Knee Hi Explorer

I have been looking for something interesting to do with Amelia this summer since our return from NY.  A couple of friends mentioned the Knee Hi Explorers at the Eagle River Nature Center.  Only $5 per class and you sign up week to week...PERFECT.  The program is for 3-5 year olds and is designed to encourage the naturalist in even the very young.

After waiting for a good 20 minutes for the bulldozers to move and the pilot car to guide us down Eagle River Rd, we arrived at the center just in time.  (MAJOR road enhancements!  I just kept thinking of our friends who live down the road and have to endure it two times a day ... and it will last for quite awhile it seems!)

When we finally arrived, here is what greeted us at the front door:

Hmm...crow pass is a lonnnng trail and really not sure where this occurred, but justified it wasn't close...and they surely wouldn't have little kids near a brown bear....would they??  Nah...we are good.

As soon as we walked in I hear "there's a bear outside".  Ok, these are trained professionals we are fine...

He/she wasn't that big and it was a black bear ... not a brown. However, blacks are more aggressive.  I held Amelia and said "THIS IS WHY I TELL YOU TO STAY CLOSE WHILE WE ARE AT HOME!"   These guys wander through our yard quite often and brown bears too, however,  brown probably due to their size and the fact they can kill a black bear, are quite a bit more scary.

They shooed him/her away and called a ranger... we went in for a bird talk.

The bird talk was fabulous...and Amelia loved it.  We then headed outside...they were confident the bear was gone and we are fine.  OK.  Mosquitos were our only bothersome creature.

We spotted some woodpeckers ... as thrilling as seeing the bear!  Ok..maybe not.  Mosquitos love Amelia's head, and although I generously sprayed her with repellent, they will do anything to get her.  Spotted a sign a bear had been through here too. 

At the salmon viewing deck the sun came out and they gave the kids binoculars...this just topped off a great day.

I will tell you...she loves binoculars.  

Although Amelia has never made it around the trail without someone carrying her, she did so this time...with a bit of whining near the end.  Next time will be that much easier!

It was surely a great morning and we are eager to go back next Wednesday...leaving lots of time to get down the road!