the adults did. The kids climbed the rocks and sat in various places eating their lunch. After we finished lunch Mr. Gray and the kids climbed up a big pile of jagged boulders. There was a cave in the middle of this pile, that they explored. They were all thrilled to find inside this cave, the makings of a home. Apparently it was a homeless person's home......The kids were crawling all over this massive pile of rocks.... almost made me think I should just stay home next time... It was a bit nerve racking! But alas all were fine and we continued on our way. The next big find was a mostly eaten deer carcass. Some of the girls were appalled that some terrible predator would do such a horrible thing!! We explained to them that this was completely normal and actually a good thing.... I'm not sure that they were convinced! Well we started to head back the other direction... and came upon a cave up on the hillside. So the kids and I climbed up to it. It was dug into the clay hillside. I'm not sure that anyone/thing was using it though... looked pretty vacant. I climbed up a bit further to where there were a bunch of small holes in the clay bank. They were made by swallows. (I think :)) Well by this time I was quite aways up this steep bank...and the only way down is ......down...lol.....FAST..... the adults all had a good laugh at my expense.... well not really my expense actually, cuz I was laughing too. It was time to head back so we adults turned around and headed back for the vehicles. The kids and teacher kept going to where we'd meet them. Well the way back was up the steep bank. Someone had set old tires into the bank for steps and I looked at them and thought... I can't stand to walk up those.. It will take way too long... so I ran up them... the other moms were trying to keep up, rather noisily...lol.... anyway... smarty pants me gets to the top and just about collapses from lack of oxygen!! My legs made it up but my lungs felt like they were suctioned closed!! We headed back to our rendezvous point and loaded up and headed home. What an awesome day in the outdoors... on the shore of a beautiful lake, the sun shining.... a brisk wind blowing.... paradise that we live in here! Life is good.
ps
pictures to come.