Riding Around In The Rain

Turks Cap Lily

I decided to take a little trip to Tucker County, yesterday (8/2/14) and see if there were any ripe blueberries. The rains decided to follow me throughout the trip. I left the normally cloudy and dreary Elkins town around 2 pm in the bright sunshine. It didn't last. It started sprinkling as I was going out Olson Fire Tower Road. I was hoping to find an elusive Monarch or a seemingly now elusive edible mushroom. Nope, neither was to be found. Amanitas and False Chanterelles were in abundance; of course. On to Davis. The rain intensifies.
Rain was pouring and river were running down the road at my next stop. I was hoping to find a few migrating sandpipers. I honestly couldn't look out my window and tell if there were any ripe blueberries; just 5 feet away. Oh, well..
I drove on to wind-whipped Canaan to look for the Merlin that was spotted recently on Timberline Road at a tree surrounded by Turks-cap Lilies. I rode and rode on Timberline Road which was at the time some type of race course. I couldn't find the lilies. I had given up. Finally I found the lilies at the beginning of the road, looked up and there was the Merlin. I was already past it. I went down, turned around, set the camera settings properly and went back. Pulled somewhat off the road and turned on the emergency flashers..Waited for the next round of speed racers to go by and got out. Focused the camera on the Robin that was now sitting in the tree. Still don't have a Merlin photo. The rain had now caught up to me, too.

I stopped at a couple of spots on Dry Fork, saw a few trout and bass. I couldn't find the Common mergansers that hang around the area. I actually haven't seen any merganser broods this year. And the rain set in. I started to go up Gandy and look for chanterelles. the skies looked ominous, I decided against it.Went home and took a nap in the rainstorm. The End.

(c) 2014 High Virginia Outdoors All Rights Reserved
Photos (c)2014 High Virginia Images All Rights Reserved.