The elevation (8000 feet?), the heat (high eighties) and the steepness of the trail – not to speak of the lack of practice – started taking its toll pretty quickly as we embarked upon the hike that Anannya insisted we all go for. The kids fared much better.

After we came back, I asked everybody their guess of the distance we had hiked. Estimates ranged from 0.75 miles to 4 miles. The right answer was 1 mile !!