Tuesday, August 9, 2011

A waterfall adventure...

While we were in the mountains, we decided to go on a little adventure. (I love adventures!) We drove on a little winding road through the mountains until we reached Gatlinburg. Just a little outside the town there is a hiking trail to Rainbow Falls in the middle of a beautiful forrest. I am so glad that our country has preserved such beautiful wildlife. I'm sure we would have commercialized all of our national and state parks if it was left up to the general populous!

You just can't recreate the feeling of being in the middle of nature, far away from the hustle and bustle of life in our media driven world. It is good be with the rocks, trees and moss...away from it all for a while.

As Mary Bennett said in Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice, "what are men compared to rocks and mountains?"

Now, this hike was not for the faint of heart...or the out of shape! None of us hike a lot by any means, so it was very challenging indeed! There were 3 miles of going up hill on a very rocky (and often wet) path.  We passed some people who had given up half way and others who were trekking right along.


Despite the challenges, the journey was beautiful. The farther we went up, the air became cooler and more delicious.


At last we reached the falls! Can you tell how sweaty we are? All of my clothes were seriously drenched. Jonathan put his shirt back on just for the picture too! (Pardon my granny shorts and sweaty make-up less face! Ha! Hiking isn't very flattering!)



These photos don't even come close to doing it any justice. It was magnificent. It is also said that on days when the sun is shining brightly that there is a rainbow in the waterfall. I wish we could have seen it!

And now I leave you with this! Haha! My hubby and brother in law discovered that they were wearing the same underwear. Apparently is some special you-can-wear-it-for-weeks-and-it-won't-smell kind. Some guys hiked the whole AT in them and took a picture like this...thus this picture. Ha!

On a more serious note, this little hiking adventure reminded me of a book called "Hind's Feet on High Places." (I don't know if anyone has read it or not.) It is an allegory about a girl named Much-Afraid who follows the Chief Shepherd who is helping her grow as she climbs the mountains to the heights. It is especially profound to me these days as the Lord is teaching me how to climb over rocky, not so fun places with Him.

"The sovereign LORD is my strength;
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
He enables me to tread on the heights."
(2 Samuel 22:34)




PS: I am also over here today!

23 comments:

Emily Hornburg said...

These pictures are so gorgeous! They make me want to go hiking... too bad I would probably fall and die! Haha. But seriously, that is so beautiful I don't even have words. What a blessing it must have been for you to see that!

Amy @ AGirlCalledBeloved said...

Oh man! That last picture is a hoot!
That looks like a really beautiful hike! The height of the waterfall is crazy! So beautiful!

Alyss said...

Haha that last picture! Guys are kids again when you get them all together. Especailly when it involves underwear.

Kristen said...

So, first of all, I cannot BELIEVE you mentioned that book! I love love love that book, but no one ever knows about it! It really is good!

Those pics are awesome, and that waterfall looks beautiful! The undies pic made me laugh :-)

Emily grapes said...

That waterfall looks absolutely amazing. The width of it is awesome! I'm sure seeing a rainbow in it would have been the icing on the cake.

Way to make it all the way.
ps, totally couldn't see that you were sweaty or didn't have makeup on. :)


www.keepthefaithgoing.blogspot.com

Erika Lee @ A Tiny Rocket said...

the photos are completely stunning. it looks like you are in some kind of oasis.

eliz said...

What an adventure!! So beautiful! I love water falls...:-)

Sam W. said...

oh my word! these pics are incredible!!


Sam @ fitness food & faith

Alena: Oh, Its Just Perfect! said...

Such gorgeous pictures!! Wow. I'd be apt to go hiking much more often if I got to see things like that :)

Jessica Elyse @ Memoirs of a Mommy said...

So serene! Looks like an amazing hike with good friends/family. I live in a fairly mountainous place and don't get out to appreciate the beauty quite as often as I should. I am adding it to my to do for the weekend.

mjlliving.blogspot.com

Annie said...

Wow - such a beautiful place! I am not a very outdoorsy person but I don't mind hiking. Looks like it was a fantastic adventure!

Laura Darling said...

These pictures are beautiful! Looks like it was definitely worth the tiring hike!!

Alexis Kaye said...

so beautiful! you got photog skills girlfran!

-Love, Alexis

Cassidy Robinson said...

We hiked that trail too! Definitely a beautiful trip up there. We love hiking when we go see Josh's family. :)

leigh ann said...

That looks like tons of fun! We had a waterfall adventure this summer too! My husband his brother stripped down to their skivvys & actually went underneath the Taquamenon Falls. I was definitely jealous, but not about to be un-lady-like ;).
Sounds like you're having an awesome summer!
Love, Leigh

Ashley Slater said...

this looks so fun! and that is a pretty big waterfall! too bad you didn't jump in and take a swim!!

Mikelle Jade said...

ooh so pretty. both the pictures and the girl :)
you seriously look awesome hiking, I, on the otherhand, never look near as beautiful while doing so.

kinze said...

AMAZING ... love the pictures!

Bethany G said...

This is so beautiful! I'm craving a beautiful hike with a awesome waterfall now!

Emily said...

Stunning pictures! What a beautiful place. And you look amazing after hiking! I have read that book actually, it's extremely good. I've passed on a blog award to you; so feel free to claim it and pass it on in turn if you'd like :)

Monique said...

Gorgeous photos. There is something so calming and serene about pictures of nature.

Anonymous said...

You have such a beautiful blog, Jennifer! I love your positive, happy spirit. It's so refreshing to find another blogger who feels the same way about marriage, life and their faith! I've really enjoyed reading a few of your past posts!

This one caught my attention b/c I took my husband to see his first waterfall earlier this year! I'm not sure how he managed to go 29 years without seeing one, but we had so much fun! Also, Gatlinburg is where we spent our honeymoon 8 years ago! :o)

Rachel said...

I love adventures like this. So fun!

I know what you mean about photos never doing justice to how beautiful things are. We can still imagine though! Love the one of your brother in law looking up at the waterfall :)

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