On a Saturday morning threatening rain, five intrepid hikers, Jocelyn Prostco, Paul Henderson, John Brandt, Iva Gillet and Marie Moss, joined hike leader Barbara Martin on the Torry Ridge Trail. We climbed up into a glory of mountain laurel trees and some rhododendrons. Jocelyn discovered a spotted salamander. We all enjoyed lively conversations with each other. We had lunch at a rock fall, sitting on moss and lichen-cushioned rocks, sheltered by a blooming rhododendron. As Paul and Iva consulted their phones to see the likelihood of rain, Barbara looked at the blackening sky and saw the wind picking up and made her own prediction. Shortly after turning around to go back it started to pour, accentuated by booms of thunder. Jocelyn wondered if it would rain buckets and then indeed it did. She had her first experience of hiking in the rain and getting completely soaked. All maintained good cheer as we made our way at a brisk pace back to the cars. Thoughtful Iva had brought plenty of towels for the drowned hikers to dry off with. Driving home we saw homes and yards completely flooded by the South River. We congratulated ourselves on not being fair weather hikers!
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