Twenty-one days ago, I achieved my goal! Part Two: How We Got It Done! Love and caring, two great ingredients in my determination.

Two of our fine friends from California, Danielle and Meehan, decided to go with my sons Lamont and Leland and me to make my goal of walking from the Larch Mountain parking lot to the Sherrard Point viewpoint. In fact, Danielle graciously drove us in her Toyota Highlander! After a detour brought about by a July 4th parade in Corbett on the Historic Columbia River Highway, we circled around and found a paved road all the way to the Larch Mountain parking lot.



I made a mistake asking you to remember the rotting tree trunk in yesterday's post--I thought it was the one I had them stand on and around for this photo on the 4th of July. Nevertheless, this is a sweet photo of Meehan, Leland, Lamont, and Danielle.



Because I was surrounded by caring people who love me, I had no problem getting to the steps. Once there, I listened to everyone's advice and encouragement and just put one foot up on a step, then the other one beside that one and made my way up each set of steps that appeared on the path. I didn't let myself think about walking back down them yet because I knew in my heart that I'd be able to cope with that when the time came. It's that love and caring that got me there. There's young, energetic Meehan already at the top of the steps.



When I stopped to rest for a few seconds, I decided to take this photo of the trees off the side of the path. I didn't notice that there was no path underneath that railroad tie step until I selected this photo to post here. Glad that I didn't!



This moment that I stopped and took this photo allowed me to have a look at where I'd be going on the way back to the car in the parking lot. Thankful for that moment. Once again I'm thankful I didn't notice that those steps appear to have empty air beneath them there on the grassy edges at the edge of the path.



I found a spider at work. Over the few seconds that I took several photos, the spider moved around a bit.



We're getting higher now, into the clouds which you can see here through the trees.



My son Leland knows how to distract me from the fact that I'm high up on a mountain top! Let me also tell you that each of us was proud of our layers--it was cool up there in the clouds!



Meehan, being fearless near the top. We didn't have to climb up that rock--there were well-formed steps with railing and chain link on each side.



A tiny cluster of pretty flowers called my name when I saw it beside the steps to the viewpoint.



While the absence of the blue sky day that I had dreamed of made me sad, I still found the clouds slowly drifting through the trees amazing! From the Internet about the trees:

Larch Mountain contains some of the largest old-growth forest strands left in the Columbia River Gorge area, characterized by the presence of many nurse logs. Dominant tree species include pacific silver fir, grand fir, Douglas fir, and western hemlock.



Lamont at the top of the Sherrard Point viewpoint.



Here I am, at the top! I made it! Meehan took this photo for me with my iPhone! It felt terrific to be there in the clouds! That's my best California bud in the background, Danielle. She's Meehan's proud Auntie!



I decided that since I couldn't see distant mountain peaks, I'd take advantage of what I could see--close up--taking photographs carefully over the railing or through the chain link fence.



I even looked down, too!



Thank goodness for a zoom lens!



Another photo that makes me proud to have a zoom lens.



Look at the lines in those rocks! Amazing sight to see atop this extinct volcano. From the Internet about Larch Mountain:

Larch Mountain is the remnant of an ancient shield volcano, with broad slopes covering tens of square kilometers. It is currently the tallest peak in the Boring Lava Field, a volcanic field active during the Plio-Pleistocene time frame. Active between 1.8 and 1.4 million years ago, the volcano is composed mainly of basalts, although the summit at Sherrard Point is composed mainly of iron-rich andesite. Larch Mountain's basalt is tough to distinguish from the surrounding Columbia River Basalt, although the Columbia River Basalt is slightly lighter in color and less brittle. Sherrard Point is the eroded remains of the original volcanic plug.

Sherrard Point was exposed during the last glacial period, when the majority of the mountain's peak was destroyed by glaciers. The glaciers carved a large cirque into the mountain, forming a large lake. Over time, the lake was filled with sediment, and today the area is now a large meadow.



Equally amazing, the lines in the remains of this tree.



I couldn't get enough of these tiny beauties beside the rings in that tree trunk. Wow!



On the way back to the car, one more photograph of the beautiful forest.



Found on the path; I wonder what kind of bird used to have this particular feather?



You can see the descent of the path to the left of these rotting tree trunks.



Yes! Here are the four people who helped me overcome my visceral fear of heights: Lamont, Leland, Danielle, and Meehan. You for rock! Thank you so much for helping me achieve my goal and make great memories!



This photo of a happy me with equally happy Danielle and Meehan gives you an idea of the size of the forest, the paths. We used the path on the left, both directions; Leland asked me if I cared if he took the path on the right back to the car. Of course I told him it was fine with me, to be careful. I have my foot on the low retaining wall where I rested back in 2012, steeling myself for the walk back to my Zipcar.



Love this photo of my sweet sons on each side of me. I am blessed!



We're almost to the parking lot. I really like the determination to survive for years and years that I see in this tree trunk, curved up amid the towering nearby trees, seeking light. That's what we all need to survive--determination.

Twenty-one days ago, I met a goal! Part One: The Back Story along with some beautiful flowers

In early June, I wrote this on a calendar as a goal-setting part of the On the Move process then going on at work, bound to get those of us who would participate into better shape: Sometime after June 24, walk Larch Mountain trail to viewpoint with Lamont and Leland. After June 24 because that would be the end of On the Move as an organized process, and we were asked to set a long term goal. Little did I know that not only would my two sons accompany me, but also two dear friends visiting from California, Danielle and Meehan. There's a back story to why I picked Larch Mountain and the viewpoint and reaching them as my goal.



I had a vacation day and a Zipcar July 30, 2012, and planned to drive into the Columbia River Gorge to enjoy myself. As I drove through Troutdale on my way to the Historic Columbia River Highway, I decided to take the road to Larch Mountain to see if I could walk from the parking lot to Sherrard Point, the viewpoint at the end of that short trail. I had seen photos of the hand rail and chain link fence surrounding the area, so I felt safe as relates to my fear of heights. I jumped to the conclusion that seeing those photos meant that the trail also had a railing along it. Nope.

I posted about my efforts on September 13, 2012: Life's path, filled with ups, downs, and curves into the unknown



According to the Exif info about this photo at my Flickr account, I took it on July 30, 2012, at 3:32 p.m. PDT. Those are facts. Later on I realized it's a fact that the image is a fine metaphor for life. Life is not always a smooth direct path with its end always in sight. And along the way, one must stop and assimilate what has gone before, one must seek the best help and knowledge about how to continue, one must strive no matter the circumstances, and one must never, ever give up. And now and then, one must seek help from those in your life who love you because of who you are.

I stood here, took this photo, and thought about what I was doing on a the narrow path, paved, thankfully, but still situated on the steep side of Larch Mountain, very near the top of the 4,055 foot peak. I knew not where the bottom of those trees on the right actually touched Earth because, in my ever-present fear of heights, I could not get myself to look that direction except in a speedy straight-out glance, much less follow with my eyes a tree trunk downward, out of sight. To do so meant I just might lose control of myself for an all-important instant and go right on over the edge. The fear of heights is nothing if not irrational. My choices, turn around and walk the short distance back to the parking lot or continue down that slight slope and go around that gentle curve that went somewhere I couldn't yet see and continue on towards Sherrard Point at the top of Larch Mountain in the Columbia River Gorge. I took slow, deep breaths, softly talked to myself out loud--after all, I stood there alone so no one would overhear me dealing with my fear--and stepped forward. I didn't know what would happen next, but I had faith in myself to deal with it successfully. Faith based on my ability to face whatever life brought my way. I'd made it this far, hadn't I? Not without help over the years, of course. I could hear everyone who had ever loved me telling me, "You can do this." I kept walking.



I never followed up on that post with what happened next--I don't remember why. I do remember that when I had walked farther than photographed in this photo that I could see steps made from what looked like railroad ties going I knew not where, nor did I know how many of them existed, but I did know that there were no hand rails alongside the steps.



I sat down to get my breath on a low retaining wall made of the same ties--you can just see it on the left side of the photo--and tried to convince myself to go on, without success. I then convinced myself that I could make it back to the car in the parking lot without all of a sudden losing control of my body and going of the edge of the hand-rail-less path.



I took this photo on the way back to the car--remember this rotting tree trunk. The photo's deceptive in that it looks like I'm on an innocent, nearly level path in beautiful woods. All those trees to the left of the path have their roots way down below the level of this path. I have no estimate of how many feet below because I never looked over the edge. I concentrated in walking on the right side of the path.

I visited Vista House, Multnomah Falls and Horsetail Falls in the Gorge, then drove on home, mixed feelings running through my body. It had been a fine drive on the road to Larch Mountain, lots of beautiful trees and flowers sprinkled beside the road. I got out of that Zipcar intent on doing something I'd never even gotten close to doing before. When I had realized that there was no railing along the path, I didn't turn around and go immediately back to the car. I kept walking. So, the mixed feelings brought about by partial success stayed with me for miles and miles and through enjoying those waterfalls. Finally, I believe they steeled me to making an effort again, but next time I would make certain that my two sons went with me, walked alongside me if necessary, so that I could make it to Sherrard Point. Impressed, and surprised, by my solitary effort, they agreed to do just that. More on that in the next post.

Extra treat for you, photos of various flowers I found, either along the rode to Larch Mountain's parking lot or on the path from it to Sherrard Point.

Multnomah Falls, from my eyes through my camera to y'all

This photo gives you an idea of the depth the water has dug out of the side of the bowl into which the upper falls flow magnificently. The water you see here falls 69 feet into a lower pool. Found on the Internet: Multnomah Falls is the most visited recreation site in the Pacific Northwest with 2 million stopping each year to take in the views! It features the 2nd highest waterfall in the United States. The waterfall formed as result of the Missoula Floods. The falls drops in two major steps, split into an upper falls of 542 feet (165 m) and a lower falls of 69 feet (21 m), with a gradual 9 foot (3 m) drop in elevation between the two, so the total height of the waterfall is conventionally given as 620 feet (189 m). The two drops are due to a zone of more easily eroded basalt at base of the upper falls.



I tried to get creative here. Not so certain of the outcome. These people are a drop in the bucket, really, compared to the numbers of folks there on Memorial Day. Found on the Internet: Underground springs from Larch Mountain are the year-round source of water for the waterfall, augmented by spring runoff from the mountain's snowpack and rainwater during the other seasons. The flow over the falls varies, usually it's highest during winter and spring. Multnomah Falls offers one of the best places in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area to study geology exposed by floods. Five flows of Yakima basalt are visible in the falls' cliff face.



This is the Benson Bridge which is up a paved path, complete with a few potholes but actually in very good shape when you think about nearly two million visitors each year (of course, they don't all walk up to the Benson Bridge), two tenths of a mile long. Pay close attention to where the man in the turquoise T-shirt stands, his back turned to the camera. Found on the Internet: A foot trail leads to Benson Footbridge, a 45-foot (14 m)-long footbridge that allows visitors to cross 105 feet (32 m) above the lower cascade. The footbridge is named for Simon Benson, who in 1914 financed Italian stonemasons to construct the bridge and was a prominent Portland businessman who owned the falls in the early part of the 1900s. Before his death, Benson gave Multnomah Falls to the City of Portland, which later transferred ownership to the USDA Forest Service. The Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company gave Portland land at the base of Multnomah Falls contingent upon their agreement to build a lodge at the site. A few years later architect A.E. Doyle, who designed the Meier & Frank Building (in Portland, a real beauty to this day), was commissioned by the city to design the lodge, which was completed in 1925. The lodge is now on the National Register of Historic Places.



My feet, which I trusted, along with my legs and my brain, to make an effort to walk up to and out onto the Benson Bridge, for the first time. I made it! Considering the skin-heart-beat-breathing changes that come across my body due to my extreme fear of heights, I'm still in shock that I did it, over two full days later! Found on the Internet: Standing on the bridge you have a perfect view of the top tier's full 542-foot height and a knee-wobbling vantage point over the second tier's 69-foot drop! Multnomah Falls is the tallest waterfall in the state of Oregon. It is credited by a sign at the site of the falls, and by the United States Forest Service, as the second tallest year-round waterfall in the United States. However, there is some skepticism surrounding this distinction, as Multnomah Falls is listed as the 137th tallest waterfall in the United States by the World Waterfall Database (this site does not distinguish between seasonal and year-round waterfalls).



I stopped as I got close, to catch my breath, to reign in my excitement. No point in going out there trembling. It worked. I felt steady and proud and tickled and couldn't wait to find out what my friend Milton thought about it all. I called him and told him I was standing approximately where he had stood on the bridge when he and his wife Kay had come from Mississippi in August, 2011, to help sprinkle Mama's ashes. He was proud for me, too! I called my brother Howard after I got down to the parking lot--he's was proud, too. And later Monday, I talked with Lamont about it, Tuesday with Leland about it. They both were excited and proud.



Here's Milton, videoing the surroundings on August 25, 2011, from the Benson Bridge.



Here's the wide shot of Milton on the bridge. You can see how I made it almost to the same spot. I stood to the right of that wider part of the concrete railing, he stood to the left. Whoopee! Oh, and isn't it amazing that no one else is on the bridge! We went on a weekday, pretty early if my memory serves me. Yep, I just checked, 9:46 a.m.



Seeing something like this makes you realize why water falls roar. Look how many streams are landing in their own time. Amazing!



I managed to use the tilt screen on my camera so that I could sort of look down on the side of the bridge nearest the upper falls and take this photo. It didn't scare me too much because it's not much of a drop. How insane is that? Look how fast that water's going over the drop on its way 69 feet to the bottom pool.



Here's that same spot, taken from the viewing area down below with the zoom lens. Massive amount of water flowing so beautifully and loudly.



I stood on the bridge about where the man in the turquoise T-shirt stood, looking north instead of south. This is a screen shot of the video I made. I couldn't make myself look straight down, I was not holding my iPhone out over the edge of the bridge, I was afraid to get my regular camera out of the bag because I don't have it on a neck strap. I did manage to get it out of the bag when I cross the bridge to take the photos of the upper falls landing in the upper pool.



I tried to zoom in and get a decent photo of the top of the falls, but, with the sun shining brightly into my face, I had little success.



Here's another photo that I took on August 25, 2011, of the Multnomah Lodge where this past Monday, Memorial Day, I ate that scrumptious breakfast that I posted yesterday.



Finally, a photo that gets Multnomah Falls in one shot. I took this one on August 25, 2011, too. There was no way to get one last Monday--too many people for me to stay out of the way of and I'm still learning how to use my new camera.

I don't know if you can copy and past this or not, but if you can, you'll get to see a few photos taken on our second visit to Multnomah Falls, me and Mama. We've got out beloved friend Casey with us--I think that's her first visit there. (I was able to copy and paste and get to the right post on what used to be my other blog. I couldn't figure out how to copy the link and make it actively work, that's why I did it this way.) Mama and I had gone in 2004 with Lamont and Leland's friends Leslie and Chris. What a treat it is every time to visit this magnificent site. http://mamamepdx.blogspot.com/2006/08/to-gorge-to-see-falls.html

Come back tomorrow for a few other beautiful sights I got to see at Multnomah Falls.