"I love the sounds and the power of pounding water, whether it is the waves or a waterfall." -Mike May
We spent Saturday enjoying the urban side of Portland. Sunday was set aside for catching us some nature. The Columbia River Gorge is my favorite place to take in such nature. With it's lush forests and cascading waterfalls around every corner, it is truly one of my favorite places.
We started off by visiting Multnomah Falls. This is a popular one. It's right off the road and really quite magnificent, so it's usually pretty tourist saturated. Today was no different, except that we got there earlier than usual, so we were actually able to snag a parking stall. And there weren't quite as many frenzied tourists in our photos. The lighting was also fabulous! If I had my way, we would do all of our sightseeing before 10:00 a.m. and after 6:00 p.m. so as to catch optimum lighting for photos, then do nothing but eat and sleep during the middle of the day when the light is crappy. I may have to wait until the children are grown for that one.
We took a little walk up to the bridge and came across this little guy. Ok, he wasn't that little. Maybe the size of one of my kids' hands.
There is nothing quite like standing on this bridge and feeling the mist on your face as the water rushes off that massive cliff.
I'll admit that I was thrilled that my girls wore their darling matchy hats. Perfect for photos. Once again, if I had my way, I would choose my children's attire every day that we are on vacation. It worked when they were toddlers, not so much now. But every so often, they read my mind, and it makes me happy.
Neil and I hiked to the top of Multnomah Falls for our anniversary last year. 1.2 miles straight up. You know you're in trouble when they number the switchbacks for you. I didn't think my knees or my quads could handle such a venture today. So we just enjoyed it from below. You really have to experience it in person. The pictures just don't do it justice.
Next stop, my favorite falls. Of course, I haven't seen many of the falls along the gorge, but it's my favorite so far. Wahclella Falls is a little less popular, probably because of the one mile hike into the falls. The hike is just enough to discourage the lazy tourists, or the ones who showed up in high heels, or the ones who didn't stumble across the falls in a travel magazine that mentioned that Wahclella Falls is a must see.
It is really quite magnificent. You hike along this trail, really feeling dubious that there are falls at all. And because you can't hear any sound of rushing water, you're quite sure that if there are falls, they must be rather whimpy. And then, you round a corner, and BAM! There it is, in all its glory. Wahclella Falls!
Once again, the photos don't even begin to do it justice. But the falls are contained within this natural grotto and fall into a pool that is all activity thanks to the rushing water. It is a very Eden-like experience.
The absolute power of that water rushing out of a little crevice into the pool beneath is indescribable.
It's one of those places you kind of never want to leave, and one of the many places that I tend to wish I had brought a chair, a book, and an hour of spare time with me, every time I visit.
The rocks down to the pool are mossy, wet, and slippery. Quite treacherous really. But you just can't help yourself. You must go down and feel that cool spray against your face and look into that deep pool of agitated water. It brings such a high! I wonder why people turn to harmful substances for a high, when God has provided so much to enliven the senses just in his magnificent creations. It's so invigorating, and so healthy!
This is why we take family vacations! The photo says it all.
As much as we wanted to stay forever, it was time to get back to our hotel. But first...one last pose. A Gatsby Pose, Jessica called it.
We came back with tired feet, a healthy appetite, and crazy coastal hair, but none of that kept us from calling it an amazing day!
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