The Pocono Adventure (Part 5)

Drinking beer, smoking cigars, stealing signs and eating at an unending buffet - there was no more for us to do on a beautiful warm Sunday at Shawnee but pack and go.

After checking out the Rev led us in an impromptu and thankfully brief service at the river's edge.  I think he firmly believe that we all needed to be reminded of the YMCA mission after our modest detours from the straight and narrow these last couple of days.

We were driving toward home when we passed a large billboard that heralded the Winona Five Falls!

Rob said, "YES".  The Rev said "NO WAY"!  

He was then summarily outvoted and in a few minutes we were at the entrance of this natural attraction.  There was a sign in the window of the small ticket booth next to the parking lot - Attraction will open June 1.  Like most of the Poconos we were a few weeks early for the summer tourist season.

But we were the Collegiates and to the Rev's chagrin Rob said, "Let's go guys we have got to see this once in a lifetime thing before we go home."  And so we hopped the chain across the entrance and followed the well worn footpath to Falls #1.

Niagara is wasn't but after a five minute walk into the woods we could hear the sound of rushing water.  We came to a ledge that overlooked a cascade of about 20 feet to a swirling pool below that emptied into a stream that ran downhill to another smaller falls.

Rob then tossed out a "dare ya" challenge.  "Whose going to be first to jump into the falls," and he simultaneously stripped to his shorts.  And off the ledge he flew and splashed into the pool.  He shouted up to us - "Come on wimps, its warmer than the hotel pool." (A relative assertion) 

With that, the Collegiates stripped, tossed their clothes to the bank below and all jumped into rushing waters as the Rev watched in horror, thinking at any moment a park ranger would arrive and arrest us all - or worse.

Frankly, the swim was wonderful and surprisingly warm.  

We all stood under the beating stream, floated around in the small whirlpool below the "torrent" - climbed to the ledge over and over again and to jump with abandon as the pool was a smooth bowl about 10 feet deep.

From there we floated down the stream to the next four and diminishing pools carved by these ancients falls.   For hours we "played".  Even the Rev, in his very interesting, colorfully printed, baggy boxers joint the frolic at the third and smaller pool.

The Collegiates at the last of the five falls sun dried; gathered up our clothes and marched arm in arm back to the car signing our Club oath to the stately pines and oaks.

As we pulled away Rob said, "Hey guys what about Bushkill Falls it's twice as big?"  The Rev whispered "God help me please."  

I then said, "Too high guys," and we started toward Jersey.

And to this day, it is my firm belief that we are the only humans since the Lenni-Lenape tribe that have been under all of the Winona Five Falls in person, in one day, in the best time of our lives.