Weathering a Storm

Someone had the bright idea to go hiking on a random Thursday just because they had heard their boss talking about this majestic place with waterfalls and lakes that was easy to hike to... oh wait that was my idea, and fortunately I knew just the person to drag along.

Jessie and I headed up to this supposed wonderland giving ourselves plenty of time to hike to the lake at the top and back while still being able to get home in time for of all things, country dancing. Why anyone would want to voluntarily subject themselves to torture of such a grievous nature I am unsure. We started out just the way Jessie drives, going the wrong way. After getting our bearings and reminding ourselves that Louis and Clark followed a woman successfully we headed out into nature. The trail was well maintained and the going was easy, which made our first encounter with other hikers somewhat bizarre. They were a family of four, if you count the dog which I am. A dad that without a doubt owns a riding mower, a mother, and a daughter that probably doesn't hike all that often. They all sat together on a rock panting and as we came into view they expressed their undying gratitude they were on the way back rather than in our shoes. "Only 6 more miles to go!" they called to us as we passed on by. It wasn't an encouraging thought, we anticipated soon mirroring their exhausted actions on a rock further up the trail but we pressed on.

We continued on up the trail finding the going to be relatively easy. There were a surprising number of snakes but it was otherwise enjoyable scenery. The sun was as hot as it had ever been, and the sky had scarcely a cloud in it. Jessie was whining like a little kid at the carnival without any money for rides about the weather and that she had heard some weather woman on the radio threateningly forecast rain, thunder, and apocolyptic lightning from the east. I would've perhaps entertained the notion if it wasn't so outlandish, and if it wasn't coming from Jessie.

We had looked up directions before we came, which made getting lost at the beginning extra embarrassing. But we also knew that we were soon to come to a bridge, followed by some switchbacks which would signal the end was within sight and we were at the lake. But first we had to run across another weirdo in waders who commented, "You guys are late!" I checked my phone's reception to see if I couldn't call the health department or the pound, but I didn't have any bars so we pressed on. It wasn't too long before we came across a well-crafted bridge, followed by some switchbacks. We were excited to have reached the landmarks so soon. Unfortunately, dark clouds had magically appeared and rain started to sprinkle with an "I told you so" attitude. Oddly Jessie was sporting the same attitude.

We walked faster in an effort to outrun the rain, we had to be close since we'd seen the bridge and navigated the switchbacks, or so we thought when we ran across another bridge followed by some additional switchbacks, followed by another bridge, and then another. We were just about to write off weather men, weather women, and instruction writers the world over when we reached the lake at the top. It was around this same moment when the clouds opened up and the rain began to pour. We looked at the lake for a minute and then huddled under a tree. We hadn't been prepared for the rain, we were dressed for the scorching heat wave we had been experiencing when we started the hike, now we were soaked and freezing.

We waited for a little while for the rain to die down a bit and then we headed back down the trail. We made really good time heading back and we put the rock dwelling family to shame. We had almost made it back when we ran into another family, this time on horseback. They apparently thought we were more footloose than them, and since they were more connected to the animal kingdom we should move off the trail for them. We obliged, though not happily. There is a common saying heard in nearly every state, that if you don't like the weather then wait five minutes. But if you wait too long you'll miss out on country dancing.