Whoop there it is!

It was about five minutes after our last gas/snack stop with the kids when the crazy woman riding next to me started having a fit in the passenger seat. “Stop here!” she shouted. Gesturing toward a right turn off that was indeed upon us. “This is on my bucket list!” my wife, Pamela shouted with excitement. I was reluctant to pull in. We had been on the road for 12 hours in the last couple of days and I was ready to be home.

Nonetheless, the wiser portion of my consciousness kicked in and we pulled into the parking lot at Little River Falls near Fort Payne, Alabama. With only a few cars in the lot, we had plenty of room to get around. When we parked and opened the door to let the kids out, snacks, jackets, and library books fell out onto the asphalt. I’d say this is the norm for traveling with these little kiddos- a constant organizational experiment with too many variables to ever really get a hold on.

The Falls

We strode along the wooden boardwalk for only a few hundred feet before we were standing on the precipice overlooking the falls. It was still drizzling rain and had been for what seems like every day this winter in the south. The resulting water flow was spectacular! The “Little River Falls” was gushing over the edge with massive force. The roaring thunder of the cascading water drowned out every other sound around. We all stood there just staring at it, even the kids. I had to joke with Allyona about getting an inner tube and going upstream a bit to ride the water over the falls. After talking it over, she decided she’d need to see me do it first so we put it off until another visit.

We goofed around a bit taking pictures and talking to another couple. We were all stunned by the power of the falls. The last time I had seen this spot it was a dry trickle but today it was a raging sight to behold. Alas, it was time to hit the road.

Back at the truck, we began the boarding process. You’d think after the thousands of times we’ve done it it would be streamlined. Instead, commotion ensued as doors were opened, jackets, snacks and books were trampled and at least one person checked in with the dreaded “Trifecta.” ( hunger thirst, and the need to poop.) It’s times like these when Pamela and I always look at each other and one of us says, “Have kids they say, it’ll be great!”

We laughed our way back onto the highway and headed for the house.