"Monsoon Hike"

To capitalize on our new found obsession for hiking and being together, Hannah suggested a hike along the Mongaup River which flows from the Rio Reservoir and empties into the Delaware River. The drive alone to the parking area of this hike is always enjoyable (if heading Northwest on New York State  Route 97) because of the views from Hawk's Nest.

We arrived at the parking area and immediately headed for the trail. The weather was beautiful, and the sun was shining.We could not have asked for a more perfect day to enjoy the sun, trees, and the scenery. Hearing the river beside us made everything feel connected for some reason. I wandered off the trail to check out what the riverside had to offer. The water trickling from the earth off the rocks near the river caught my eye.

I snapped a few pictures because I'm a sucker for two things, water, and sun glare in pictures. I snapped this shot of us before we made our way back to the path. (We were so young back then, heh)

 

 

The gentle incline of the dirt path led us away from the river and the forest density increased.

Laughing and enjoying each others presence we continued on. One of the highlights of this hike is this eerie grave site.

After awhile we turned around because my stomach was giving me some issues. With about 45 minutes left or so to reach the car, the unexpected occurred. It down poured. Let me emphasize that. DOWN POURED! We were completely soaked within 30 seconds! It was kinda like that famous rain scene in that one movie without the overly dramatic kissing. 

We finally made it back to the car after speed walking our butts off, but it was an amazing time despite the rain. And that's how the title, Monsoon Hike, came to be!