Recently we made a visit to one of our favorite sets of waterfalls only someone got there before us. And they just aren't the same anymore because.... SIGNS!!
The first warnings that this wasn't going to be the same was on the trail leading down from the parking lot that said "Dangerous trail, do not use". Forgot to grab a picture but the trail was not blocked in the least AND the sign was dangling 15 feet above the trail between two trees in such a way that you really couldn't see it until half way down the trail. So we persisted ..... and then:
So much here. First off, the cliff is above this park and is not accessible from the park so there is no way to go near the cliff edge, let alone throw rocks 'down' to the trail. There are also several benches in the park each with a cigarette butt-cans in a smoke free park. And cigarette butts in a number of places other than the butt cans.
OK this next one sorta makes sense only hey, if you know the fishing regulations (which, you know, you're supposed to know to fish) you know this but no biggy. It simply fits in with my narrative rather nicely ...
This next one is a beauty. "This area" includes the trail you're walking on so .... you have to walk on the said contaminated rocks to be in the park. Levitation anyone? Oops. This sign is actually a big part of the municipality trying to extort money out of a gun manufacturer that went out of business and its assets later sold to another company. They seem to be hoping to stretch out the mania to maybe drag a settlement from the new owners. Just for completeness, the old factory was removed years ago and only a single smoke-stack remains.The next sign is pure awesomeness. Stay on the trail, the one that is about 40 feet wide and reportedly contaminated with lead. People have died here (kinda like has happened pretty much everywhere there's water) ! Oh, and here's two of 'em we evidently haven't been able to recover yet, one of whom apparently was lost while grocery shopping in a dead tree. And if you ever get out you'll be arrested.
The icing on the cake is the declaration by a professional diver that he wouldn't swim here "if he didn't have to". I don't mean to belittle the idea of the warning by any means but what we have here is a complete documentary on a board. Looks almost like a dare to me ......
And just in case you weren't listening about the lead earlier, here we go again. And another appeal to a professional just to make sure you don't think of it as a joke.
All of that and more (tedious enough without knowing this is a subset, eh?) before you finally reach here:
Beautiful for sure, soothing, relaxing, a great destination. If you can block out the fact that we're all gonna die!! The signs have destroyed the anticipatory view and any pictures you might take as you approach the falls. Fortunately they stopped short of them but these popped up so fast I'd be surprised if the documentary doesn't get repeated up near the falls after the next time someone ignores the warnings.
And then, a moment of defiance from Queenie:
And a where's Waldo, there is a juvenile Great Blue Heron in this picture:
I'm waiting for the future when we each are required to wear a sign that says "You are probably doing something dangerous right now that can kill you" complete with fine print that lists every single way one can potentially die on this here Earth.
At this rate, could be in our life time.
