55° Rainy
by Betsy
May 31, 2010…Memorial Day weekend…Lost Lake TR #81 and #82…hike # 355
We are having an extremely cool and rainy spring…so when we woke to pouring down rain, we were not surprised. We have three or so hikes we do in the rain…never much of a view so we don’t miss much and we still get to hike. Another rainy Memorial Day...of the almost 20 years we’ve lived here, I think there were 19 rainy Memorial Days!
Since my knee episode last week, we decided to do something somewhat easier today and although we chose the Mineral Point trail, when we got there decided to take the other trail, a mountain bike trail up at the top of the trail, to Lost Lake. The last time we did this hike, they had just completed it and the “moondust” was so thick that with each step, one was enveloped in a cloud of the fine powdery stuff. That was several years ago and today, and especially in the rain, it was nicely packed down and covered with pine needles. It is a pretty trail and there were no mountain bikers on it today!
Just as we were pulling out of the driveway, Jim looked at what I was wearing…just my hiking pants and long sleeved shirt. Thank goodness he convinced me to go back in the house and find my rain pants. They saved me. I pulled them on as we got out of the truck.
It was raining quite hard when we started out…but we had rain gear on, and warm mittens so it was pleasant. The sound of the rain on my hood reminded me of camping when I was a kid. Of course we could not see the lake most times we came to the view spots, but we did hear a boat out on the lake several times. This area normally would be full of campers and boaters, in the campground down on the lake.
Just as we approached the path to get into Lost Lake, we heard a vehicle and when we got to the open area, we saw a pickup. Almost at the lake we met the people…a couple, their son and two lively dogs. They said they lived in the area and were giving the dogs play time and exercise. Talked for a while and then said our goodbyes. Before we met them, we spotted the very rare wild orchid Fairy Slipper Orchid…. (Calypso Bulbosa). Excited, and in spite of the heavy rain, I got my camera out of the plastic bag, got down in the wet on my knees and began to shoot, with Jim holding the rare gem up with his pole. Many of you know I grow orchids, and have about 63 of them, so this wild little orchid was a treat to see.
We headed back on the trail, or so we thought, and it didn’t seem right but kept going…we ended up in a very different place than we thought we would. I think they changed the trail and added a new one or two. Oh, well…it just meant that instead of following the longer trail back to the truck, we walked up the road. That was okay with us, because by now, I was soaked right thru all the breathable rain gear and getting really cold. That stuff can only take so much rain before it seeps thru. The only other alternative would be rubberized stuff and then you would get so wet with sweat…so which is worse???
By the time we reached the truck, the rain was coming down very hard. We got out of the wet stuff, threw it all in the back, got into the warm truck and ate our lunch before heading home. It was a short but very enjoyable hike in spite of the rain.
Left home 10:20
Started 11:30
Got to lake 1:10
Got to truck 2:30
Total miles hiked 6½ miles
Total hiking time 3 hours
No comments:
Post a Comment