Walking Five Miles... In the Rain

Light Rain Off and On in Southern California

I don't know about you, but I have always enjoyed doing practically anything in the rain.  I love driving in the rain as well as just walking along listening to the raindrops on my umbrella.  Don't forget that I'm sixty-five now, and due to being seriously in 1979, I have three herniated discs in my lower back, and have also sustained spinal cord damage  in my c-spine, so I have been rather limited for many years from doing many things I previously loved doing.

This morning, when I awoke, I had a taste for a delicious ham, cheese and egg burrito that they make to order at a local convenience store.  In years past, I would at least twice a week for one of those really big, and exceedingly yummy burritos.  I live about two and a half miles from there place, and they only have their snack counter open until about 2:30 PM, and they stop making their Breakfast Burrito about noon.  I decided it was a lovely day for a walk, and I could also work off the calories from being so bad, as well.

I have a sister (Ginger) who will be seventy in May of 2011, and she also loves walking.  So... We decided to walk together, rain and all with our umbrellas to get a taste treat, and to enjoy the lovely weather.  See, we have been in serious drought conditions for about ten to twelve years, with only a slight letup during the winter of 2009-2010.  This year, it appears we may be in for a wet winter, something that is desperately needed in Southern California, even nearly the entire western United States.

Since it wasn't really cold, but just a bit on the chilly side, I decided I had best dress for colder weather,  just in case it got colder, or rained heavily.  I dressed in my jeans, with a cotton long sleeved thermal shirt, and a hoodie, along with my fleece-lined denim jacket, and my umbrella, of course.  My sister lives about a mile and a half from me, on the way to the "Round Up," so I called her when I left home, and a couple of times along the way, so she could be ready, and we could leave immediately from her place.  All along the way, we walked with some dogs barking at us from behind fences, and traffic going merrily on it's way. Some people waved as they drove past, and many just watched two old ladies walking in the light rain.

We walked the rest of the way to the "Round Up," and were happily looking forward to our expected reward, that scrumptious "Breakfast Burrito" and while Ginger had some hot chocolate, I had a large coffee, with half & half, and some French Vanilla creamer.  Once our food was ready, we ate out in front of the store, where they have several tables with benches, for people to sit and enjoy their food. There are also a few smaller round tables inside, but I have always preferred to eat outside, where I have more room, and can watch the sights, cars a trucks passing by, people stopping for gas, and heading inside to pay for their gas, and to buy either their hamburger and fries, or maybe some beer, etc.

Any time you go to the "Round Up" you always run into someone you know, or people you may not have seen for awhile, as well as meeting new people who live in the area,  whom you may have never met before.

After a nice relaxing lunch, meeting a greeting folks, and resting from our long walk, we said goodbye to everyone, and headed homeward again. This time the dogs didn't bark nearly as much, and we enjoyed the fresh, cleaner air after the rain had washed away the smog and dust that had accumulated since our last rain.  Ginger and I said our goodbyes as we reached her driveway.  She wanted me to come in for awhile, but I thought it best to head on home, so I wouldn't get all settled in a her place, and lose my inclination to walk the last mile and a half.  I passed the entrance to the sky diving airport, past the DeJong's Dairy, and passed by the self storage place that my friend, Dawn has managed for about eight years or so, also without stopping.  I know that if I stop, I will end up staying to visit, and I really need to get back home before it gets too cold, and starts getting darker, as the clouds are now getting somewhat heavier, and the rain getting more intense, too.


Finally, I reach my street, and from there on, it's a slight uphill grade, which is a bit tiring after I have just walked about five-plus miles.  When I finally reach my home, I get my mail from the rural mailbox, and go in through my front drive gate/  I'm greeted by my three dogs, who really would have rather be inside all the time I was gone.  They prefer my bed to their dog houses that are on the over sized covered porch, and they can hardly wait to follow me inside, and get their late afternoon dinner, and jump onto my bed, and settle in for a couple of hours until it's time for them to go out again to do their thing for the night.

So, I walked five miles in the rain to get one burrito and a cup of coffee, and two bags of nuts and trail mix.  Of course, the walking and exercise was really nice, too. I just love walking, especially in the rain.