walk, interrupted
So the other night, after work, I headed over to Sunken Meadow. It was a sunny afternoon,, with no rain in the forecast, perfect for a walk on the boardwalk.
In the 20 minutes it took for me to drive to the park, the weather began to change. A little cloudy, but yeah, I thought I could get a good walk in....
I got to the park and headed to the boardwalk. I always park at the main bathhouse, in the middle of the boardwalk. Then I'll walk to the eastern end of the boardwalk, then to the western end, and finish in the middle. By the time I reached the boardwalk, dark clouds hovered over the Sound, but I could still see the Connecticut shoreline in the distance. Overhead was gray, not threatening at all. I started to walk.
When I reached the eastern end of the boardwalk --I'd been walking about 15 minutes --, I saw a lightning strike. A bolt of lightning hit the open water. A little scary, don't you think? I don't mind being at the beach in the wind and the rain, so long as I'm wearing a raincoat, but lightning? No.
It was definitely time to walk back towards my car...
The skies grew darker, the wind picked up. Sand was blowing, and some poor guy was chasing after his beach umbrella; the umbrella moved too fast, and eventually he gave up.
Park employees were clearing the beach, telling people that the beach wouldn't be safe in a thunderstorm. Yet people were reluctant to leave, and a few new arrivals were disappointed that they weren't allowed onto the sand. A few jet ski riders were fooling around in the water, when they should have been heading to shore.
By the time I reached the main bathhouse, even the seagulls were having hysterics.
The first raindrops hit as I got into my car. It was pouring by the time I pulled out of the parking lot.
Glad I avoide a soaking, but I wish I'd been able to finish the walk.
In the 20 minutes it took for me to drive to the park, the weather began to change. A little cloudy, but yeah, I thought I could get a good walk in....
I got to the park and headed to the boardwalk. I always park at the main bathhouse, in the middle of the boardwalk. Then I'll walk to the eastern end of the boardwalk, then to the western end, and finish in the middle. By the time I reached the boardwalk, dark clouds hovered over the Sound, but I could still see the Connecticut shoreline in the distance. Overhead was gray, not threatening at all. I started to walk.
When I reached the eastern end of the boardwalk --I'd been walking about 15 minutes --, I saw a lightning strike. A bolt of lightning hit the open water. A little scary, don't you think? I don't mind being at the beach in the wind and the rain, so long as I'm wearing a raincoat, but lightning? No.
It was definitely time to walk back towards my car...
The skies grew darker, the wind picked up. Sand was blowing, and some poor guy was chasing after his beach umbrella; the umbrella moved too fast, and eventually he gave up.
Park employees were clearing the beach, telling people that the beach wouldn't be safe in a thunderstorm. Yet people were reluctant to leave, and a few new arrivals were disappointed that they weren't allowed onto the sand. A few jet ski riders were fooling around in the water, when they should have been heading to shore.
By the time I reached the main bathhouse, even the seagulls were having hysterics.
The first raindrops hit as I got into my car. It was pouring by the time I pulled out of the parking lot.
Glad I avoide a soaking, but I wish I'd been able to finish the walk.
I was once on the Mid-Hudson Bridge that connects Poughkeepsie with a city on the other side of the Hudson, when black clouds rolled up and we immediately turned around and got back to our car just in time. That bridge owes me a new walk! Ah, that changeable weather. Alana at Ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
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