Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls

Don’t go chasin’ waterfalls Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you’re used to. I know that you’re gonna have it your way or nothing at all But I think you’re moving too fast

Most people say to follow your dreams and aim for the sky. TLC says stick to what’s safe and don’t get ahead of yourself. Ambition is a good thing, but it can be bad when it is directed into a dangerous things (such as a waterfall). Use your ambition to obtain goals that lead to calm and peaceful dreams like “rivers and lakes.”

The song sort of hit home as we tried to find the middle ground here. I have been really struggling while trying to find a way to recap the trip so here goes. (Also, you can read Sheilas recap here)

BEFORE THE TRIP

I injured my hip 6 weeks ago. I have not run a step since then. I can’t do much in terms of lifting, biking, paddling, etc. It’s been awful. I have done my rehab every single day. Stretched – Followed orders – Everything to a T… I am sort of ready to get back to the rivers and lakes I am used to…. But there must be a reason for the injury. We were scheduled to go to the ADK high peaks on July 1st – Backpack – Knock a few more off of the list – Take on some challenges and push our limits – It seems fitting to challenge ourselves to prove what we can do when we are stuck so often with what we can’t. Right before we left for the trip we had an appointment with Sheilas doctor who pretty much said “You might just have to wait until your late 30’s for these ovaries to calm down before you can have kids”. I followed that up with 2 visits to my massage therapist who spent an hour each time destroying scar tissue in my tendons trying to get them to start working normally again. Basically with the not so great Shme doctor visit – and the still broken me hips – The high peaks were out. They demand too much both physically and mentally. We decided that our trip would start slow. A few days at home, just the two of us as we discussed the future, options, and where things should/could go. We knew that the rest of the summer from the trip through would be a whirlwind and my time off would be over before we even had a day to think about what was happening. THE ACTUAL TRIP We decided this trip to the ADK would be the same as the days leading in to it. Slow. Time on our island to figure out our needs and wants and what we should be doing and what waterfalls were better left out. We paddled a bunch like we always do We hiked to ponds that didn’t exist, on trails that hadn’t been maintained in years.

This is not a trail - That is not a pond — This is not a trail – That is not a pond

We hiked to the highest waterfall in the ADK (OK Slip Falls) And made a plan to come back next year to give a little FKT attempt on it. We hiked all the way down to the Hudson River on some questionable terrain We checked out a ton a fun waterfall hikes. In essence we kept it simple – mostly flat – and eased my hips back into moving. After each hike, we would paddle back to the island – Which would burn the shit out of my hip – (Yes your hips get used like crazy when you paddle a canoe) and then I would soak in the calm mountain lake waters of Indian Lake, NY. Just letting the water do it’s thing. Side note – Our dog loves the water as much as he does the mountains – Here are some photos to prove it. After 4 days of flat stuff and soaking in the water we would climb Snowy Mountain. A technical trail that covers a ton of elevation in just a short time. This is our anniversary tradition. Paddle in. Climb the mountain. Drive to a pizza joint. Check messages. Drive back to the lake. Paddle out. The only difference was this year for the paddle out after Snowy we decided to rent a boat. What a luxury, and for us – what a splurge!! We climbed Snowy- Shme’s best time yet. It was just the two of us all day o the trail and on the summit basking in the sunshine and taking in the views. Then, back to the campsite for swimming – celebratory beers – and a boat trip around Indian Lake. The take home? We played cards, we read books, we had deep discussion, we had stupid discussion. We got drunk, we made good food, we ate junk food. We had no one else to talk to. No phones, no radio, nothing all week. Just us and the sound of the waves on the shore or our feet on the rocks, and the campfire at night. The end of this is simple – Both Sheila and I have massive dreams and aspirations. Those of adventure, of raising a family, of bigger, better, more. It was the perfect time to settle. To just be. To stop chasing waterfalls…….. even while we were chasing waterfalls.