27.5.09

A "Memorable" Day...

The kids were in Canada over Memorial Day weekend, being spoiled silly by Grandmas and Aunties. Instead of sitting around missing them, Ryan and I decided it might be fun to take a leisurely hike in the Multnomah Falls area. Leisurely as in, like, a 4000 foot increase in elevation and 14 miles - piece of cake! I wisely packed the "fanny", leaving behind most of the food. Had to make room for the cell phone, ipods and camera, after all. I roughly calculated 14 x 15 minute miles, rounded up a bit and figured 4 hours would do it. 20 ounces of water should be enough. We got ourselves good and hydrated before the trek just to be on the safe side. Coffee and Coke count, right?! Around the five mile mark, we noticed we were the only h i k e r s (term used loosely here) wearing runners and gym shorts who hadn't already turned around. In fact, we were surrounded by climbers with serious gear...backpacks, boots, poles, ear muffs. "Are you kidding me?" I thought. "Dorks. Wannabees! Get a life (or at least an ipod)." And then we saw snow. Boat loads of snow. Any sane person wearing runners and gym shorts would have turned around at the sight of it but what seemed insane at the time was turning around with a mere two miles to summit.



Any sane person wearing runners and gym shorts would have turned around at the sight of this as well.


or maybe this...


or quite possibly this...


But we went all the way, my man and I. And it was beautiful. ;) From Sherrard Point we had panoramic views of Helens, Adams, Rainier, Hood and Jefferson. And when we learned a short trail to the point (.3 mi) can be reached by car, we didn't care...much.









Just one more thing...Whoever coined the phrase, "It's all down hill from here" must have been riding a bike. Downhill is hard work. I suppose we might have found it a little easier had we not ran out of food and water somewhere on the way up. Fortunately the creeks were cold and crystal! My favorite part of our adventure was when the sole fell of Ryan's right shoe. Less than 100 yards later, he lost the other one as well. They we're dangling by the toe so my rugged outdoors man slashed them with a sharp rock and kept on trekking. I remember the day he bought those shoes back in 1997. No joke.



We had fun!

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