sunday afternoon drive

Yesterday after our incredible lunch of the last chicken patty, the last of the chicken strips, and a few tater tots (essentially cleaning out the freezer), Phil asks me, "Wanna go for a drive?" Now typically, I'm not usually one to jump up and down when he asks me that because he tends to pick curvy roads and I tend to try to read the map to figure out where the heck we are which results in a sudden onslaught of carsickness. But, after the events of the week, I was more than ready to lose my depression for an hour or two, so I said, "Where we going?" And thus began our journey.

We headed north toward Battle Ground where I was bummed to see the cute little Paper Moon store out of business. I FEEL YOUR PAIN, PEOPLE. Then we saw signs for Battle Ground Lake, and that's originally where I thought we were headed, but on the way there, we saw several of these Clark County Scenic Highway signs, and as we got all wrapped up in them and wondering what was going to be so scenic, we missed the entrance for the lake. So we kept on going.

Eventually we stumbled upon a sign that said Lucia Falls. Now internet, if you've been reading my blog for any length of time (even one day) then you know my obsession with falling water. Obsessed to the point that my current blog song is called Waterfall. I love the sound, I love the views, I love the mist, I love to just sit and close my eyes and listen. So this was a no-brainer. We pulled in the parking lot and started following the path.

Pretty, huh? (By the way, I like taking pictures of paths too which you would also note if you have only read my blog for one day.) I also love looking straight up into the tree tops. I still am amazed at how tall trees are out here.

And then, lo and behold, Lucia Falls. WITH A PICNIC TABLE. If you've been reading my blog for more than one day, you might recall my frustration one warm fall day when I wanted to take my husband on a picnic and could find not a single picnic table in front of the Columbia River to save my life.

Apparently, you have to go to the Lewis River (named after that great explorer) to find a picnic table. We also figure that this area must've been quarried some time ago, and I'd like to thank the quarry guy who planned all those nice stair steps for me to walk up and down on. They seriously made my life (and walking in sandals) so much easier.

I wanted to sit on the rocks longer than we did, but it was so blasted hot and my rear end was burning, so we went and sat in some shade for a while.

On up the road a mile or two were more little falls and places where a bunch of completely insane people were jumping off the rocks. It reminded me of hearing stories about Split Rock up in New York where I never went, and that other mountain river we swam in that one day, Sandra, where there were all those little worms sticking to the rocks.

This afternoon, I'm off to Sauvie Island with my friend Barbara, to cool off in the Columbia. She tells me it's pretty relaxing and quiet there except for the big ships, the ski boats, the jet skis, and the nude beach. Don't worry, I have absolutely no desire to be at any nude beach.