Thunderstorms, Undressing on the Highway, and Fireworks

After doing so serious sleeping in this morning I decided I wanted to go hiking. It was a bit warmer and more humid today than it had been but I knew the weather was only getting worse. There was a 30% chance of severe thunderstorms this afternoon also, but there's been a chance of thunderstorms every day all summer, so I didn't think much of it. Since I was getting such a late start I decided to go someplace relatively close - the AT in Ashby Gap near Sky Meadows state park. Also, I liked the idea of an out and back hike because if the weather did get bad it was easier to turn around and walk back. I decided to hit the new Harris Teeter in Bristow first to grab some lunch. Then it took me awhile to find the trailhead - which is a good thing I think...keeps out the rif-raff! It was 2:00 before I got to the trailhead and close to 2:30 before I got to trail since I decided to eat some lunch and had to put on my boots and everything.

The goal was to hike from Ashby Gap to the Sky Meadows State Park boundary - it was about 2.8 miles so round trip it would be close to 6 miles. I start out from the parking area - going downhill, crossing RT 50 and into the woods - it was sunny and hot although the shadow of the trees made it cooler. I was climbing up the hill working up a pretty good sweat, but not out of breath! I was getting in the groove and enjoying myself. Then it started to rain. It was a light shower - I hardly even got wet because of all the leaves on the trees. Hiking in the rain I enjoy - it cools you off and the air gets cooler and it smells so good! This afternoon when the rain started coming down the forest seemed to come alive - birds flying and chirping! While hiking in the rain is a-ok, hiking in a thunderstorm is not ok at all. I love a good storm when I'm home or otherwise safe, on the trail, I'm terrified. The sky didn't look at all threatening, in fact the sun was out and I could see blue sky! So, keeping a close ear on the sky I continued. Murphy's Law was going through my mind - if I keep going the weather will be bad, if I turn back the weather will do nothing and I'll miss a perfectly good hike in the rain. I forged ahead, the rain came down harder. When I got to a little clearing in the trees I got a good look at the sky, still looked OK although there were some darker spots. I kept going. Then I heard thunder. It was off in the distance, but it was thunder. I did an about face and started back to the car.

I moved pretty quick getting to the car. The weather still wasn't horrible - in fact the sun was peeking out in places. Again I was thinking, this is nothing, I'll regret turning around. I could hear thunder in the distance and that spurred me on to keep going. When I made it back to Rt. 50 I could really see the sky in all directions - it was looking quite ominous, in all directions. Turing around didn't seem so silly now. I ran across Rt 50 and kept running up the hill...it was only 0.2 of a mile back to the car, but it was uphill...I moved at a very quick pace (thank you maxair!). As I was making my way up the hill it started getting very dark in the woods. The rain had stopped, but the thunder was getting closer. I rounded a corner and had a visual on my car - still had to go up just a bit more, but I was almost there! As I arrived in the parking lot there was a huge clap of thunder right over head! yikes! Glad I turned around.

I quickly removed my boots and started home. As soon as I got on the road, the rain started. The sky was looking very scary and it was raining really hard. Not upset at all that I didn't forge ahead.

I drove back out 50 to the road that goes to 66 (I don't know the name of it but the speed limit is 45 and they mean it!). I was enjoying the trip back listening to my iPod, singing along and drying out from the rain/sweat. I was on the entrance ramp to 66 when I reached over with my right hand to scratch my left shoulder. As my fingers made contact with my shoulder I felt a sharp stinging, like a bee sting! I instantly knew that somehow a bee or other stinging varmint had gotten in my shirt. Remember that I'm on the entrance ramp to an interstate at this point - I can't exactly react to the bee or I'd get smushed by the on-coming traffic! Luckily, bees are about the only thing I'm not allergic too so I clenched part of my shirt in my hand and got myself on the highway and up to speed. Then I set the cruise control so I could see about getting my shirt off. I did successfully remove my shirt while driving 70 mph, without removing my seat belt! Now I was wearing a sports bra, which is not much different than halter top so....(now of course if you have seen my "spare tires" lately you'll know that halter tops are not an article of clothing I should be wearing!!!). I decided to just leave the shirt off - more exciting that way!

As I made my way closer to civilization I decided I did need to wear the shirt - way too self-conscious about my spare tires. I shook the shirt out and did manage to get it back on while driving, but I did have to unbuckle the seat belt. A few minutes after I put my shirt on, I saw the bee buzzing around the passenger seat! Glad I got him out of my shirt!

As I pulled into my neighborhood the sky was looking ominous. As soon as I got home I went to check the weather on the computer. There was a large, ugly looking storm right over where I'd been hiking!!!! And there were both severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings for the county where I'd been hiking!!!! Turning around was exactly what I needed to do.

When I got home it looked at though my whole neighborhood had gathered at the end of the court for a little 4th of July get together. I quickly showered and put on my ancient Old Navy 4th of July shirt (I think it's from 2000) and grabbed a chair and headed out for some fun and fellowship with my neighbors! We had a lovely picnic and it was fun to chat and hang out! As soon as it got dark our local pyromaniacs started setting off fireworks, some legal and some illegal (in VA anything that goes airborne is illegal). Some other folks in our general neighborhood had fireworks as well so it was quite a show! Some people on the next court over even had what looked like professional fireworks that they set off for what seemed like hours! It was way better than going into DC! When the show was over we all just picked up our chairs and walked home! :)