...wading in the water

Today I am sore, thankful, and very happy to post a blog!

So today Tes and I decide to go to the waterfalls. Well...there were more falls than water. (that pun will be really funny in a few minutes)

Anyway, we make the long walk down, to find that the waterfall is not much more than a trickle. So instead we decide to climb the falls, working our way about half a mile up the falls/creek to a secluded section with a bit more water.

On the way there we bought a big bottle of Cranberry Mike's, each drank about one serving, sat for a while and decided to head back down the creek. We get down just fine most of the way, slipping and sliding in our flipflops. When we get to the largest fall that we climbed up, we decided trying to make our way down the dirt and rock side was safer than climbing down the fall.

We climbed a little ways down on a flatter part, me leading. Then we got to a very steep, almost vertical drop with a dirt clearing in it.. I sit down to try to figure out how I will get down from there.

Once I sit, it was so steep, I just start sliding down the hill. As I was sliding, I tried to grab a huge rock that I passed, unable to get my grip on it, I kept going. I was not able to stop. At the bottom of the slide was a short flat area with a small (maybe 3ft long) wall off the side, and then a straight drop about 10 feet down of rocks and into what should have been the bottom of the falls, but with the drought, it was a rock floor.

I was terrified. I was scared I was not going to be able to stop before the drop. I felt like I was sliding fast and could feel my pants tearing and skin scraping. I felt so out of control. If I could just grab something. Even if I was dangling, I could figure something out. Other than the rock I missed, there was not nothing to grab.

Tes asked if I was ok, I told her I could not stop. I was actually really scared. She said I did not scream though. I suppose when I am panicked, I am pretty level headed. I really was worried I would not stop, and that would be it. Down to the rocks and who knows what that would have meant.

So, just before the short flat part before the drop, I stick my foot out, it catches on the wall, and I am able to stop.

I get up, try to gather myself, and feel the tears in my sweats.
At this point, I am banged up, bleeding, but ok! I turn to Tes and tell her I was ok, but advise her, from personal experience, to try to find another way down. She did. :)

While I waited for her to come down, I checked myself out, I will be sore for a few days. My pinky toe took the worst of it. It may be broken, but we are thinking it just jammed. I am holding it personally accountable for stopping my fall. Tes said it was fairies. Fairies, God, my pinky toe...somehow I stopped. 

When she got down, we looked up where I fell and realized I easily slid about 30 feet. Looking at it from the bottom, it seemed pretty far.

All and all, other than a scraped up leg and banged up feet and hands, all is well and I have a survivor story to tell!

Tes bandaged me up and now I have a hot pad on my shoulder, SVU and wine to end the night.

What an exciting day in Tennessee.
Yall, please make it a plan to play in the waterfalls at some point in your life, it is wonderful!
I can't wait to go back when there is water, but maybe I won't climb up this time! :)

Happy Tuesday.