In the world of Long Stories

Last Day in New Hampshire

...sure was memorable...

I woke up this morning, with plans to eat my breakfast, pack my bags, take my shower, and then head home to Long Island.  My plans were interrupted when I found out that Dan had OTHER plans to go cliff jumping at an old rock quarry.  After having fulfilled all MY plans for the morning, I decided to go with him and his friends, just as a spectator/ photographer.

After following hand-drawn directions (that's right folks, hand-DRAWN, not written) to the location, finding an illegal parking spot on the site of a seemingly abandoned farm house, then trespassing on private property, we started to see some sights.

The beautiful view from a pretty tall pile of strangely geometric rocks.

We hiked through the debris, and tall grass, by-passed many "shortcuts", and finally arrived at the quarry.

The water was actually a very clean, clear, beautiful shade of blue...and because it was so calm, it showed a mirror image of the horizon, which was also beautiful, there were hardly any clouds in the sky.

Now as I said, I wasn't planning on

• jumping in, 
• falling in, 
• even getting wet at all.  

However, after watching the boys fearlessly launch their bodies off this huge cliff, and into the water below, I was feeling a tad bit inadequate, and shown-up.  I don't like that feeling.  

SO,

To be? or not to be? THAT is the question!

Lies. The question is... did I jump? 

The answer is No.

Dan's face is a little strange, but it was the best of the two
pictures, so just pretend that he DOESN'T look so weird.

I was perfectly content just living with my inadequacy, because at least I'd be LIVING!
Yes, the guys were all cajoling me, and trying to convince me to go, and I DID want to go, but I wasn't "wearing my bathing suit" (such a perfect excuse!!)



We finished up, watched some other new comers for a bit, Listened to, and laughed at their mothers telling them to "Be Careful" in very thick New York accents,  then started walking back.  

Now, here comes the fun part.  I don't know if you can see it, but all the way to the right of this picture, where you can see the rocks, but no trees.  Well, there's a rope swing over there..........

As we were walking by, Dan was still trying to convince me to go, and asked me to just go grab the rope, and bring it up so he could see it, and maybe test it out.  Therefore, being the kind, enabling younger sister that I am, I grabbed the rope.  

After 5 minutes, the guys had me convinced to go.  

So I -took off my shorts (I was wearing bike shorts underneath) 

-and my outer shirt (tank top underneath), 

-grabbed that rope, (mentally preparing myself for whatever came next).  

I closed my fingers around the rope,  my hands one above the other, right on top of  a strategically placed knot, the perfect height for a hand grip.  It took me a while, but I eventually got up the courage to push against the rock with my legs, and swing out over the water, however, when I actually went through with it, I didn't swing out far enough for some reason.  I don't know what happened, but I didn't think that I was far enough, so I bailed.  I did NOT let go of that rope, but instead I rode it back in, leaving the guys to have to grab me so that I didn't fall off the outcrop.

I went again, and this time I succeeded in falling into the water, wooohoooo!!    

• I swam over to where someone had so intelligently placed a pretty sketchy looking ladder, 
• climbed up, 
• then jumped off the 30 foot ledge.  

I couldn't even wait, I just had to go for it, while I knew I still would.  Again, as soon as I pulled myself up that ladder a second time, I headed for the 50.  The difference between being up there before, taking pictures, and being up there at that point, preparing to jump, was so extreme, it almost hurts my brain to think about it.

To make a long story short.

I jumped.

I fell...50 ft.

I hit the water.

It hurt...a little bit.

I'm so glad I did it though.

I'm glad Dan forced me to jump.

I would totally do it again given the chance.

I'm kinda liking the whole pyramid shape of this.

I wanna keep it going....but I have nothing else to say.

SO. Goodnight everyone! Sleep tight! Don't let the bed bugs bite.

Apparently the DO exist after all...and are really really really nasty bugs.

Hence the phrase "Don't let the bed bugs bite" because if you do, you'll regret it.

Wow I don't even know why that was fun.

I guess I'm just very easily amused.

But that really WAS a lot of fun.

and strangely entertaining.

Don't judge me please.

wow OK seriously.

I'm done.

Bye!

<3