Our Hike Up Driskill Mountain!

A couple of years ago, my grandpa was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. But although his diagnosis, he is a complete rockstar in my book! He works out 2-3 days a week, still plants enough corn to feed an army (literally), and is one of the biggest social butterflies I have ever known (his personality is THE best!)! Also he is the best grandfather and great-grandfather ever! He loves Ella, Kade, and Cora so much and I love their relationships with him! Also, I think Ella has renamed him Paw-Poo! That's how it sounds anyway! lol

 A few weeks ago my Aunt Becky saw a segment on the Today Show about an awesome opportunity to support the Parkinson's community. The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research is hosting an amazing series of events all over our country called Tour de Fox! An endurance athlete, Sam Fox, has pledged to climb the highest elevation in all 48 of the lower states! Their goal is to raise $1,000,000 for Parkinson's Research! 

Check out their website here! 

Aunt Becky, Uncle Roger, and Ray met up with the team in Tennessee and did the hike with him! Aunt Becky had so much fun that she drove to Louisiana and met up with us and did the Louisiana hike too! 

So on Wednesday morning, Paw-Paw, Grammy, Ella, Cora, and I loaded up and headed to the hike! (Paw-Paw said we wouldn't have been able to fit a piece of bubble gum in the car with us, unless someone was chewing it! haha!) The hike was in Bienville, LA, which happens to be home to Driskill Mountain, the highest point of elevation in the state! 

(Sidenote: The whole 3 hour ride to Bienville, Ella would call out, from the back of the car, and say, "Paw-Poo" and he would say "Yea!" and Ella would ask "Ready to go?" and he would say "Yea! Are you ready?" and she would say "Uh Huh!" SO CUTE!)

Aunt Becky met up with Aunt Nelwyn and Landon and they beat us to the trail, so they started dancing when they saw our car coming around the curve, and Aunt Nelwyn got SO excited that she fell down! Before we even started the hike!! LOL It was HILARIOUS and I seriously wish we could have videoed it!!! Sorry Aunt Nelwyn, it was too funny not to share!! LOVE YOU!

We had a little picnic in the shade and waited for the Tour de Fox team to arrive! Once they did we got to meet everyone... They were all SO INCREDIBLY NICE! 

Our team (Team Paw-Paw) consisted of: Paw-Paw, Grammy, Aunt Nelwyn, Tammy, Landon, Aunt Becky, Ella, Cora, and myself! Cora was the youngest person to hike with them so far! There was another family from Monroe who was there walking in honor of their mom who is battling Parkinson's. 

We didn't waste any time and we got started right away!! I had read a little information about this so called "mountain" and it didn't seem like it would be too hard so I decided to push the girls in our double stroller! I had read that it was a well beaten and shaded path so I figured it wouldn't be too bad! It wasn't TOO BAD, but pushing up a 30 pound stroller, with about 30 pounds of babies in it, up two INTENSE inclines... well, it was worth it!! (my legs and arms are still a little sore, lol!)

  

 We had SO much fun!!! Paw-Paw rocked it and got all the way to the top!!!! So awesome!!! The Tour de Fox team was INCREDIBLE and walked with us the entire time! Sam, the main guy, walked with Paw-Paw all the way up! It was such an honor to help them meet their goal and to walk with Paw-Paw!

Once we got to the top there was a small lookout and a sign so of course we had to document our hike with pictures!! 

Ella and Cora were such troopers and did not complain one time!! Cora slept alll the way up and then Ella slept all the way down! Everyone was amazed that they could sleep during such a bumpy ride! 

Driskill Mountain may not be a huge mountain but it was a really neat experience to hike it with my grandparents and family (I just wish we all could have been there and done it together!)! I would do it again in a heartbeat!!