Shelter in the Stone

We got up relatively early this morning in an attempt to take a (much-enthused-over) gondola ride, but apparently those don't start up until the 13th of this month.  Lame.  So instead we just ventured back over to Emerald Bay (now we've driven all the way around the rim!  Hooray!) to do a hike that Bridge's dad highly recommended.

And boy was he right to recommend it!

Niiiiiice trail surface.  Goooooood trail surface!

The hike was up to Cascade Falls, only about two miles round-trip, without much in the way of elevation change.  The only thing that made it at all challenging was the relentless sun, which wasn't even all that bad so long as there was wind going.  At one point Nathan stopped to take some shots of Cascade Lake, and I found a convenient stone to snuggle up to.  Here's what I jotted down at the time:

I love how I can be almost too cool here in the shade of this rock.  I feel sheltered, safe from the too-harsh sun.  I always knew I was a water-girl, but it took me until my thirties to realize that I am a stone girl, as well.

We reached the top and I had a lovely time splashing about in the stream, and scrambling over more rocks to the edge of the waterfall.  Nathan was dubious about me doing these things until I coaxed him close enough to see that it was basically broad, flat stair-steps all the way: nothing precarious about it!

Plus, like I said- I'm a stone girl, as well.