The thunder kept on rumbling, and I picked up my pace. It still looked like the storm would pass to the south, but there was another storm to the west that looked like it might pass close by.

I was among the trees when the straight-line wind hit, and the cool air it brought was very welcome. The rain followed. I’d already decided that I was warm enough not to bother trying to keep dry, I had a change of clothes in the car for the drive home. I stowed my camera and cell phone in my backpack and carried on hiking in the downpour. And a downpour it was, more refreshing than uncomfortable. I quite enjoyed my sodden hike. It kept on raining until I was nearly back at the trailhead. My hat did a grand job of keeping the rain off my glasses and out of my eyes, so that was a success.

The trailhead parking lot was empty apart from one RV, and the sun was just starting to break through again. I decided to grab a selfie before getting changed, and just as I was doing so a motorcycle arrived, which partially explains my expression in the picture, though I think the caption is closer to reality.

And that’s another trip completed, and it was a bit different. Bushwhacking in the summer just isn’t a good idea (words I should have kept in mind on my next trip). But I enjoyed myself, my new hat did just what I wanted it to, and the only issue — apart from my encounter with the unknown wildlife — was with the tarp suspension slipping, and I know what the solution is to that, I just need to get online and buy some rope and another fastener, and I’ll have a set up with two tie-outs instead of my current continuous ridgeline.

Getting some time to just sit and enjoy being out was great, it’s something I’ve been meaning to treat myself to for a while. I think I need to factor in more down time in future. Oh, and did I mention that this was my birthday weekend hike? Well, it was. Happy birthday to me.

Copyright © 2020 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.