Rained Out In February

The forecast called for rain beginning Thursday and lasting through the weekend. California was in the midst of the worst drought in decades and I took the forecast with little more than glimmer of consideration. Trevor, Maddie, Chelsea and I caravanned up from Santa Barbara to Big Sur on Wednesday morning. The weather was stereotypical of Central California; mid sixties and the typical north wind. The stars shined bright and uninhibited by clouds as we circled the wagons a few hours after dark. Light tapping started on the aluminum roof of my camper late Wednesday night and by morning, the dishes from the night before were over flowing with the first rain the area had seen in months.

With the exception of few hour long breaks in the storm, it rained sideways for the next 72 hours. Searching for shelter, we parked in the lee of trees and under the cover of red woods. Instead of hiking around the hills and surfing point breaks, we hunkered down in our campers and schemed plans for spring and summer.