A Wednesday Hike on Silver Falls

By: Atziri Hernandez

Last week, for my gardening elective, Mr. Tabor took my group and me to Silver Falls for a three-mile hike. I previously went to Silver falls with my family to have fun. Especially when my aunts, uncles, and cousins came from Mexico to visit us. However, this time, it felt a little different. I am not sure if I had always done the three-mile hike when I was younger or if It was a shorter hike, but I was more energetic then, so I probably did not feel it as hard. This time I had a little more difficulty finishing the walk, and so did some other people. It was fun to be outdoors in nature and not be in a classroom all day.

When we started the hike, I didn’t think it would be so hefty on me, and it wasn´t. At least for the first twenty minutes. It was pretty manageable at first. We began going downhill at the beginning of the hike, which usually goes by fast. However, some people kept tripping over the tiny rocks in the pathway. We had already made it to the waterfalls in a matter of a few minutes. It was so beautiful and calm. I had forgotten entirely how pleasing to the eye it is. Then, we took an abundance of pictures on the big rock nearby. Afterward, we went downhill again on rocky stairs to a small bridge where we took photos, but now this time as a class. Soon we went down this pathway, which led us to a three-mile hike. I thought it was a straight path, but boy, I was wrong.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but we were going to start going uphill for the rest of the hike. My group didn’t feel it as much for the first few minutes. Even the majority of our group was way ahead in the trail. Soon though, some people did get pretty tired and thirsty. Therefore, for a while, we stopped at almost every bench there was and asked the people who brought a water bottle for some water. After a few stops, the boys in the group began to get ahead in the trail until they were nowhere to be seen. The rest of the girls stayed behind through the rest of the trip. Finally, soon enough, we made it to the end. We stopped at the cafe for a bottle of water that Mr. Tabor generously paid for us. When we got to the bus, the boys were already inside, probably arriving ten or fifteen minutes before us. My legs were aching for the rest of the afternoon and the next day, but I still felt accomplished and satisfied with my hike afterward.

An Illustration by Atziri Herself: