Breakfast was as normal, people commented on how high the creek was running, I went to a lecture about the skin, then I worked on a spreadsheet, life as normal. About 12pm it started to rain real rain, proverbial Noah's Ark rain. Big fat drops that pounded the earth into submission over and over again. And the creek rose. It rained for several hours, and the creek rose. The road was cut in several places and a number of people had to make alternative plans for the night due to not being able to get home. (But not me, I'm all snug in my little home.)
However, apart from enjoying the view of the tumultuous river (not a creek anymore), my day went on as normal. I went and did my work out: legs, abs and lower back. I did my cardio on one of the boring repetitive machine thingees. I'd much rather walk outside - but thought that walking in the rain with my umbrella amongst the lightening might just be tempting fate.
About 6:30pm I got home, the rain stopped, and I settled down to check my email - as per usual. Then the world changed.
Josh and Heather pulled up;
'Cat we're going to 'The-Hole-In-The-Wall' want to come?' says they.
'But I thought the road was flooded' says I.
'We can go over the ridge' I am told, and Josh informs me 'It's not too hard, there's this one rock...' and Josh waves his hand about four feet off the floor 'you'll be fine.'
Naively, I impulsively say 'sure' grab my camera and off we go. I have since learned that Josh is the Master of Understatement!
Now The Hole In The Wall is literally that. A hole carved through a tall skinny hill by gold miners a long time ago. When the creek runs high it goes through this hole, I have no idea where it goes when it's running low, apparently not through the hole. Apparently when the creek is low you can crawl through the hole from one side of the hill to the other. I say apparently because I have never been there before. It's just a gentle stroll that somehow I have never gotten around to doing - always ended up going in some other direction. But today of course we can't take the gentle way because of the raging river.
Eight of us set out following no trail that I can see, and as I survey the group the teacher in the back of my head begins to carry out a running commentary...
'Glad I don't have to fill in RAM's forms (Risk Analysis and Management) for this trip... hmmmm, no clearly marked trail, cold weather, probably going to rain again latter, strong wind, one person has to use two sticks to help them walk up the hill, the group has already spread out into two or three separate parties, not what I was taught about safety in the bush when hiking, sunsets only two hours away..." This prompts me to ask out loud "does anyone have a torch?" whats a torch they ask? "ummm", I search for alternative american word, "a flashlight?" No, no-one has a flashlight, I bet there is no first aid kit either ... I begin to wonder about the wisdom of this expedition ... but, ... I am already committed, so I tell the teacher to 'be quiet', say a prayer and take out my camera and start taking pictures.
I will not describe the whole trip but suffice to say, the walk was not short, it was not gentle, and there was more than one rock, however the four feet estimate may have been approximately accurate. I found myself wondering why on my first trip to the hole in the wall I was clambering up and down the side of a very steep hill like an over balanced mountain goat, when I could have gone a few weeks earlier and walked along a nice flat road all the way. On the other hand there were lots of willing hands to steady me over the tricky bits, and give the occasional push or pull, the views were glorious and the hole in the wall itself was magnificent. The best bit however was the knowledge that four months ago I could only have looked wistfully after the group as they set out without me because I could not have made it. And, today I did.
Patricia being awesome, she got to the top of the ridge with her to sticks, then out in the middle of nowhere her son calls and she decides she would rather talk to him than clamber down the other side. Jackie and Matt, bring up the rear, and give Patricia a push as needed.
The river, and see what I mean about it being a very steep hill?
The View
more view...
Heather and Josh heading out to investigate something.
I was first told that this was called 'a-stickery-pokery-plant-because-it-looks-stickery-and pokery' but it turns out that it is called a Yukka as in "Yuk-a-stickery-pokery-plant.' I am willing to testify that it is both stickery and pokery and you really really don't want to walk into one.
I took this by lieing on my belly and holding the camera out over the edge of the cliff, this is the back side of the hole in the wall where the water is being sucked down into the hole.
Here is the water pouring out the other side, note the big mound of froth!
Anya (the dog) Danielle and Larry (with cell phone) posing on one of those rocks Josh forgot to mention.
Altogether a excellent trip. And, we got back just before dark.
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