We went on an adventure yesterday! My friend had said that it would be good to get me out in the woods. I am pretty sure she said this because she could sense my restlessness starting to exponentiation as it had been some time since i had done any camping, kayaking, hunting/fishing, or hiking. My love for her rose at the thought that she knew what my restlessness was from and how to fix it.
It was a very blustery day, as Winnie-the-Pooh put it. However, we decided to hike to Kentucky Falls on the North Fork Smith River. We loaded up 5 kids, a dog, and headed out. To get there, I decided to follow my phones navigation instead of my maps. During our journey there the navigation led us through the Coast Range on various logging roads. It finally led us down one that was so overgrown on the edges that it felt more like a 1/2 lane road, or a goat trail. I felt safe knowing I could get there on this path, but if there happened to be a locked gate…it was going to be a very, very long drive back in reverse. I couldn’t help but think about that ordeal, years ago, where a family followed their Google Maps app from California and ended up perishing on some logging road here in Oregon.
We came upon a pretty steep clear-cut area and had to take a picture because of how steep it appeared. As we drove along this old back (logging) road, seemingly forever, the vegetation was so thick on the sides of the road that at times it was rubbing on the roof. It made me all the more astonished when we came upon a little clearing with a burned up car. What was this fella thinking. This really wasn’t some road you take a car on.
The first waterfall didn’t seem that far and it was nice, but we hiked on. All the while we were getting more and more wet. I chose not to bring rain gear because I wanted some idea of what the kids would be facing at any given moment. I stayed pretty dry and warm because of my wool sweater.
When we finally arrived at the lower waterfalls, it was well worth the hike, however, the little ones were totally soaked to the bone and cold. The first thing We noticed was the thundering from all the rain we were having. Next, I noticed that there were two falls cascading over a box canyon wall.
I instantly left everyone behind and went out off the deck towards the middle of the canyon. You had to jump from mossy boulder to boulder trying not to fall in the water. Once out there, amid all the noise, rushing water, waterfall spray, pouring rain and wind, I felt amazed and knew all my needs to get out into the outdoors had just been met. The chaos that was my calm. I was at peace inside once again.
I quickly made my way back to the viewing deck where my fiance had her arms around all the kids like a mother hen, trying to warm their soaked bodies. I gave her a kiss and we all headed back. I realized that I gained 20 pounds of water while I was out in the middle of that canyon. The hike back warmed us up…little. We got to the car after hiking back for 1.5 hours and drove the easier route home with the heat on high.
I am pretty sure we all had a wonderful adventure, and I thank my woman for knowing what I needed and helping me achieve it…as always. I love you!
