Downpour

We're back from our mini-vacation and aside from not getting enough sleep, I think we all had a really good time. The highlights: seeing two bears in Cades Cove and hiking to Spence Falls. We never go to the mountains without going to Cades Cove. We love the chance to see wildlife and the serenity. I always think about what it must've been like to live in the Cove. Thanks to all the rain, the creeks, streams, and rivers were all way up. Because of this, Jason wanted to do a waterfall hike. So, he did some research and decided on a hike at Tremont, not too far from where we stay. The guide we used referenced the hike as moderate, 2 miles round trip, so we felt pretty confident we could handle it and Jason thought he'd carry Emily if he needed to. My mom opted out, telling us she thought it was going to rain. My dad was a little concerned about rain, too, but he decided to come anyway. Jason and I weren't smart enough to be concerned about rain. We weren't too far along the trail when I think Jason and I both started to wonder what we'd gotten ourselves into. The trail is great for adults who don't mind frequently scaling rocks, but not good for small children. Unwilling to admit we'd made a mistake we pressed on, holding tight to the girls. At some places the trail was very narrow and a misstep would send you over the edge. After an hour we made it to the falls. The descent down to the pool at the base of the falls, where people were swimming, was just too steep for the girls, so Jason climbed down to get a picture, while we gave the girls a snack. As the girls were finishing their snack, the skies opened and a downpour began. Within a couple of minutes we were absolutely soaked, and the rain lasted the whole way back, ending just as we made it into the parking lot. Jason and my dad both wear glasses, so they were trying to see with rain pouring down, dragging/carrying the girls. Lauren was crying about being cold and wet and Emily was crying for the granola bar she didn't get to finish. The rain didn't phase her a bit, she just wanted her granola bar and we heard about it the whole hike back. We definitely made a memory on that hike and the girls are asking to go another hike, so I guess it all ended ok. We did learn two things - don't take your kids on a trail you haven't checked out and always take a change of clothes. I've been hiking for years and always take a change of clothes. I did have clothes for the girls, but the one time I opt out of clothes for myself I need them!