Risky Business (4 IMAGES) Part 1 of 3

Imperviously unaware exactly as to what I had gotten myself in for, there I was hiking with my husband to the Eternal Falls.  Certain facts became painfully clear not long while on that trail …

• My trekking poles in the trunk of my car would have been extremely handy.
• My camera vest on a hook at home I should have worn.
• My hiking legs were certainly not 100%, especially when going down a decline using newly awakened muscles that still are baby weak.  My back that had been unaligned for years just recently was aligned by my Chiropractor. That in turn brought awareness to my legs that they had not been walking correctly for years.  Ouch!

So, that silly grin that had been plastered on my face slowly faded to a scowl as my concentration was solely directed to my feet trekking down a very steep hill.  As the trail became rougher and rougher I began to question if I was up to this hike.  And then I saw …

My feet turned to cement.  For the fist time on that hike I felt fear and a primal urge to go back to the safety of my husband’s truck.  I honestly can say I now know why people do get killed in this park.  The closest comparison I can make is the Grand Canyon.  No, the ravines are not as deep yet in stepping to the edge and looking down you realize this ravine is a LONG ways down, one in which survival is probably zero if one should fall.

Stopping to take a picture of this sign, I assessed myself.  Yes my legs were shaky.  Yet I felt strong. The backpack strapped to my back I barely felt which surprised me, so I opted to continue. Down down down and down some more we went until we finally arrived at the slate creek.

Thank goodness it was so dry here on the day we hiked because the creek level was very low.  Looking ahead to where the path led I could see that the path actually became the creek.  Then a little voice said to turn around to see how far we had come, and what I saw was …

What beautiful wild country!  What an incredible sight to see!  The feeling of immense smallness in this ravine shouted to me that we humans are just a speck compared to Mother.  Ruminating within at the wonder all around me, I then again turned to see what was in front of us yet still to come and I saw this …

As you can see now this trail was not an easy one by far, with nothing to hang onto in case of a slip.  That shale was extremely slippery and crossing over it with a heavy backpack had my heart in my throat at times.  Here we were deep in a ravine and ahead was the Eternal Flame.  There was no turning back at this point for me!

Carefully placing my feet, hubby and I continued on the trail/creek neither one of us talking any more, just concentrating on staying upright.  He was carrying my heavy tripod and his camera equipment.  So yes both of us were pack mules.

We turned a corner and I said, “You have got to be kidding me!”  There in front of us was this huge tumble of enormous tree trunks blocking the path.  We had to actually crawl through them in order to continue.  This is what we crawled through …

Wet going, very slippery and muddy, not knowing where to put the next step, we did manage to get through and when we stood up there in front of us, still quite a ways away was the Eternal Flame.  At last, my eyes saw what I came here to see!

What my eyes saw will be seen on Part 2 of this series on the Eternal Flame.  Little did I know as I managed to get through that tangle of giant tree trunks, that I had yet a few more surprises in store for me yet to come.

To be con’t …

Photography/ “Risky Busness” 2016©AmyRose
@www.herladypinkrose.wordpress.com