The Best State Park (for Now)

John's the king of spontaneous daytrips, and he packed us up one morning with only one request-- wear bathing suits.  We'd been here once before, but, after a second visit, there's no question it's the best.

This time we decided to walk the trails before swimming, only to find, after fifteen minutes of walking, a little path that led off the edge.

It led to this.

Such a magical place, with mini-waterfalls and shallow pools and deeper swimming holes.

I held the baby in my arms as I took this picture, and I love it.  I'm the richest girl I know.

And then we handed bags and little children and babies back up the small, sheer drop we came down.  (That handsome man even looks good in Millie's sunhat, huh?)

To prove we were there, here's a snapshot of my huffy-puffy self and my grinning boy.  (You know what's weird?  Of course not.  Let me tell you. I realized later that two years ago on our only other visit to this park, I had Ezekiel dressed identically, even down to the missing shirt.  There's an sf story just waiting to be written...)

THEN we went swimming.

The far side next to the falls has a minimum 12-foot depth, and the diving board is high above the water, which gives one plenty of time to perfect their cannonball form before hitting the water.

Or for turning around and waving at one's thrilled three-year old son.

Once you swim over to the waterfall, you can pull yourself up to a narrow ledge and try to walk the length of the falls.  It's fairly easy, though slick, until you reach the part where there's no way to avoid the water, and it pounds down full force over your head.  It's kind of hard to breathe, even ducking, and every time, I lasted only a few seconds before it swept me off and into the deep end.  

John and Annika convinced Millie to try, and she loved it, too.

John made me jump off the diving board (COLD), but walking the waterfall was worth the jump.  It was one of the most fun days of summer, and I find myself wishing it were hot enough to try again.

You can just imagine me jumping and swimming, 'cause there are no snapshots.  Here, instead, are some poor saps who are still too small to jump into the deep section.  Poor lee'le creet'rs.