I don't think about age much, especially mine, which is why I was confused this past week (Sat., February 16) when I thought that I was turning 53 years old. But then I did the math. The truth: I have now made the revolution around the sun 54 times. In celebration, my husband and I took the one day in between rains (we had been experiencing near constant rain) to hike out to Black Star Falls. The only other time I had ever made that hike was also with my husband, along with some friends. That first trip 9 years ago. It was another era in my life. It was when I was running all the time; I was much stronger physically then. I recall the hike being strenuous and what I would rate as a moderately difficult hike.
And it was again -- a strenuous, moderately difficult hike. There was a difference though. This time, the creek was crashing through the canyon. Crashing. It was so full, there was no staying dry. It took so much mental focus traversing between the boulders and rapidly moving creek that it became tiresome. Other times, we were scrambling up mud banks, or but sliding down unwalkable surfaces. You really can't beat that type of hiking. It takes both mental and physical strength. And for me, I had some mental and physical strength to pull from, but I was slow moving. Slow moving was okay though, because that canyon was so lush and beautiful, that I loved all the time I could get taking it its glamour.
Another difference nine years later, is the powers that be erected a sign pointing the way to the falls. As such, there were crowds of hikers on the 16th (I'd say more than 50). But the terrain was difficult enough to thinly spread out the field. Often it seemed like we were the only hikers (waders!) out there. On a sad note, graffiti had been spray painted on some of the rocks (grrrrr!).
The falls though -- wow. WOW. Absolutely remarkable how much water tumbled down into the creek. It was loud and misty. And the natural terrain of haphazard boulders made it comfortably easy to lounge about with a couple other dozen people where if we wanted to converse to one another, needed to yell because the falls were that loud.
