A waterfall show

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We had heard a lot about these falls. So much that it would be a shame to have missed it this year.
Ganesh had to tick it off his list & I badly wanted him to do so(else, he is behind my back until he gets it done).
We hoped to wake up real early as it was a some distance from home. But personal work kept us from sleeping early the previous night.
Result: We woke up late. Apparently, Ganesh had done his homework & when I asked him, "Where are we going?" he replied, "Cataract Falls". I was like, "WHAT?"
We had decided we would not go there if we got up late.
He replied, "It might rain on Sunday, so we have no other choice, but today".(We are leaving on a vacation to India & will not be able to hike together until after I get back ie., almost a month later) So!
There goes all the story behind our hike.

So, after all the usual routine, we reached the trail head before noon. Apparently, the trail head was easy to miss. So, we were very cautious as we got closer. Trust me! It is hard to miss it. Maybe because it was waterfall season & a whole bunch of cars were parked by the road.

Cataract falls Trail in detail

The weather was cloudy & the drive was nothing short of fantastic. It took us into some very beautiful scenery that was saturated after the rains. At almost every hairpin bend, we could see the city by the bay on one side & the Pacific on the other.

And oh! Did I mention S slept all the way up to the trail head? A good, 1.5 hrs. Me was happy😊

And so, we got our bundle all bundled up into her pack. It was cold. And I was wrapped in 3 layers already.
The trail goes by the Alpine Lake for a short while before gaining elevation. The lake is a part of Tamalpais Watershed. They use it for domestic purposes & so no swimming or diving is entertained.

A couple minutes into the hike & we hear water. Until then, there was no sign of any waterfalls. We thought we had missed the season already & were hoping to come back when "it rains".
A short while later, no looking back. The trail climbed up with stairs almost immediately(as mentioned).

You underestimate time when you have a kid, a camera & two people who stop at every possible opportunity to take out these two.
Ganesh estimated a good 5 hrs for this 2.5 mile hike. I estimated 2 hours. As always, I was nowhere close.
S seemed a little disoriented as if disturbed from sleep. We had no idea she was planning her longer sleep. She took a long nap within which we hiked 1.5 steep miles stopping at almost every possible gush of water. The hike limbs up with cataract creek. S sleeps listening to a Sound Spa that gives the sound of waterfalls. Not sure if she mixed up the two. She did not seem to wake up for a good 2 hrs.

We reached the top & had to wake her for a quick refresh. It was getting cooler & S was kind of shivering in spite of her layers. So, we did not stop for as long as we would have liked to.
A quick 30 - 40 minute hike down & we were at the lake. On our way back the clouds gave way to a little sunshine. Though that helped us feel warm, it was not a good time for photographs. So, the camera was safely tucked in.

The climb down was a lot harder on my knees that I had expected.
But we left the place soon enough to get to a Subway in Mill Valley. S was hungry too & we pretty much had a tug of war at the table.😊 Well, she loves to sit in those high chairs & be so close to the table with us.
But then, the most unexpected happened. Little S fell asleep in the car soon after we crossed San Francisco, again.😱 I was making up my mind to be prepared for a long night.
Like clockwork, she woke up when the car stopped, at home. Fortunately, she went to sleep in 3 hours & we all woke up to a new day, Sunday.

We kept looking at the photos & felt very happy, relieved & gifted. We got the perfect weather. And a beautiful day.
No more updates in a while. Now, you can get back to your own life.😊

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To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug.
~Helen Keller

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Photos

Ganesh taking in the scene
& some water too!

the final fall
from bottom to top

the very top
at the Picnic area

Comments

[Geetha]

Wonderful pictures
Dear Meera and Ganesh, As Usual - crisp notes and lovely pics ! S is having fun with you guys ! keep going geetha

[Bhuvana]

Fun...
meera... u seem to enjoy life a lot... BTW, pictures are simply superb.....

[geetha]

Lovely Pictures
Dear Meera and Ganesh, Spent time over the weekend going over the pictures once more. Very very nice . Have fun and keep moving Geetha