I finally bought a Tilley Hat. I’ve resisted getting one for years, even though I’ve liked how Joseph looks in his. Until now, it just wasn’t for me. A baseball cap was all I wanted while hiking.
OK, I’ll admit it. I think it looks like something old folks wear. The baseball cap and my lovely straw hat are so much cuter.
What changed? A greater focus on skin care. OK, on aging and wrinkles! The baseball cap doesn’t protect my skin enough and the hemp hat isn’t for hiking. The Tilley offers the best protection from the sun and lasts a lifetime (which is supposed to justify the price tag). I haven’t exactly figured out why it has snaps on the side…and I think it’s a little goofy looking that way.
So, as we hike our first really long hike this year, I’m trying out different “looks” in my new hat. I mostly don’t like any of them.
I’m hoping that once I wear it a few times it will loosen up and fit my head better….OK, fit my face better and make me look cute even while climbing mountains!
This first hike is Joseph’s favorite. It’s called the Ocean Path. It starts at Sand Beach and is an slightly challenging, two-mile walk to the Otter Cliffs. We like doing this late in the day because, since it’s such a popular trail and accessible with the park bus, it gets really crowded with people from the cruise ships and couples with little kids and strollers.
Starting after 3:30 or so, we see very few people and can enjoy the beauty of the trail and the water. Also, at the end at Otter Cliffs, we can watch the sunset. We don’t usually stay until the actual sunset because it’s a 2 mile hike back and too dark for safety. But the part we see is always neat!
