Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Texas Summer Amusement


To tie-in the analogy of the long grinding climb from my previous post, I guess yesterday was the short level spot we enjoy, catching our breath, before the road pitches up again.

Surfing over to the weather radar yesterday afternoon, I saw a tiny rain cloud up near IH-35 and the Texas/Oklahoma border. When I saw that it was moving south, I let out a loud, "Yee-haw!" and asked Mrs. Pondero to crate the dogs. "We're gonna see us some RAIN!"

And so we did.

We left the house in typical 106 degree heat. It was about 13 miles to the first rain drop on the windshield of the pickup. Hoping for more, we drove all the way to Gainesville, but the cloud we were chasing was all dried up. Texas heat does that.

Fortunately, another shower was building off to our west. So on the way home, about 44 miles into our search, we turned onto a gravel county road, drove under a little cloud, and found a light shower.

I stopped the truck, got out, and stood in the rain. I sniffed the wonderfully wet atmosphere and was reminded what rain smells like. I grinned in blissful 79 degree air. Shoulda brought a sweater. I took a photo of the cloud on the way back so I could remember what rain clouds look like.

We made it back home, after a 55-mile round trip, around 7:30pm. It was 103 degrees.

Resuming climb now...

12 comments:

  1. 103 sounds pretty good. Not quite so much at 7:30

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  2. Texas eats rain clouds like that for breakfast.

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  3. 79? Y'all must be talking about some highway's number...

    Peace :)

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  4. That's some crazy heat that you are dealing with. I'm amused by your outing in search of rain, and glad that you found some! (I kinda thought you were joking when you commented about the rain on my post)

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  5. Texas highways...what I remember from visiting my relatives near Hico is this:

    If someone comes up behind you going 95 MPH in a big old pickup you are supposed to drive on the shoulder. It was not until I stopped at a gas station and talked with the guy there that he informed me why everyone was freaking out when they passed me. (I was only going 70 MPH!)

    :)

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  6. I have done the opposite, in the wintertime, here in Colorado, searching for warmth. So, I understand your search, and appalud your good fortune in finding the rain.

    Hang in there. Fall is just around the corner...

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  7. You know, I would have never thought to go chase the rain! Good job!

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  8. Rain makes such a wonderful perfume. May you and yours get a good soaking, soon!

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  9. Greg, I know what you mean. Just like on the bike, I'm usually the slow guy.

    Rain update - It's raining in north Texas today (on my house). Unfortunately, I've traveled to south Texas for the weekend to visit my daughter and son-in-law. Nothing but bright, hot sunshine here. At least the prairie has a drink of water.

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  10. I will send you some of our rain. As I look out the window its raining again here in the UK, Sounds like you want it Im sick of it, Why is it whatever we have we want something else ?

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  11. Thanks, Mark, even while trying to be patient, and occasionally going too far out of our way to see it, we'll take a bit of your rain.

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