Alki and I went back to the lake today, and actually walked down to the water. Unfortunately trout season just opened, and that always brings the worst sorts to the park. I picked up two garbage bags of litter, beer cans and bottles, and fishing debris! I also saw a bunch of dead fish along the shore, something that only seems to happen after a heavy fishing weekend. It was stinky and gross, so we headed back up the trail to the campground.

I should have noticed that the blue-sky-puffy-cloud day was turning a bit more sinister as dark grey thunderheads moved in.

Halfway to the campground the skies opened up and dumped pea-sized hail on us! We hunkered down under a tree and I tucked Alki under me so she wouldn’t get pummelled. She was scared, never having been out in that before – she’s a house dog!

When it let up we made our way back to the car, dashing from tree to tree and waiting out the worst of it as it passed over in waves. We were almost back when a ranger drove by in her golf-cart and offered us a lift, but by then the worst was past. Just as we got to the parking lot a loud clap of thunder went off, and Alki paniced. I’ve never seen her so happy to get back in the car – wet, muddy, and safe at last.