During my time in California I did a lot of fun stuff. Between Reno, Yosemite, and San Francisco, the casino, hotels, hikes, camping, FOOD... The most memorable thing I have about it all was in Yosemite Falls.

At the falls there are rocks that you can climb leading up to them. There is water rushing below your feet and you keep thinking you are going to fall but you don’t... unless you’re me.

As I walked on top of a huge rock I looked upon the thunderous waterfall ahead. I was about 200-300 feet drop until the water hit the small lake below. There were other smaller waterfalls in Yosemite Falls but that was the main attraction.

Patrick D., John K, me, and Mr. Dooley all went to climb the rocks to get to the small lake below the waterfall. My Dad stayed below to take pictures of us. As we were walking up there, we had to over, under, between, to the right, to the left of so many rocks whether they were big or small. When we got to a really hard part, Patrick decided he was going to stop so we said ok and kept going.

We had a hard time doing it but we made it up. It was so hot out I just wanted to jump in the water. We stayed up there for a while and drank our water from our camel bags. I chewed on my mouth piece so much that it almost ripped off. On our way back down the rocks there was a part where you had to jump from one rock to the next while there was rushing water flowing beneath your feet leading to a waterfall about 5ft away that had a 20ft drop with rocks below.

John K went first and made it across easily and then Mr. Dooley went. He got across easily. Then it was my turn.

I took a look at it stood there for about 5 seconds and then jumped. My right foot hit the rock and then I slipped. I had my hands on the rocks as my feet dangled over the edge of the waterfall. I saw my life flash before my eyes.

Mr. Dooley didn’t even wait a second. He immediately stuck out his hand and told me to stay calm and take his hand. All I heard was take my hand because I was so scared all I could hear were my thoughts. I stuck my arm out and he grabbed it. He pulled me up and out of the water and sat me down on a rock. He asked me if I was ok but I couldn’t talk. I just sat there in shock of how if it wasn’t for him I would’ve died.

On our way down the rocks as we met up with my dad I pulled him aside and said “Dad I just saw my life flash before my eyes.” He didn’t know what I was talking about so he just started laughing and I sat there and looked at him thinking why was he laughing?

He went over and asked Mr. Dooley what happened. Mr. Dooley told him everything. When we caught up with the rest of the group John K told them everything that happened. After a while I started talking about it too, because now I was over the fact that I almost died. I actually started to laugh about it. We all did after a while. After it all I went over and thanked Mr. Dooley.

I will never forget my time out west, but that was my most memorably moment