A Career!

I was formally offered employment at the Port of Seattle today. I start my new career on Monday. I will be in Airport Operations as a Support Training Specialist! I guess things do happen for a reason. Maybe I should send the director at Eton school a thank you note for being so arrogant and narrow minded.

So I can say now most my childhood goals and dreams have come true! I live in Seattle [check], I work in Aviation [check]. What I have to work on now is that pilot license and one day own my own home.

Finally I get to work in the field I wanted to! Maybe not as a pilot, but still in Aviation. People thought I was crazy for getting up at 4 am to take a 4 hour bus ride to Mt. San Antonio College and then not getting home till 2 am sometimes. But I guess it shows if you want something badly and you work for it you'll get it. Excuses such as doing my laundry weren't an option and if I wanted a car and a home in my future, minimum wage wasn't going to cut it or make me happy; even if I was working at an airport.

I had a choice to go to Southern Illinois University, Carbondale or CSU Los Angeles and I went with what my guts told me, not the one I was being pressured to go to. I couldn't have made a better choice. I don't think I would be here if it wasn't for Randy Berg, Keith Mew and Len Krugler. The aviation world is a tight knit community and everyone knows someone else in this industry. If I would have gone to SIU I wouldn't have had any of the support or resources I had at CSULA. Berg and Mew where always there when we needed them on or off campus and even after we graduated. They helped me get the internship at the Noise Management department at LAX/VNY airports. Krugler, well he fought hard to make me change my mind about moving to Seattle and instead staying at LAX, but he knew where I wanted to go, yet, he still supported me. When I needed references they were all there and they helped me get the job.

Of course I can't forget my friends and family (especially my cousin). They always supported me and knew even if I was broke half the time (how can I forget my spaghetti diet?), all that hard work would pay off. If it wasn't for them, I don't think I could have made it going to school full time (taking 22 units sometimes) and having two jobs. Even up here I went through some tough times and even my new friends in Seattle where here for me. So to all of you I say "Thank You!"

On a little side note, I got a response from another Boeing department for an interview, but I declined, it was a little too late.

I guess now instead of being outside the airport looking in at all the planes and hopping to be part of something big, I'm now looking up to see where this journey takes me.

The Hike of My Life!

Well, as many of my concerned friends know, I went hiking in the back country looking for Kamin Falls. Many of my friends thought I was nuts for going out to the middle of nowhere, but let me tell you, it was worth it even if I am limping right now and every muscle I didn't know I had is aching right now.


I went to the birthplace of the North Fork Snoqualmie River. A week earlier I had written to Bryan Swan if he wanted to go to look for Florence Falls with me on the Miller River. This is a waterfall that appears on USGS maps, yet we can't find a single picture. He wanted to go but already had a commitment to go to Kanim Lake with someone else he met online. Bryan wanted to see Kanim Falls and John wanted to get water from Kanim Lake to baptise his boy. Getting there was brutal and neither wanted to go alone, plus another person would only make this trip safer and more fun. So he asked me if I wanted to go and then go to Florence Falls 2 weeks later and I could not pass this up! Especially if I was meeting Bryan Swan in person!


Well Bryan and I met and I can tell you, he was not what I expected him to be. I was expecting a guy who looked like he could be in his 30's (he is 25) and for some reason 6 ft tall. Instead I met a kid who was my height with red hair and looked like he belong in high school!


Well off we went; the kid and I, the crazy waterfall dudes. I don't know but waterfall nuts like us must be connected in some way or another. He is scared of roller coasters and he is scared of heights. Just think of how many times you have all tried to make me get on a roller coaster and how many times you have all tap me while looking out the window of a high rise just to get a reaction out of me. We met John and got in his SUV and off to Kanim Lake we went.



Well we got on North Fork County Road in North Bend which I knew very well after my crazy man encounter the day before (more on that later!). We took it all the way to the end of the road 25 miles in. Once we go there we started following the trail by following little red banners. This is your first sign that if you don't know how to navigate and use a map and compass you don't belong there. Then we got to the NF Snoqualmie River and the trail ended. That was after maybe 1/4 mile. Now we had to look for a boot path that would appear and disappear. Now we were where only a handful of people have gone. One hiker with a reputation for been nuts when it came to hiking named Tom had gone to Kanim Lake, but he decided to get there by walking in the river, we decided to walk alongside the river. It was beautiful there. Giant trees and streams that would appear out of nowhere and disappear again. I saw salamanders, bunnies, the occasional squirrel, but no bears.


Now as you all know, I love rain, but Saturday, I actually hated rain, I wanted that rain to go somewhere else. It made everything slippery and later it made bad situations worse. Under the trees it didn't bug us since it was a light sprinkle and the tress acted like umbrellas, but when we were in the open, right in the middle of Devil's Club areas it would rain heavily. In California you were always told to watch out for Poison Ivy, well I never encountered it, but I can tell you what plant I hate the most...Devil's Club. That evil plant even has an evil sounding Latin name - Oplopanax horridus. It can grow up to 1.5 meters and we encountered small and tall ones and they were both evil. Don't let looks deceive you. Even the maple-shaped leaves have little-bitty thorns. They go through your skin. You wear a jacket, they still go through that jacket. And the thorns will fester. It's like getting a splinter. You really have to dig them out. It was painful, but we pushed on.


The first waterfall we saw was Paradise Lakes Falls. It was beautiful and Bryan and I took pictures. We figured we would take more on the way back down since we were going to come back via the Paradise Lakes.



Then we pushed on, crossing creeks, streams, using fallen trees as bridges and branches as ropes to pull ourselves up. It was brutal, but we knew what laid at the end. Then we saw it- Kamin Falls. It was impressive all right. We stopped and took pictures and pressed on. We then arrived at the North Fork Snoqualmie River where it appeared out of nowhere underneath giant boulders as it was being fed by Kamin Lake.



We started up the boulder field toward the massive wall and as we did we started climbing rapidly in elevation toward the left of the falls. The way to the lake was finding this blue rope and using it to pull ourselves up the steep headwall. We were more than halfway up the falls in elevation and neither did Brian or I want to look behind us because behind us was down. John would not give up, he needed that water to baptize his son, but then Bryan and I did what good hikers do and that was to know when to call it quits. We had already achieved our goal, plus to us,the waterfall came from Lake Kamin so that water was as good as the water inside the lake. It was 2:05 PM and took us 4 hours to bushwhack a little less than 2 miles.

We stared making our way down took some close up pictures at the foot of the waterfall and then waited for John to go get water from the falls themselves.

By then I noticed my left knee was starting to hurt and get a little stiff and I knew I would have to keep my knee moving otherwise I was going to be in serious trouble.

We started going back looking for our path and along the way discovered bootpaths then back into the Devil's Club fields and you could hear each of us say little obscenities as we pushed or way through. Now it was raining hard making crossing over creeks on logs a bit slippery and the ground squishy.On the way back we must have fallen at least half a dozen times. Bryan fell on some Devil's Club and it tore his hiking pants open below his left knee. Came across some salamanders right in front of my foot and saw them try to hide under a fallen leaf exposing their tails. Finally with hit the trees again and it made the return easier. We stopped for a breather and then my knee stiffened up a bit more and I knew if I let it get cool down it would be more painful so I kept pacing till we started again. Then at last we saw the familiar little red banners and followed back to the car. It had taken us 3 hours to hike back.

We got back to North Bend, said bye to John and went to to Eastgate to get my car and then that is were my knee was in so much pain I could not bend it. I got home and had to lift my leg out of my car and then go up one step at a time. Got in the bathtub and oh my did it feel good, except- my legs arms and my hands were burning as if someone had pour salt water over a bunch of cuts. The reason, that darn Devil's Club! My legs and hands were red and inflamed. Yesterday a day after those muscles around my arms and shoulders started getting sore. Thank goodness my knee for some reason behaved and let me bend it to walk so that I wouldn't be limping into my second interview at the Port of Seattle. (The interview went fine I think, I'll know by Friday if I got the job). By nighttime it hurt to turn over in bed because of my muscles in my arms and shoulders. Luckily today my knee is starting to feel better and it better because Saturday I'm going up Denny Creek off the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River.

Was this hike worth all the aches and pains? You bet!!!! I go to go where only a few have gone. Saw the birthplace of a major river, saw a waterfall and I can say that I have been to Kanin Falls. I did my first hike in the wilderness and made it back in one piece. I also somehow was able to control my fear of heights. Trust me if I wouldn't have you would have seeing video of me been rescued by helicopter on the news. Well I ever go back there again? I doubt it, but I will definitely go back in the wilderness again.

About the crazy man near North Fork County Road, well I was looking for a way to reach the the river by street to get to Fantastic Falls and I hit the dead end with private property in front of me and being respectful of that made a u-turn and as I did that I noticed a big waterfall coming off Mount Si and I realized it was Crater Creek Falls. So I got out of my car and took pictures from a PUBLIC STREET.



I saw a car approach at full speed and go right pass me by about a foot and turn into the driveway behind the house I was parked in front of. Then I had this funny feeling someone was watching me and the redneck jerk that had just almost hit me with his car was on the driveway with a shotgun!

I then turn around facing him and told him "I'm just taking pictures of the waterfall". He replied something along the lines of "That's what they all say, just making sure" and stood there. I turned around kept taking pictures and then left. I was a bit rattled but didn't panic. Then saw a road that went up and I wondered if that would get me to where I wanted to go, but was a bit too rattled so I went to look for Dingford Falls on the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River.



I stopped at the Ranger station and found out that road I found was public and I could drive on it and confirmed that street I was on was also public just like I thought. I'm still debating about if I should call the King County Sheriff.

Well that was my weekend. My new Canon S3 IS passed the test and it was an exciting weekend and I cant wait for more like this.

Sea-Tac Job Update

Well after a week of insomnia (been going to bed at 5am) wondering if I got the job at the Port of Seattle, I finally got a phone call today. No, I didn't get the job yet, but I got one step closer. I have a second interview Monday morning at 8:30! Hopefully this is it and my career can take-off, or go full speed ahead!

More updates to come!

Mid-Week Waterfall Hiking

Well since I'm getting out of work early and the sun is setting late, I decided I'm not going to waste the rest of the afternoons so I been going hiking locally in the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River (tomorrow I'm going to head up the the middle fork). My first hike was Monday and I told myself I was going to get a pic of Twin Falls from the opposite side of the river; that was my main goal along with getting a cleaner pic of Upper Twin Falls, and last but not least get a picture of what I know is a waterfall hidding above Upper Twin Falls (I'm not the only one who thinks there is waterfalls hiding above Upper Twin Falls- http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/waterfall.php?num=1037&p=0).



Twin Falls

So I started by heading down to the river bank and jumping over boulders to where I have gotten my best pictures of Twin Falls. I know the water level there is lower so I didn't need to worry about being swept by the river and ending up going over Snoqualmie Falls 15 miles away. I've tried boulder hoping, but I always have gotten stuck, so this time I was going to cross the river and not get wet, sort of like Jesus walking over water, except, I was going to walk in the water! How you may ask? Simple with 25 gallon garbage bags! Put a bag over each leg and go for it. Well I made it 1/3 across the river and my Garbage Bag Leg Protection System started failing and water started getting in. So I made a run back to the river bank. I was almost there!!!! Well that didn't stop me, I figure I'll do what the Titanic's hull couldn't do - I put two garbage bags over each leg and across I went, except this time I ended up like the Titanic and my bags started leaking and realize that getting back across I was going to get really wet so I abandon my mission. I did manage to get to a rock about 1/3 across the river and take some pictures, but still don't have the picture I want! My next attempt is to cross the bridge over Twin Falls and somehow bushwhack to the bottom of the river or try it again, except this time with 3 or 4 garbage bags over each leg. Trust me I will succeed!



Middle Twin Falls

After my failed mission, I decided to go off the trail right where the bridge goes over Twin Falls and follow this obvious path off to the side. Now I have done this once before and I got a picture of Upper Twin Falls that nobody knew could be taken (this is the classic view - http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/waterfall.php?num=1037&p=0). I know this because after I posted that picture, everyone started asking how to get there and nobody had ever thought of that. The truth is some people have to know or otherwise I wouldn't have found a swimsuit bra right near the waterfall (anyone who would have gone swimming there must be out of there mind unless the have a death wish that involves tumbling 30 feet down Middle Twin Falls, then 15 feet and 135 feet down Twin Falls). Well this time I got some great pics that where clear and just the way I wanted them with my new Canon S3 IS. Then I took some pics of these giant boulders with water coming out of them. It's just surreal. They look as if they were "crying"; that spring is impressive and the surrounding area is greener than anything I have seeing.




Upper Twin Falls

When I got done with that I figured what the heck, since I'm here already I'm going to look for that fifth waterfall that I know is there. Here I really had to bushwhack, but I had one problem, I forgot to bring my hiking clothes with me and I had my work khakis. Well, I didn't get as far as I did the first time since I didn't want to destroy my pants, plus I decided to go with safety (it was close to 7:30 pm) and come back with a friend, or earlier in the day. My other choice is go across the river via the bridge, then spot Upper Twin Falls, and then go off the trail and find some view point.

Now tomorrow I plan of going to Dingford Falls which I found by accident on Google Earth while surveying the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River. Sunday I'm going to find Florence Falls. I also found it on Google Earth and I have to say these waterfalls that are labeled on Google Earth that I have seeing are impressive so I don't expect anything less than that. I have read on many trail reports that the bridge where Dingford Falls is shakes and the falls are violently loud. Now Florence Falls I found when I was looking to see how deep in the mountains I was when I went to the Taylor River and I found out I was half way to Stevens Pass Hwy from I-90. I can't find any pictures, yet they are listed on the Washington State Tourism website (but no pic) and are mentioned on many USGS maps and charts. It's on the Miller River off Stevens Pass Hwy and they were only mentioned once on this obscured website as being this impressive 300 ft waterfall (waterfallsnorthwest.com doesn't even know where on the river it is since there are supposedly many falls along the river, but if it has a name it must be impressive.). So I went back on Google Earth and punched in its GPS coordinates and told it to show me how to get there... it did, it got me to within 23 ft of the falls from the forest road. Now to get a picture of it!

Memorial Day Weekend

Well the flight down to Los Angeles was fun. It was bumpy, just the way I like it. Once I got to LA, my friend Lel picked me up and we went to go get my rental car. I ended up getting a Saturn ION and all I can say is that it doesn't compare to my old Saturn SL. This car was junk. After that Lel and I went to my hotel at the Radisson at LAX.

Flying past Mt Rainier after leaving SEA

I was so excited when I ended up on the 11th floor and had a view of Runways 25L and 25R. Well I thought I did. Upon running to my window to look outside Lel and I came upon windows where the tinted window film was peeling and bubbling and it warp the view outside.

My hotel was the one next to the old control tower

Lel and I chatted and then Lel left for home. I tried to get some sleep but all I managed was 3.5 hours of sleep since all I could think of was the EMG. I checked out around 7 am and went to my doctor who took X-rays of my back and told me they did a great job at Overlake Hospital with the surgery on my back. Then came the bad news. That I had Cubital Tunnel Syndrome. He wanted to do surgery within two weeks but I told him no and to please wait till mid summer. I would have to go to LA for surgery and take care of the physical therapy in Seattle.

After that I made a quick stop at Van Nuys Airport to visit my former boss a the Noise Management Office, but he wasn't there, just my supervisor. It was great talking to him and I have to say I sure miss that job.

Then came the EMG. My goodness did I forget how painful that thing is. I'll spare you all the details, but I can tell you all I didn't expect the "taser" part of the test. Because of it I finally know what is causing my fingers to go numb and why I get that irritating and sometimes painful (when it gets really bad) funny bone sensation in my left arm. It is Cubital Tunnel Syndrome and the only way to get rid of it is another freaking surgery. So later this summer I will be back in Los Angeles for about a week for surgery and won't be able to go to work for a month, followed by 3-4 months of physical therapy. Hopefully everything will be fine by winter because I want to give snowboarding a chance, just want to see how easy it is, just want to give it a try. Hopefully this is the year that snowboarding curse goes away and I can finally give try it this winter.

When it was all over I met my close friend Nick and went straight to Starbucks with him to get a Latte. Then Lel showed up along with Mathew a few minutes later. We sat under the final approach for runway 24R and just chatted away. Mathew and Nick had to go and Lel and I hanged out till it was time for me to go. I have to say that the flight back was just one of the most boring flights I ever had. There was no turbulence whatsoever. Watching the sunset was nice and it help me get my mind of my sore arm, but that was it.

Flying past the Channel Islands after leaving LAX

I felt sore and I guess a bit down that night home. I figured going to work would get my mind of things but it never happened. Instead the pain got worse and I ended up getting a nasty cramp and there went work.

Saturday was fun, Leah and I went to the Boulder River to go hiking, and to find some waterfalls of course. Well I found Feature Show Falls easily just like last time I went there a year ago and another waterfall that was further down the hike. What I didn't find was Boulder Falls. I was going crazy that I couldn't find it. Then on the way back I heard the pitch and sound of the river change and I knew I had found it so I bushwhacked my way down to the river bank and I "found it". It turned out when I got back home that I didn't find it, I found a new waterfall that I have no idea how it is not on any topo map, or guide considering that the whole Boulder River gets squeezed by the canyon and drops 15 to 20 feet. Well I named it and I posted a picture on Flickr and on a waterfall group. Now I hope the name sticks. As I have learned, as long as you are the first to document a waterfall and post a picture, the name sticks. I aptly named it Boulder Squeeze Falls.

Boulder Squeeze Falls

Sunday we went looking at open houses then went to see a German film at the Seattle Film Festival called Summer '04. It was pretty good and I recommend it. Monday we went to Folklife. Great music and it's a good place to people watch. My goodness what people will wear or do!

New Home & Back to LA

Well I'm all moved in to my new place here in Ballard, more specifically - Sunset Hill! I'm so excited, but a little sad. When I first moved up to the Northwest, I wanted to move straight to Seattle into Queen Anne Hill, but as we all know my first place home was the Eastside in Kirkland. I felt so far from Seattle; and Bellevue made me sick to my stomach. Bellevue reminded me of Irving down in the OC. Time went on and I started falling in love with the Eastside. It was full of trees, I was close to the mountains to go hiking, and the best part of all - when it snowed we got hit the hardest and I love the snow.

Well this had to change sooner or later, after all my car's license plate starts with "206-" and when I got my cell number changed I got the 206 prefix and we all know 206 is the area code for Seattle.

Now here I'm, in Seattle! I can see the top of the Space Needle and the downtown high rises over Queen Anne Hill. Have a view of Fremont, Magnolia, Bellevue, Lake Union, and the Cascades. If I go outside, there is a view of the Olympics and If I walk for less than 3 minutes, I have a view of the Sound. On top of that, I live 3 blocks from Puget Sound. The Locks are down the street, if I'm hungry I have many places to choose from and if I want coffee or a beer, I have too many choices. Last but not least, I live on a hill! I can't wait for winter again and some snow!

Well here are some pics of inside my place, more pics of my views later.

Now all I need is an HDTV, and to blow up some of my waterfall pics to a nice big size to decorate my place.

Well, Wednesday I'll be back in Los Angeles again for a test I'm freaking out over - an Electromyography or EMG for short (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromyography) I have had this done before and it left me with nightmares. We all know how much I hate needles. I can't even look at one on the television and I have passed out before just getting poked with a needle for something as easy as a Tuberculosis test. Well now imagine me getting poke with a needle and having an electric current running through it as they move the needle through my skin and insert that needle everywhere on my back, neck and arms. Last time I had that done it left me so lightheaded I couldn't stand up for almost half an hour and my muscles were sore and in pain for a few days. All this pain just to see how bad my nerves were damaged or pinched thanks to that car accident. I just want this to end. I can't believe all this has happened because of that car accident, I should be thankful it wasn't worse, but its hard when you can't do what you used to do for fun and have to be careful with what you do.

Well for all of you down in LA, I fly in Wed at 11:20pm at LAX, and I'll be staying at the Radisson Hotel at LAX (yay!), and leave LAX at 7:30pm and get back into Seattle at 10:08pm.

Spring Beak

Well this Spring Break was one to remember. From hiking searching for waterfalls to going to Los Angeles to coming back and hiking, this was a Spring Break I thought was going to go wasted. I'll just dedicate this post on the hiking only and post my LA trip on another post, but I have to say I got call today and something big just happen on my case involving that car accident, more details to follow!

It all started great when Leah and I went off to Deception Falls near Stevens Pass. I was so excited to be able to see the waterfall at full blast from all that melting snow, but when we got there, Deception Falls was closed due to storm damage from the November Storms. However, that didn't stop me, we went up this service road right next to the park and parked Leah's car and headed down to the waterfall. I wanted to walk on the trail even though it was taped off, but Leah wouldn't go so I decided not to go. I took some nice pictures and we headed back home to get ready break Passover at her parents; which was one of the best Passover Seders I have had!

The on Tuesday I decided I was going to find some new waterfalls and go back to Deception Pass. I first went looking for Olney Falls near Monroe, but gave up after I couldn't figure out which logging road to hike to get to the falls. I was a bit disappointed because they were supposed to be really nice, but I decided to come back later and head of and see some other falls.

My first stop was to look for Sunset Falls, every guide had taken off directions to how to get there because to get to a good view you need to drive up a private road and people there had asked to get directions there removed. Well, I found the falls on Google Earth and told myself to hell with the private road, as long as my taxes are paying for repairing the road, then the road is public to me. So I went. When I saw the falls, my jaw dropped. I knew it was big, over a hundred feet tall, but I didn't realize how big it was from pictures and when you see it in person, it hits you that the entire Snohomish River is is tumbling down the cascade. I took my pictures and decided to go looking for Canyon Falls, another impressive waterfall on the Snohomish River. Again, this one was on a private road and their were a lot of warnings not to go see them. Well I went anyways. Lets just say I never got out of my car, I had an idea of where the falls were and when I arrived to the end of the road, just looking at the trailers and cars littered around told me to stay in my car, make a U-turn and make a run for it. I could just picture a bunch Billy Bobs with beer cans coming after me with their riffle if I would have made any attempt to see the falls.

Well then I made my way back to Deception Falls. I decided to go walk the 1 mile trail that Leah didn't want to walk on. I took pictures of Upper and Lower Deception Falls and started heading to the trail to take pictures of Monkey Cage Falls and Crack-in-the-Ground Falls, but I heard Leah's voice in my head telling me not to go there and I told myself, not to risk it, so I left them for another time.

Upper Deception Fall (L) and Lower Deception Falls (R)

Then I headed down the Tye River looking for Alpine Falls. The falls were nice and bigger again than what I expected and I got some really nice shots. Then I was off to find Log Choke Falls. They are supposed to be 35 feet tall, but they look way bigger in person and I have no idea how these falls are not shown on any maps when this fall is way bigger and more impressive than Alpine Falls (I also have no idea how Deception Falls are rated lower than Alpine Falls, I like Alpine Falls, but every review makes Deceptions Falls seem as

they aren't impressive, and none except a website mention Log Choke Falls). So I started Driving up and down US 2 looking for a place to pull over and look over the side of the highway. Well I gave up and decided to find it by the alternative way which is to drive on Old Cascade Hwy and stop 1/4 mile past Martin Creek and go down the side of the road.

Well let me start by saying, that Old Cascade Hwy is just one beautiful road. I have no idea how to describe it. It's just so green and the forest seems to swallow you whole. Martin Creek goes under the bridge and I knew I was close (to me Martin Creek is a waterfall where the road goes over on the bridge). So I started driving up and down and I found a waterfall, and darn nice one too! The only problem is I can't find it on any map or guide. It's looks like something that belongs in Hawaii. It was just beautiful and I spent about half an hour shooting

pictures after having bushwhacked my way down about half a mile alongside the river (another reason I knew this wasn't Log Choke Falls). I backtracked and started looking for it again, got in my car and drove up about a mile back and I found another waterfall. Again I can't believe this isn't documented anywhere and I'm pretty sure I wasn't the first to see them. I seen smaller waterfalls with far less power and this definitely had a water show on display, but again, this wasn't Log Choke Falls, so I decided to go try finding it off Hwy US 2 again (I did find campsites back on Old Cascade Hwy and I plan to camp there this summer, who wouldn't want to camp next to a rushing river and a waterfall?).

Well this time I did find Log Choke Falls and it was starting to get dark so the lighting made this perfect for taking pictures. The bad thing was I had to go down the side of the hwy about 70 feet below on a very steep side. Well I did anyways and all I can say is wow. You can't even hear the traffic above you on Steven Pass Hwy and the falls are just amazing, how there is no rest stop or sign posting them is beyond me. I have to thank Bryan Swan for pointing those falls out.

Well the day was over and headed home to get ready to leave for LA and pack.

My next waterfall excursion day was on Saturday. Saturday was the day I was going to find Olney Falls which showed up on Google Earth and I went over Topo maps and decided to go for it. This time I went up the correct logging road which was confirm when I found the falls. but not with out a little sucker punch by Mother Nature! I was already a bit worried that I was on the wrong road, a light sprinkle started coming and I didn't let that stop me, but then I felt something slap me. Then again and again and my hands felt like they were being pinch. No it wasn't a swarm of wasp attacking me as they did 3 tears ago in Oregon, it was hail the size of quarters! I had no where to run and get under shelter and I just kept going. I knew I was close to the falls because I could feel them. All of a sudden I heard a roar and saw a bridge and made a run for it; it was Olney Falls!!! My goodness where they awesome and again I'm shocked not a lot of people know about it, but at that time I didn't care, I made my way under the bridge and waited for the storm to pass. Ate my sandwich and shot away with my camera.

After that, I went off looking for McCoy Falls which also shows up on Google Earth. They weren't hard to find, but they were sure hard to take a picture of! Lets just say I decide to forget I had a phobia of snakes or nasty bugs and I scrambled down the side of a steep, and I mean steep hill in this gorge covered in so much vegetation I felt I was in the Amazon Jungle. It felt dark, but I made it about half way down and my 6th sense told me that was as far as I should go down and if I ever came down here again, to do it early in the day, not at 6 in the evening. I took my pictures and basically had to improvise like Tarzan to make it back up again.

Then I decided to go look for my two last waterfalls before calling it a day. Well I ended up nearby in a park I never knew exsisted. It was Marckworth State Park. My first stop was Young Creeks Falls, they were one of the most unique falls I seeing recently and the lighting was just perfect. Well I got on one of the two huge logs that were side by side spanning the creek and started taking pictures from this nice vantage point, but then I have no idea what happen to me but I ended up getting Vertigo. I have no idea how I got off that log and didn't fall 4o feet to the bottom, but that feeling was scary. I basically just froze and couldn't move or look to my sides other than straight ahead. If I tried as much as take a peek over my shoulder I felt as if I was gong to fall off. It was terrifying. I fought the fear and inch by inch just feeling with my feet kept crawling backwards knowing the logs were straight. I finally hit solid ground and I didn't feel safe until my hands were on that ground too, to make things worse, there were giant slugs on that log and I just kept freaking out. I don't know where or how I was able to block my fear of those giants slugs at McCoy Falls, but here I was just terrified...but you all know me, that didn't stop me from seeing my last waterfall for that evening.

Well it was already about 7:15 or so, but I was so close to Marckworth Falls I had to go see them. So I drove about half a mile and found it going right under a bridge. All I can say was this is the first time I have gotten pictures with that surreal look of water looking like cotton candy swirls. I would have gone under the bridge and taken better pics, but it was now dark (yes I had a flashlight just incase) and decided to call it a day, specially after getting that Vertigo just 10 minutes earlier. I just hope it doesn't appear again. I swear it felt 10 times worse than the vertigo I would get when I would go on the San Diego (I-405) interchange over to the Santa Monica Fwy (I-10) where for almost 2 years I would actually get off the freeway and take surface streets to get on to the other fwy even if my friends teased me about it.

Well till next week when I go on to far less adventures hike to go see Otter Falls which is over 487 meters (for those of you who don't know your metric, that's 1600 ft), Marten Creek Falls, and Big Creek Falls on a 9 mile round trip hike on a very flat old logging road.