Staying Alive

It was around 2.30 when my sister left to catch her bus back to NYC. I had settled into my hammock, post ride, and was all set to catch up on my cycling news in "the veelo". The air had that smell about it that said rain was coming but I never could have imagined the magnitude of the storm that was abut to hit. at first it was just a light to moderate rain, nothing to exiting. But within 30 min. It was dumping more water per square inch then I think ive ever seen. As if this wasn't enough of a show, the light/sound effects kicked in. ( lightning and thunder)

so seeing as how thunder storms are very near the top of my greatest things in the world list, I had to get myself a front row seat for this one. For those of you who don't know the area, I live at the at the base of the highest point along the Atlantic coast ( south of Maine). What better place to watch this thing happen then from the weather observatory look out tower atop Big Blue. I put together my supply's faster then previously thought humanly possible. Contents of my pack included, in no particular order of importance... spare goretex jacket base layer goretex rain pants Purlizumi lobster calw gloves wool socks food bag(the typical backpacking stuff.) 2 bottles potable aqua 2 full 32 oz. Bottles 2 boxes waterproof matches firstaid kit trail map roll of duct tape camping knife rubber sleeping pad( In case it gets rely bad*) spare zip lock bags cell phone 3 packets powdered electrolytes drinkmix GPS bag was packed and I was out the door. I took skyline path over little blue, hemmenway, houghtons then finaly up to the top of BH some 2 hr's later. I had managed to to keep myself relatively dry considering the several oceans worth of water that had been dumped on me. Up the steps of the observation tower, and it was everything I had hoped for. Blinding flashes of lightning in the distance followed by defining thunder that would make any heavy metal concert seen quite. It had that goose bumps, hair standing up on your arms sort of feeling to it. Simply amazing stuff.

I waited out the rest of the storm at the top of the tower,having some pre-packed lunch, watching the clouds roll out, and deepening the carving of my name from 99', which is still clearly visible on the walls of the stone tower. ( South wall, right at the top of the steps if your up there) made it home safe and in time to start up the grill for some BBQ. Good day, all in all. ( I didn't even have to use any painters bathtubs*) now some sleep. G'night