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Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Caught by a storm

The day started benignly with cerulean sky and a few puffy clouds. The wildflowers sang their joyous summer song.
When I gave K her choice of pose atop Hug Hill, she was creative! This time, she perched on top of the stump!
A short time later, I was riding solo, having left K at home after our joint mountain bike ride. As I climbed through a dense forest toward a ridge, I heard rumblings from the sky. Upon emerging on the exposed ridge spine, I caught a glimpse of the storm brewing.
After pedaling a little further, the realization dawned on me that I was probably about to get hammered by a huge storm. Look at the gorgeous, yet terrifying, horizon. The Continental Divide was hidden behind the clouds.
I began pedaling for my life. I knew where the first trail was that would get me off that exposed ridge, and I wanted to get to it before the storm's fury was unleashed upon me.
The timing was perfect. I found the trail and dove down it at breakneck speed into the forest. As I rumbled down the hill, hail started barraging my world. The flashes of lightning terrified me but I knew that I was in a relatively safe place, well below the ridge and in a dense forest.

Without a jacket, I had to seek shelter under the boughs of a pine tree because the hail was stinging my bare arms too much for me to bear. In a remarkably short time, the storm's peak fury passed, and I rode home in a steady and soaking rain. It felt nice in our warm (60 deg) air.

I, like the wildflowers, was drenched. Mother Nature showed me who is boss, and it's definitely not me.
It stormed on and off all day. We found a window of relatively calm weather for our evening hike. The sky beamed blue behind the swirl of clouds. Mother Nature can be both furious and beautiful.
For myriad reasons, my posting may be erratic for a little while. Please don't worry about us!

29 comments:

  1. Nature is so spooky, crazy, wonderful.. I'm glad you weathered the storm OK!

    Love the last pic of K. Looks like it'd make a good desktop background shot. :)

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  2. Momma just LOVES storms and Quinn likes to stand out in the soaking rain...go figure on both of them! But your world takes on such a delightfully powerful look during storms and the following rain is delicately wondrous.

    Be safe in your endeavors and know we always miss you when you are away.

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  3. Maybe that is part of the storm system headed our way. We are going to be just south of the heavy rain that we desperately need, but at least we may see some cooler temps for a couple of days.

    Glad you know your way around there so well so you were able to make it to relative safety.

    That last photo is beautiful.

    We will miss you too.

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  4. Wow! That last photo of K is stunningly beautiful! Now that screams "poster sized print!" Just gorgeous.

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  5. Glad you were able to get to a bit of shelter. Those storms can really pop up quickly.

    That last photograph is just beautiful...the rock, the clouds, and of course the gorgeous dog.

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  6. My Vickie is petrified of lightning. She was on a search in San Juans when a storm hit. The lightning was so powerful, the thunder rocked the ground beneath her feet.

    Her heart never quite settled after that storm.

    So glad you were safe. We were worrying about your back when you talked about rocketing down the mountain.

    Be safe

    Bert

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  7. The colors in these pictures are extraordinary!!!

    Your pal, Pip

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  8. You capture the best pictures! A true talent and a really fine camera!

    Wyatt's Mom

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  9. I love Mother Natures fury and her docile ways. Love that last shot of K. She almost looks like a wolf on that ridge! Awesome!!

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  10. I love the effect of the clouds in that last photo! Funny how Mother Nature likes to toy with us sometimes to remind us to appreciate her!

    It's good to see K back to herself, too!

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  11. Dear KB
    I felt as though I was right with you as you were peddling as fast as you could go. And when you took shelter under the boughs of the pine tree,, I huddles beside you.
    There are no words to explain the beauty of the photos you took.
    All I can say thank you for allowing us to feel and see your world.
    Is that K or R in the last photo?
    It is awsome,
    We are with you- no matter where you are.
    love
    tweedles

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  12. Can you send me some of that 60 degree air. We haven't been down to 60 in weeks.

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  13. I grew up as a kid loving stormy weather. I guess because my Mother loved it. Your storm pics are so beautiful as is the last one with K on the rock. Glad you made it out of the hail in time.

    Cheers and hugs,

    Jo

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  14. ALL of your pictures are awesome!! Took my breath away. Your "narrative" of the day made me feel as if I were there with you.
    Beautiful!!!
    Ernie,Sasha,Chica,Lucas Mom Barb

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  15. Wow! What an adventure! I'm so glad you got below that ridge in time. Your pictures, as always, are absolutely wonderful.

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  16. Hi Y'all,

    As you go through your daily chores and joys, we'll keep paws crossed and Human prayers that health and happiness will bless your family.

    Y'all come by now,
    Hawk aka BrownDog

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  17. you captured your day so well. summer storms can be so dramatic in the high mountains! I love it. Sweet harebell photo.

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  18. Rain storms are not too bad to get caught in, but hail - yuck.

    Love that last photograph. beautiful!

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  19. That last photo is absolutely gorgeous!

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  20. glad you were able to safely "hide' from the storm. We so enjoy your stunning photos!

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  21. Great photos. I love those photos of nature. K is a very smart dog by the way.

    Cassy from Lead Guitar Lessons

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  22. The meadow is beautiful, and it's interesting to see K with all 4 on the stump this time. I'm glad you found a safe place to wait out the storm. Have a great weekend!

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  23. We had hail last Tuesday night during a freak mammoth storm...I posted some of the pics here storm clouds
    The blue flower looks like a campanula...beauty of a shot!

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  24. Simply breathtaking pics!! There's nothing quite like that sense of primal urgency to get away from a storm. One of my scariest & most exilirating memories is being caught in a huge storm while running in New Orleans. Intense!

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  25. Glad you made it to cover in time! That last photo is mesmerizing!

    Waggin at ya,
    Roo

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  26. Glad you made it through ok, those storms come up so quick out here! Made for some dramatically beautiful photos, though. :)

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  27. I thought the saturation in your first photo was out of this world, and then I saw the last photo. After I pick my eyeballs back up off the ground, I'm going to go drool over it some more. That could be a wall mural or magazine cover. You aced that shot, Girl!

    PS: so glad you safely escaped the storm!

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  28. Oh my gosh! I love the last photo! Glad you made it through the storm safely!

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