Our tents were all set up and supper was cooking. I was having Chicken Alfredo. Last night’s Chicken Dumpling was a bit much. A pot of goo, that layer heavy on my stomach. I watched the clouds from the northwest as they were giving me an uneasy feeling. They sure looked like rain. At 8 p.m. Tumbler and I were both outside the tents when a gust of wind came and we looked to the sky, something was coming.

By the time we had both gotten in our respective tents another big gust of wind hit. Then the rain. Three of my tent stakes ripped right out of the ground. Thunder and lightning rumbled and struck, one right after another, each one getting closer. 

Ratman asked me if we should make a run for Art’s house. I said no, as I was scrambling to anchor down my tent. When I had that done, I got on the weather app on my cell phone. I didn’t like what I saw. A giant storm cell heading our way. Almost at the same time, Ratman and I said we had to leave. Every time we were about to leave our tents, there was another blast of lightning. The last one was so close, we all wanted to get running down the hill.

Spirit was trying to get her shoes on. Ratman was saying to hurry as the three of us were standing outside of her tent in the weather waiting for her. Another crack of thunder and lightning was all we needed to convince us to go. We told Spirit to leave her shoes. Tumbler and I went running down the hill with Ratman and Spirit in pursuit.

When we got to Art’s porch his wife greeted us and said to come in. She told us Art shouldn’t be long as he was out on a bike ride. We all looked shocked and very concerned and hoped Art would make it home safely.

We all went into the house and removed wet shoes and rain jackets. She gave us a towel, which we took turns drying off with. We all sat in the living room anxiously waiting to see if Art would make it home. There was a collective sigh of relief when he did.

When the rain subsided a little, we gathered up our courage to collect items for the night. Spirit and I turned the foot of our tents into the wind and hoped for the best. I grabbed my food, air mattress, and pillow and we all headed down the hill to the sound of thunder in the distance.

We didn’t visit long before it was time for bed, we were all getting up at 5 a.m. to go up and pack up anything that remained after the night’s storms. Ratman and Tumbler got a bedroom, Spirit the couch, and I slept on the floor.

Another storm blew through around 9:30 p.m. I was glad to be under a solid roof. In the morning, Art got up with us and we thanked him and headed out the door.

To our relief, our tents were all still standing. Time to start another day of hiking. I know better than to wonder, what will the day bring.