Great Falls National Park

We've had an impressive heatwave the last several days with temperatures in the high 90's and humidity so high you can see moisture in the air. All in all, stepping outside feels like walking into a giant dog's mouth. So, to celebrate the early arrival of summer Scott and I decided to take a hike. We drove to Great Falls, a National Park 15 miles from DC and strapped Pav into her favorite perch--The Backpack:

She really and truly loves this contraption, and for that reason (and many more) so do we. Not only is it ultra-portable (we don't have to wait for elevators in the metro!), but it protects her from sun, rain and bugs and allows her to steer by grabbing and pulling Scott's ears. We get stopped by admirers all the time, in fact a trio of women asked to have their picture taken with Pav in The Backpack as we were leaving Great Falls.

We hiked the River Trail, with great views of the Mather Gorge...

plenty of rocks to scramble over and steep hills to climb...
...and lots of moss. I love moss.

Then, on the way home, we detoured through some nearby neighborhoods looking for a pool party to crash. Unfortunately we couldn't find one, so we settled for a cool dip in the bathtub. 'Twas a fun way to spend a sweaty evening.