yesterday, we spent a good portion of the day at slide rock state park, just north of sedona. amazing little place, where a beautiful, cold and clear river has carved out a natural waterslide out of the red rock. there are parts that really are like a waterslide, and other parts that are shallow water over extremely slippery flat rocks (which, if you relax and stay flat — on tummy or back — will allow you to slide along slowly). and there are some deeper sections with rock high on the sides, perfect for jumping.

jeannie and i are particularly sore this morning, as middle-aged people get when bashing their various body parts against rock all day. i had one jump where the landing spot wasn’t really deep enough, and i hit bottom (with my feet) hard, my knees buckled, and i smashed one knee on the rock bottom. so that knee is swollen and stiff this morning.

when we were here 5 or 6 years ago, my brother-in-law, my nephew and i jumped of a spot a bit downriver, under an overpass, out of the view of the crowds, that was about 50 feet high (into a deep cold pool). we went to that spot yesterday, and i had absolutely no interest in jumping. liesl wanted to jump there, and is hoping we’ll go back another day this week to jump at that spot. i’m hoping she’ll forget.