Gorge MetroPark, Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Over the weekend, we went hiking at the Gorge MetroPark in Cuyahoga Falls. We're working on completing the Fall Hiking Spree - if you hike at 8 different MetroParks from September 1st through November 30th, you receive a walking stick (for first-timers, which we are) and a badge to attach to your stick. We now have 2 trails down, 6 to go. The Gorge is gorgeous! On one side of the path are fascinating and beautiful rock formations rising high above you, and on the other side is a very steep drop down to the Cuyahoga river. I was definitely a bit nervous as we walked, because even though we kept telling Monkeyman to stay on the inside, close to the rocks and away from the dropoff side, he kept forgetting and drifting closer to the dropoff. After reprimanding him quite a few times, it started to sink in and he did better. As we walked, we examined and discussed the distinct layers in the rocks, the smaller pebble-sized rocks embedded in the large boulders and how they got stuck there, the trees and plants growing out of the rocks, and how water works its way into tiny crevices between rocks, then freezes and causes giant chunks to break off. I was kicking myself for not bringing the good camera with me because I was feeling lazy and didn't want to be encumbered with it, but I couldn't resist snapping a few pics with my cell phone as we walked.

Oh, and towards the end of the hike, Bug kicked off one of his shoes from his perch in the backpack carrier, and it went flying down the hill/cliff. Bye-bye shoe! Oh well - it was a sandal and summer's nearly over anyway.