Girls Trip - Day 3

Our first business of the day was hiking.  We figured we'd try something fairly simple/easy first, see how that went, and then decide what we were going to do from there.  So, off to Ash Cave we went.  It was definitely an easy hike up to the cave on a paved path, and the cave itself was fun to wander through and around.  AF and I decided to hike up to the rim above and look down, which was a little disconcerting!  However, I loved it.  I was so glad when the girls decided that we should go hiking more after lunch. 

Ash Cave, from the trail leading up to it

Area inside the cave.

Waterfall trickling down over the lip of the cave.

Me at Ash Cave.

We went back to the cabin, had lunch, and then off to Cedar Falls for more hiking.  This hike was definitely a bit more strenuous than Ash Cave.  You could either take a really steep descent down from the parking lot area through some really rocky areas (but get there quickly), or you could take a lazy winding course with an easier descent that went over a bridge and alongside the creek (but took longer).  We started on the steeper trail but, realizing it was steeper, the girls decided to go back up to the top and take the easier trail down with CC.  I was already halfway through the trail and decided to continue on, telling them I'd meet them at the falls.  I got there and waited for what seemed like ages before my "mom" instinct starting nagging at me that maybe something had gone wrong.  I walked halfway back up the easier trail, waited for awhile, and then realized they weren't coming.  So, I ran back up the steeper trail to the main area to find them.  I found CC at a picnic table alone.  Oh no!  Is she injured?  Unwell?  What's happening?!??  It turns out she didn't think she could make it down and up the stairs again.  I offered to help her along and so she and I went down the easier trail together.  Once we got to the falls, we found AB and AF, and then the fun started.  We walked up toward where the falls began, I walked into the water and touched the waterfall, got pictures, scampered up a hill side, walked through the creek on the way back up, and listened to the thunder roll in over us as we headed back to the car.  It started raining just as we got back to the car.  Perfect timing!

Cedar Falls

Me touching the waterfall.  The water wasn't so deep!

More of the waterfall up close.

The creek area flowing away from the waterfall.

After heading back to the cabin in the rain, AB and CC decided to watch Princess Bride while AF and I went for a run in the woods.  I should have realized "Hocking Hills" meant hills when running, but it didn't connect in my brain until we started running.  It was pouring down rain, we were going up and down some pretty steep hills, everything was covered in yellow-colored mud, and we were having a BALL.  For a ridiculous tough run, we were laughing ridiculously hard most of the time.  I love that we were able to do probably 4.5 miles of running and 0.5 miles of walking in that kind of situation together, and it was too much fun.  If my knee I injured during my half marathon in March hadn't started acting up, it would have been much better (ugh, going down hill sucks - how the heck am I going to do the all-downhill Tucson half marathon in December?!??).  Came back, watched the end of the movie, and then got cleaned up.

Muddy running up hills, anyone?

AF and I during our run, soaked, dirty, and happy.

CC made an amazing crock pot dinner, so we had that for the evening.  Then, more board games, hot tub, The Hobbit on DVD, and collapsing into bed at the ungodly-early hour of 11pm.  We are zonked!  No early wake up tomorrow morning, so here's to a good night's rest.

Mmmm, crock pot meal.

Fabulously healthy dinner.

Proof we were hot tubbing, though images of those in the tub are obscured (per their request).