Leon Turnbull Photography

I needed to get out this weekend. And I did.

My wife Tara was being promoted to second degree black belt in Kenpo Karate. She had asked me a long time ago to go up there to see the promotion. At the time I said yes, of course I would. But things got a little too crazy at work, and with a deadline approaching this Tuesday, I was pretty sure I would be working all weekend. Well, as of Friday morning, I figured I was caught up enough at work that I would not have to stay home and work all weekend, so I hopped in the car and boogied on up I-5 to Red Bluff Friday evening. Actually, I did end up working a bit on the weekend, but fortunately I could do that up in Red Bluff.

One thing I wanted to do while up north was take my son Jadon out hiking in the Whiskeytown area. I decided on Brandy Creek Falls, which Jadon had not been to before. I woke him up super early. Knowing that the light hits the falls pretty early, I wanted to be up at the waterfall by sunrise or shortly afterward. Well, the hike is a tough one, even though it is only about a mile and a half. Jadon was struggling, and I was worried we would be too late to the waterfall, but as it turned out, we arrived in plenty of time. The creek was flowing a bit less than I was hoping for, but it is about normal for this time of year. I took my photos while Jadon waited around semi-impatiently. On this particular image, I was having Jadon hold back some branches in the way, while I set up my tripod at the edge of the creek. Well, the rocks were wet and slippery, and indeed I did slip, my feet sliding into the creek and into my tripod. My first instinct, of course, was a good one. Save the camera at all costs. And I did save it. My feet got a bit wet, but that was all. I tried to make it into a teachable lesson for Jadon. Be careful around creeks and waterfalls! It can be very treacherous. I’m not sure how well he got the point, however, as he scampered back along the rocks, splashing through the creek to cross to the other side. Sigh.