A Walk in the Rain

When I opened the front door to head out on my daily walk, the skies opened up and the rain pelted down on the sweet gum tree in the front yard and the fallen leaves, drops bouncing onto my face and glasses. Oh great, just my luck, I thought. But then I decided I wouldn’t let a little rain stop me from walking. After all, here in Eugene, Oregon, people jog in the rain and walk in the rain. I’ve seen joggers in shorts on cold, wet rainy days. I am not one of those hardcore people, but I don’t mind walking in the rain if I’m properly prepared. So, I grabbed my waterproof jacket with hood, my orange summer of love cap which keeps my glasses from getting wet, my colorful, warm scarf which my dear friend Diane from the San Francisco Bay Area made me for me about five years ago, and of course my red gloves just in case, one of my masks, this time Yellow Submarine, and my cell phone in the pockets. I also brought a water bottle and wore my mega waterproof shoes with more traction on the bottom. I was ready to go.

My boyfriend looked concerned when he looked outside the door. “Are you sure you want to walk today?” he asked.

“Yes! I can’t let a little rain stop me from walking. And look at those people jogging!” I pointed to a group of four young adults jogging together on the trail across the street through the rain like it was nothing.

“But they’re super young…”

“I’ll be fine! See ya!”

I waved good-bye and beelined across the street. We were so lucky to live across the street from some amazing trails alongside Amazon Creek through the neighborhood and woods, and I recently discovered trails that led right up into the woods at the end of Amazon Drive that was actually doable for a 63-year-old overweight chick who loves to walk. My favorite trail went uphill through the woods, but a little bit at a time, and it twisted and turned a lot too.

The Start of the Journey

As I tromped up the trail towards the woods, I initially wondered if it was a good idea to hike so far up into the woods alone on a rainy day. It already gets dark by 4:45 pm here with sunset at 4:30, but on a cloudy or rainy day, the darkness sets in even earlier, or so it seemed. The rain didn’t even bother me because I stayed dry, but my glasses did fog up when I put my mask on whenever people passed by; walking, jogging, riding a bike, or the occasional unicyclist and hover boarders. I didn’t see as many people, and I saw even fewer when I traversed through the gravel road between two buildings to the wooded trail and across a wooden bridge made from tree trunks. I didn’t think I would go very far, but I felt more exhilarated as I continued towards the Ridgeline Trail. The first trail is like walking through a park. Then I reached the usual fork in the road. I could go three directions — to the right which led up a pretty steep hill, and down and back around in a circle or up the Ridgeline Trail, or another uphill trail further to the right which I’ve never been on.

Do I chance it? Yes, I will because it’s my favorite trail. I found myself immediately immersed into the woods with the firs and Sitka spruces high overhead, and lush green ferns which don’t die off in the winter, and the snowberries have appeared — they reminded me of popcorn. Mushrooms grew at the foot of tree trunks by the side of the trail and the licorice ferns sprouted from the moss on all the deciduous trees. I could barely feel the rain when I entered the woods — it’s always like entering a magical, mystical world.

How Hiking is Like Writing

As I hiked up the windy trail in the rain, I thought of how my writing is going and how writing is like walking the trails. I’ve been working on a children’s book which is based on my memoir about growing up in the 60’s in San Francisco. I had written it in screenplay format a few years ago and hadn’t done anything with it since. Nor have I finished my single parent story entitled, "How Will I Explain This To My Kids?" Story of my life. So many unfinished projects, unless they’re short pieces.

When I’m walking on the neighborhood trails, it’s the first draft — I move swiftly because the trails are easy and safe, but when I hike up into the woods, suddenly I move much more deliberately and slowly. Sometimes I have to stop and look. And think. Then I continue to trudge up the trail which becomes steeper after the wooden bridge. The trail has now become more difficult, and sometimes I slip a little where it's muddy and damp. But I keep going.

Finally, as the trail winds higher and higher, and I have to look out for those crazy joggers and bicyclists even more because there isn't much space to dodge to as you turn the corner, I reach a special bench, so random sitting there way up high on the trail in the woods. If I just keep going a little ways further, I can get to the top.