The trail on the Maryland side is a much better hike, although I don't think the view of the falls is as dramatic. It's not very long, but unless you walk the towpath, it requires a lot of scrambing over rocks. I used to be afraid to do that kind of thing, but I am getting much better about it. I wish I'd taken pictures of some of the things I climbed over, and of the steep, narrow rock I inched my way down. At one point when I stopped nervously, a man behind me offered helpfully that I shouldn't be afraid to use a "third point of contact." I laughed at him and told him that I tend to use five points on a lot of the rocks. I don't trust my balance, so I will definitely slide down rocks on my butt and use my hands when I am climbing up or down. I may look funny, but I cut my risk of bruises and scrapes.
And today I made it out with no bruises or scrapes at all. After seeing the falls, we did walk back on the tow path, because one can only confront her fear of falling so much in one day, and the trip to the falls had already left me emotionally exhausted. But also rather proud.
UPDATE: At yoga last night we did eka pada rajakapotasana (What? I totally look just like that when I do it. And of course I didn't go look up the Sanskrit name because "pigeon pose" sounded boring. Be quiet.), I discovered a sore spot on my right shin. That sore spot turned out to be a big purple bruise (hey, it matches my yoga mat), so I guess I didn't come out of the hike as well as I thought. When I showed it to The Husband, he said, "Oh, I remember you yelping when you banged it on a rock." I knew exactly what he was
talking about. But that had been my left knee. Which is tender, but not bruised, so totally doesn't count.
2 comments:
Is that a salamander or a skink?
-Nick
Um, it's a stripey lizard thing with a blue tail.
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