So Very Dark

As you may recall from this post (and this one, and this one, and this one...), my most striven for and elusive task this summer has been finding a wild place in which to swim.  However, though surrounded by creeks and three rivers of note, the closest I had been able to get was creek-walking and pool swimming.

Yesterday, that finally changed.

A couple weeks back, Briggs ‘ The Mad Researcher’ Alden found an internet guide to swimming holes…just a place where people can note their own favorite spots.  He found a few in our general area, and one in particular, Jackson Falls,  not far from us at all.  We did not have time to go before this past weekend, but in all honesty, the stars were rather perfectly aligned for the trip to be when it was;  the weather was warm but not sweltering, which was good, as we inadvertently took the long way around, most of which was uphill and through some brush;  Anna’s family was visiting her in-laws, but she was home and looking to get out of the house, so I had female moral support and a swimming companion;  we had even just been grocery shopping and recently acquired a cooler, so I was able to pack us a picnic lunch.

We got lost a couple times, as we are still breaking in the sat nav, and did have to pull out the computer and check directions once or twice, but eventually we pulled up to a beautiful, woodsy path along a creek.  We had an invigorating hike, and by the time we found the spot, we were more than ready to cool off in the chilly water.  Anna and I had definitely been concerned that we would arrive to a party spot swarming with macho teen guys and high-school girls in skimpy suits that would make us feel fat and old, but the place was relatively deserted when we arrived, and we spent a while splashing in the water and jumping off the falls (with many a girly scream from me and corresponding derision from Anna) and picking up a few scrapes and bruises and having our feet nibbled on by small fish…a phenomenon which I had heard was not uncommon, but had never experienced, myself.

Eventually, a group of adolescents did descend like locusts on the swimming hole, at which point we decided that it was probably a good time to head back.  As the return hike was more downhill, it was much more pleasant…and when we got to the car, we had cucumber sandwiches, juice and marshmallow-rice squares waiting for us!  All in all, a perfect afternoon.

The rest of the evening was pretty nice as well…I finished up some homework and Anna came over for dinner (massive salad with grilled salmon) and we made two failed attempts at watching a fun romantic comedy — “Conversations With Other Women” = over the top artsy, lots of ‘we’re so clever’ banter and full movie split-screen, and “She’s the One” = just…bad, and full of unlikable characters.  …but we still enjoyed hanging out and eating salad.  ^_^

Anyway, the place we swam is, apparently, just one of three good swimming spots on that creek…the biggest having a  30′ waterfall and a bigger pool…we are definitely going back to explore further.  This time with hiking shoes, instead of flip-flops.

A happy Rei: