We went hiking on Sunday! My friend Lissell is wise in the ways of hiking, and took us (me, the hairier half, and our friend wonko) on a short jaunt up the beginning of Eagle Creek Trail, up in the Gorge. (wonko’s photos here.)
For those of you not of the web-footed persuasion, the Columbia Gorge is what happens when you first flood an area with hundreds of feet of basalt blankets one on top of the other, and then make some poor schmuck of a river run through it. It is a vast winding gorge between Oregon and Washington, with edges varying from trickle-worn bluffs on up to vast towering black cliffs laced with intrepid greenery and icily beautiful falls. On the Oregon side it tends to the latter. Here you shall find Multnomah Falls, second largest year-round waterfall in the nation; and a bevy of lesser falls, named and unnamed, clustered along the walls like merry ladies-in-waiting, chattering all the year.We paid 5 bucks for a parking pass, and hiked up as far as Punchbowl Falls, where we ate our (suddenly exquisitely delicious) lunches, rested our feet, and watched high school boys swim in icy water to impress high school girls. We had a wonderful time. My asthma, I think, is unimpressed by mild consistent slopes, preferring to put in an appearance at really steep, root-and-rock hikes.
Also, I identified one of the main obstacles to my exercising some time ago—mind-numbing boredom. This trail had none of that. None of the trudging along paying attention only to the ache in my feet, the tightness in my bronchial apparatus, and the impertinences of suspicious greenery. This trail was open on one side almost constantly to the small canyon Eagle Creek cuts, and the beautiful sun-dappled curves, the white riffles, and the trees climbing up on the opposite ridge. We padded under dripping overhangs, cooled ourselves in tiny waterfalls, and were haunted by bright blue butterflies. It was an utter delight.
Comments
A tip for high school boys
Re: A tip for high school boys
I knew you were going to say that :P
Re: A tip for high school boys
I felt obligated. It’s my duty as the Xander of our particular social circle, is it not?
Re: A tip for high school boys
If you’re Xander, what the heck does that make me? Or, in other words, how far can you push this pizza?
Re: A tip for high school boys
Isn’t it obvious? You’re Willow. Matt is Oz. Lillis is Buffy (only less angsty and with fewer stakes hidden about her person at any given moment). We haven’t got a Cordelia yet, but that might not be a bad thing.
Re: A tip for high school boys
I could be Cordelia, although none of you really know me and I’m pretty sure I’m not a girl. Then again, I just went swimming….
Or not. I love your writing though. Very much enjoying the new blog. Keep it up!
Re: A tip for high school boys
Thank you, that is highly gratifying indeed! I’m glad to have more readers than wonko and my husband :P
And about Cordy—you do realize this might be a wistful desire on wonko’s part to be pulled into closets by hot cheerleaders? :)
Re: A tip for high school boys
So do you?
Re: A tip for high school boys
Well, we could be in the post-Cordelia stage of Buffy. Cordelia could possibly be represented by a certain Ex of Wonko’s, could she not?
Re: A tip for high school boys
You know, I was thinking the same thing, but I kept my mouth shut because I think Cordelia is probably a good deal more mature than my aforementioned ex and undoubtedly has far fewer emotional problems.
Re: A tip for high school boys
You know what’s better than hot cheerleaders, wonko? Ex-cheerleaders who are still hot and now college women! And they have dorms, which are bigger than closets. How’s that sound?
No offense, hot ex-cheerleader women. I don’t mean to objectify. I just can’t help myself sometimes.