Rain, Rain, and more Rain

Today was a good day hiking.  55 degrees and a hard, steady rain starting at 6 AM or so and ... (runs to look outside)... yup, still going.  I heard that there is a tropical storm that is causing all this rain.  All I know is that I had a really fun day hiking.  With all the rain, the trail itself was a stream.  My shoes were squishy for several hours.  Even though I had my "toncho" on (combo tent+rain poncho), I was soaked completely from head to toe.  But, man, I had a blast.

I felt like I was channeling my inner child.  My imagination ran away with me.  I was hiking with Buckeye Cornelius, and we kept exchanging various comments to describe the hike.  Things like:

"Going through this river is our only hope of escape.  The bloodhounds can't pick up our scent from here."

"How'd you like those class II rapids back there in the gap?"

"You were causing too much wake in no wake zone.  Better slow down your hike."

"Wow, I didn't know the AT crossed the ocean."

For a while I kept my hood up on my toncho, but then I took it off just to have the rain soak through my hair and stream down my face.  It was... cleansing.  I can't explain why, but it just was.  Such a beautiful rain.  So much fun.  And so transcendent all at the same time.

Apparently, we'll have more rain tomorrow just like today.  And tomorrow, I'll be camping.  Tonight, I had a warm shower, a warm house, and warm beef stew to come to.  Tomorrow may not be quite as much fun or transcendent.  But who knows?  I may have to continue avoiding the bloodhounds searching for me (of course, I am innocent, but the corrupt bloodhound owners are framing me) while I'm camping too.

By the way, I DO realize that I am imagining.  This is not bonking or too much time on the Trail.  It's just letting my imagination go free for a bit.  I'm not crazy... yet. :-)