For the past several days, we’ve been trapped inside by an atmospheric river of moisture coming at us from somewhere near Hawaii – weather like a huge spilled parasol drink. Rainfall records fell. Reservoirs filled. Spillways were tested. Roads sank. Communities flooded. Snow melted. Our sump pump strained. Our hearts yearned for the searingly dry days of summer. 😎 And then we were granted a brief respite – not a long or fully sunny one but at least a dry one.
Thinking that the wet months would soon be behind us, 🙄 I had, in recent weeks, made two solo trips to see the little ephemeral waterfalls in Jacksonville Forest Park before they dried-up for the season. Dry up, Ha! Thanks to our recent river in the sky, these waterfalls and cascades are gushier than ever. The LovedOne wanted to see them too, so we capitalized on today’s weather window to do a quick loop hike past the three biggest in the park – Granite Falls, Canyon Falls, and two cascades on Cantrall Creek. It felt good to get a few trail miles in before heading home to poke at the sump pump and wait for the next storm. 
BOOTS on the TRAIL 
The ticks must have sprouted in the two weeks since we were on the ditch trail. 😦 We’ll have to dig out our supply of permethrin. You should add the Sundown Trail up by Mount Isabelle to your list – the meadows up there are also supposed to be rich with wildflowers (or will be in a couple of weeks).
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Yup, lots of water! HIked the Sterling Mine Ditch Trail with Friends of the Umpqua on Saturday from Little Applegate TH to Tunnel Ridge TH. Green, green, green! Except for the ticks! They are everywhere — don’t they drown in rain? Got out today as well to the Jacksonville Woodland Trails before the next storm.. Going to try to get over to Catheral HIlls to see the bloom and up to both Table Rocks to see if there is a super-bloom going on. Should at least be a lot of vernal pools.
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