Harry Potter, Pocahontas & A Headlamp

Last night the lightning and thunder we had been experiencing all week finally caught up with us in a spectacular way. 9:00--the power blinked twice and then went out completely, the night sky flashing with lightning. You're not really living until you're wearing a headlamp in your hotel room. 

It's too bad you can't really see the clever way I affixed it to my hair towel. Very chic. The outtage didn't last long; within the hour we had found an open restaurant and were eating mashed potatoes and sipping margaritas. Aren't these the foods of hikers? 😉

In the summer of '95, Pocahontas came out in theaters. I had the best job--babysitting two girls I adored. Elizabeth and Jessica were nuts for this movie--I think we saw it in the theater at least three times. And then sang the tunes (over and over) the rest of the summer. 🎶 Today's hike of the Narrows, was truly...Just Around the River Bend. 

If you've never hiked the Narrows or heard of the Narrows, put it on your list. It was truly spectacular. Anyone can do at least part of it; the first part is the easiest. The bottom of the river is sandy or is covered with small rocks and the current is not as strong. I wore my new boots, which were awesome, and mom rented some stylish water boots. 

At the beginning it's a little like a Disneyland line, or a frat party, depending on which group you move through. You notice the crowds, but the setting is just too beautiful to go unnoticed. Plus, I reminded myself, all these people, while somewhat annoying, are outside in a  National Park.  Yes!! ☺️

Further up, the rocks are bigger and trickier to get around, and the water moves much faster. And this is where the latest version of Erica vs Gravity took place. When I fell off the bleachers in high school, I fell on my lab partner and broke his finger. When I fell during kickball my first year teaching, blood pooled in my socks and I managed to quiet an entire playground. When I fell in the river yesterday, the current carried me back down stream a ways and deposited a significant amount of silt in my shirt (to be found much, much later). 😁 Not everyone sees the river this way!

We hiked until the crowds thinned out and we conceded that we had to turn around, knowing our tired legs still had work to do in getting us home.  We kept going for a while just to look around the next bend in the river. 

 So that's a wrap! Currently we are flying out of Vegas on a plane full of slightly hung-over gamblers and concert goers. I blend right in having just had a sob session over finishing The Cursed Child and wrapping up what has truly been an epic story. Mom's feeding me pretzels and promising no one is watching. What a gal. ❤️

T & L have been on some epic adventures, but so far, this one rates near the top. Until next time--Find Your Park!! 

http://findyourpark.com/