My Adventures

Okay...so, it's a Monday and I have nothing to do. Jervaise is out conquering the desert, so I figured I should appreciate the great outdoors here in Oregon. I decide that I want to take the dogs on an all-day hike...fun enough. My neighbor gives me the details on a 14-mile hike about 45 minutes from my house. I decide to try it out. It's a beautiful day, about 80 degrees, not a cloud in the sky. I drive out there, and it's absolutely gorgeous. The dogs are loving life. Mile 2 comes, and bam, my right ankle goes down...hard (and I've suffered enough ankle sprains in my life for you to know that hard means HARD)...2 miles! The hike is 7 out and 7 back. I just got started...there's a waterfall at the end I'm supposed to see, the dogs are ecstatic...I can't turn back (not to mention the gas money I spent to get out to this place and the $5 parking pass...not cheap). I hobble on, it loosens up, and I figure this won't be so bad...I've played entire basketball games on black ankles; I can do this. The scenery is beautiful. Roxy is off lead and coming when called. The day could not be any better. So, mile 5...it happens again. I don't know whether or not I should turn around, cry, or strap on a pair (as they say). I had 2 miles left to the end...I couldn't turn back, so I settle for 'strapping on a pair' while crying. On the way back, I get to stick my ankle into the river at mile 8. It remained frozen until mile 9, which was pleasant. Then, the going got tough. Roxy decided to befriend a man going VERY fast...in which I rolled the stupid ankle yet again in my chase to keep up. Both dogs now leashed, I carried on (them pulling me more than anything...although Cali gave me 'the look' about 4 times, 'Mom...seriously, are we there yet?' Roxy could have done the darn trail again the minute we finished...at the moment, both have been passed out from the minute we walked in the door). I think I cried my whole way through miles 13 and 14...looking like I had a tree branch lodged you know where...and I was never so happy to see my car then I was at that moment (I managed a one-legged dance that only Brandon would appreciate). I drove the entire way home on cruise control, grimacing every time I had to touch the pedal. It was lovely. Seriously though, best day I've had here. The trail was beautiful (at least on the way there...on the way back, I was only concerned about where my feet were landing). Check out my photography skills on Facebook (Eagle Creek Hike). 'No pain, no gain,' right? My foot has been in an ice bucket all night...what an exciting evening...

PS - The waterfall was sweet :)