Keeping Cool

We're in the midst of a heat wave here, like much of the country is right now. The problem is, we're not equipped to deal with heat. (Translation: few homes here have central air.) So, after what feels like 18,298,314 days of sweat-drenched-underwear-just-from-breathing, one simply must find reprieve from the heat. I contemplated the mall or a movie theater, but instead the kids opted for one of the many state parks surrounding us. Ohiopyle is the bomb diggity.

First of all, it's stunningly beautiful.



But don't let that idyllic little river fool you, it's some of the grandest whitewater around. People come from far and wide to shoot our rapids.



We were there for tamer adventures, however.



After lunch, we hit the water, and it was just perfect to cool down in. The river bed above the waterfall (yep, one of those, too!) isn't the typical sandy bottom you'd expect. Instead, it's a fairly solid rock ledge with ridges and "steps" leading downriver. This makes it nice to walk on, albeit slippery. The kids had a blast riding the tiny waterfalls in the approved-for-swimming area. Sadly, I have no pictures, because I feared dropping the camera in the water.

I do have photos of the waterslide, though! This thing is a few kinds of awesome. Lookit!



And that's just the very end of it! You're looking at a natural waterslide that you can ride for a few hundred feet before reaching the bottom.



Some parts are better for small kids and some are great for big kids, but everyone can enjoy the natural slide at some point.



And there is absolutely nothing better to cool off in than a free waterpark in your back yard. God's wonders never cease to amaze me.