Wednesday, August 01, 2007

In The Rain

Yesterday was a departure from the norm.

The kids were stir-crazy. And by that I mean, they were bored – laying around like limp weeds, picking fights, tattling on each other – and the wife was low-energy and in low spirits. So we decided to go for a hike around Walden Pond.

It was overcast, so we brought a few umbrellas just in case it started to rain. By the time we pulled into the parking lot and paid our five dollars, it started to sprinkle. No big deal. It was warm.

On the trail, it came down a little bit harder. There were puddles forming, and I was wearing my brand new sneakers. But the puddles were easy enough to avoid. The kids were loving it as the drops polka-dotted their shirts. Normally I would have cautioned them to stand under the umbrellas, but they were like antelopes sprinting up the trail ahead of us and back. What the hell. They were having fun, and like I said, it was warm.

Then the rain started falling in earnest. It was awesome. Walden Pond was being assaulted, and the water level was rising. We crossed a little land bridge and continued on. And why not? The rain around here never lasts for very long.

Water poured through the forest, downhill toward us and into the pond. The puddles merged into a running creek now, impossible to avoid as I waded in ankle deep water. It was hard to hear one another as we finally decided to turn back. The little land bridge was gone now, but we didn't know it yet. We blew right by thinking that by keeping the water on our right we would eventually make it back. But the trail was no longer familiar; the brush became dense and nearly impassable. We abandoned the umbrellas altogether.

Thankfully my wife figured out what had happened with the land bridge and we were able to wade our way back to the main trail.

There were only three other people left when we emerged at the trail head, soaked to our underwear. We all had a laugh at ourselves as the kids went swimming fully clothed.

18 comments:

Me said...

:)

I swear I saw every bit of that. Good frakkin' writing, Scott! Makes me want to get a towel.

Jada's Gigi said...

what an awesome adventure!! and a great cure for the summer doldrums...memories galore..:)

Blindsighted One said...

Nicely written. I like writing about the rain too, albeit for different reasons.

Kathleen said...

I think it sounds like fun. I like getting wet, as long as I'm dressed for it.

Tee/Tracy said...

What a great memory and an awesome adventure. Makes me want to go out and do the same.

This is one of my favorites of yours.

24crayons said...

Fantastic! I love being in the rain!

The land bridge being underwater may have caused pause, still though, excellent adventure!

Beth said...

Reminds me of getting caught in the rain in RI. Not sure if you read that post, but it was horrible ... not fun at all.

mr. schprock said...

There's nothing like getting wet in the rain. At first you kind of resist it, but then finally, recognizing the inevitability of getting soaked, you sort of say "what the hell" and enjoy it. A friend of mine and I went for a bike ride in the rain last Saturday and had an awesome time.

jenbeauty said...

YAY...probably one of the best days of summer!

Dixie Belle said...

Rain. Other than a couple of quick showers, we have had no rain since April here. Everything is so dry, even the trees are withering now.

briliantdonkey said...

Great story which brought back childhood memories of when the local creek would flood. Good times, good times.

BD

Natalie said...

Oh boy, sounds like dog days of summer are here!

mr. schprock, as always, summed up perfectly the feeling of just giving in and getting wet in the rain.

Mr. T said...

So do you like Pina Colada's too?
;)

Great writing, Scott!

Moni said...

Wow that sounds like a beautiful day. You made the rain sound like a familiar friend and so serene. Lovely.

Anonymous said...

Well, that's why it rained. You bought brand new sneakers and you went outside with them. ;)

Ultra Toast Mosha God said...

Sure beats sitting around the house doing nothing!

Anonymous said...

GHOD! I wish I had been there. It sounds perfectly wonderful. RAIN!
Walden's Pond. This is a tender mercy. Thank somebody!

And waving hi!

Toni Anderson said...

What an adventure. In contrast we had a similar walk with our previously bored kids in the warm sunshine with hardly any bugs and a plethora of small-sized wildlife. I guess we yinged your yang :)