My wife and I decided to do a Memorial Day Day Trip (technically that’s not a redundancy) to Clifty Falls State Park, near the charming historical town of Madison, Indiana. We last visited seven years ago. Why so long in returning? Well…
Clifty features four scenic waterfalls and lots of cliffs—hence the accurate but very silly name. The last time we visited, we hiked the Riverbed Trail, intending to see Big Clifty Falls from the bottom. Problem is, the Riverbed Trail–literally the riverbed–is full of rocks varying in size from that of a toaster to that of a medium-sized continent. So in order to hike it, you have to climb over a non-stop succession of boulders. Hence, at the start of the “trail” is a warning: “Extremely.” Extremely what? I found out when, about two minutes after I took the above photo, a boulder I was climbing over rotated, crushing my leg against another, resulting in permanent knee damage. It’s usually in check…
But yesterday, as Trudy and I were hiking, my “Clifty knee” began acting up. So we decided to err on the side of caution and just view Big Clifty from a lookout point on a nearby cliff. Using our new selfie stick, we stood with our backs to a protective stone barrier, the majestic falls behind us.
As we smiled, the selfie stick decided it didn’t appreciate my phone and summarily ejected it over the barrier onto a slope six feet below, where the cliff gets particularly clifty.
Oh, no! But aha! I fashioned an ingenious grabby device from a broken limb and reached to snag the phone. Result? The leaves it was resting on slid over the edge, taking my phone with them, everything landing on a stone ledge another ten feet below, in a place visited exclusively by owls.
I’ve tried calling the phone several times since. Just in case. So far, no answer. Although I’m half expecting it to suddenly connect, at which point I’ll say, “Hello, I’m the owner of this phone!” only to hear “Who?” in response.
Extremely indeed!
Mitch Teemley 
Our technology can sometimes get away from us…literally.
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LOVE clifty falls park! 🙂
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Oh no! Well at least it didn’t fall in a camp toilet. Then there would be no hope at all.
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so you didn’t get your climbing ropes, carabiners, and climb down after it …
Maybe if you’d stayed and feed some mice to the owls they might have flown the phone back up to you. Tell me you at least tried to ask the owls for help…
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Sounds like a good place to start a drone powered smartphone retrieval business.
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So sorry about the phone, but I did laugh. You handle it well with your sense of humor. I’m glad your clifty knee didn’t go with the phone.
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Me too, Oneta!
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Oh yes, better the phone than the knee any day! Praising God for your safety… while mourning the loss of your phone. I think at least half my brain is in my phone! LOL
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Extremely, Oh, No!!
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The more we complicate things the more can go wrong and does!
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Can you believe it? Such a fun post…sorry about the phone!
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My husband dropped our (at the time teenage) daughter’s phone in the ocean after he used it for a selfie of the two of them on a boat. Selfies are costly 🙈😂
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They are indeed!
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It is worth the cost of the phone for your family to have the story to pass to posterity.
So sorry about your knee and the phone but I must confess the humor of the situation
is grand (so long as the pain of it is experienced from a distance.) I’m really curious
as to whether Clifty is carrying a grudge for something or other.
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Yeah, I’m thinking next time I visit Clifty Falls it will be in an armored vehicle.
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Great story and great comments!
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More “adventures of Mitch” You should make that a category 🙂
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I fear “misadventures” might be a more accurate term, Bill.
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Lawdy! My wife and I may need to take a trip down there from West Lafayette, but don’t expect me with my artificial hips to freeline down to get your phone. Just sayin’
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; – )
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Oh, no!
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Sorry to hear of the misfortune on what sounds like a beautiful trip.
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As in all of life, one needs to have experiences that test us. You seem to get the best of them. As I first looked at this, I thought. “Extremely/Teemley”. As I read on, all lived up to my first impression. Clifty Falls is a beautiful place and as in all of Indiana, there are places that match the beauty and are not as treacherous. I have found a beauty about 180 miles West of Madison. New Harmony Indiana, A placed where Raintrees thrive. Peaceful as well. Great post, Mitch and keep them coming.
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Thanks, JW.
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You are welcome.
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Sorry about your phone Mitch, hope something answers it next time. the park looks and sounds beautiful.
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Thank you, Mitch! You did it again, you made me laugh out loud, this time in an increasing-volume (actually kind of waterfall-like) laughing session. It’s been a while since I’ve done that. Not laughing at your pain, of course, just laughing at YOU laughing at your experience. Priceless.
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Well, then, it was all worth it! Sort of.
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So that would be Rocks 2, Mitch 0 Final Score, I bet
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Yep. That’s it for this season, fans.
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