It’s been two weeks since Aki’s last adventure so she follows in my wake as I walk around the house on his wet Saturday morning. I’ll not leave without her notice. Rain pounds down on Chicken Ridge like it has many times this summer. A heavy marine layer of clouds obscures the mountains, leaving us in a wet grey and green world. Days like this justify the vibrant colored doors on our neighbor’s Craftsman style homes. The rain storm strengthens as we drive to the trail head requiring the top setting on our car’s windshield wipers. Aki strains to see through rain obscured window glass for a clue of our destination. I could tell her that we head for North Douglas Island and a forested trail often spared heavy rain.

Today only a light sprinkle greets us when we leave the car in an empty trailhead parking area. The rain in town must be keeping other hikers indoors. A few hundred meters into the woods we pass under a tree where some eagles scream and hurl accusations at each other in an apparent battle for roosting space. Offering only a view of a reed choked shallow pond, I can’t figure out why the big birds hang here rather than over on the beach or the nearby salmon stream. Small rain thickened water courses flood under the elevated sections of the boardwalk trail. The wooden trail boards float in others. The rain has stopped and with no wind to ruffle the trail side waters they offer perfect reflections of the surrounding forest.

When the trail crosses a small muskeg meadow dominated by twisted bull pines I wish the clouds to lift so we can see the ridge of mountains to the east. The stubborn clouds darken and drift lower to backdrop the rage of some dying pines. If nature seems angry or disappointed today, I am not. We have the forest and beaches to ourselves, The rain has stopped but not before decorating the flowers and leaves of the trail side berries with moist magic.

It’s been two weeks since Aki’s last adventure so she follows in my wake as I walk around the house on his wet Saturday morning. I’ll not leave without her notice. Rain pounds down on Chicken Ridge like it has many times this summer.  A heavy marine layer of clouds obscures the mountains, leaving us in a wet grey and green world. Days like this justify the vibrant colored doors on our neighbor’s Craftsman style homes.

The rain storm strengthens as we drive to the trail head requiring the top setting on our car’s windshield wipers. Aki strains to see through rain obscured window glass for a clue of our destination. I could tell her that we head for North Douglas Island and a forested trail often spared heavy rain. Today only a light sprinkle greets us when we leave the car in an empty trailhead parking area. The rain in town must be keeping other hikers indoors.

A few hundred meters into the woods we pass under a tree where some eagles scream and hurl accusations at each other in an apparent battle for roosting space. Offering only a view of a reed choked shallow pond, I can’t figure out why the big birds hang here rather than over on the beach or the nearby salmon stream.

Small rain thickened water courses flood under the elevated sections of the boardwalk trail. The wooden trail boards float in others. The rain has stopped and with no wind to ruffle the trail side waters they offer perfect reflections of the surrounding forest. When the trail crosses a small muskeg meadow dominated by twisted bull pines I wish the clouds to lift so we can see the ridge of mountains to the east. The stubborn clouds darken and drift lower to backdrop the rage of some dying pines. 

If nature seems angry or disappointed today, I am not. We have the forest and beaches to ourselves,  The rain has stopped but not before decorating the flowers and leaves of the trail side berries with moist magic.