I was up on the mountain with Vernon and the clouds started rolling in… We were behind a cliff wall and couldn’t see the oncoming storm, but Vernon decided he needed to get his trailer off in good time, so we left our work. I was in the side by side and I gave him a ride to his pickup. Recently, Vernon had removed the driver’s door on the sxs since he was fixing fence and spent so much time getting in and out. He wished me good luck on the trip home and hoped I wouldn’t get too wet.
I was sure the clouds were headed south and I wasn’t too worried.
Within a half mile, it began to rain and lightning sparked.
I turned on my video and captured a bit. The pelting rain had turned to hail and between the mud splattered windshield and the intense storm, I couldn’t see to drive.
That’s hail hitting the muddy road.
I was soaked. Hail had hit me in the hand and my lip burned from a hailstone. I had my hoodie up, one of Vernon’s jacket across my lap, and my hat crammed down at an angle to fend off the stones. They HURT! I stopped next to a corral, thinking Vernon wouldn’t be able to make it up the hill, and I would have to go back to find him. I parked with my three walled sxs at the angle that protected us the most… Bravo and Indy were not impressed with the leaky cab. At one point, their fur was covered in hailstones!
She looks miserable, doesn’t she?
I heard a diesel engine roaring closer and out of the grey comes Vernon. He did make it to the top of the hill! He hadn’t seen me, concentrating on his driving like he was. I started us my sxs and drove beside. Shocked, he stopped and I ran for the protection of the pickup. Bravo beat me to it and jumped in the pickup as I opened the door. Indy doesn’t jump and had to stay in the protection of the sxs. Now soggy and cold, I relished in the security from lightning and hail. We sat at the top of the mountain for another twenty minutes, witnesses to Mother Nature’s tantrum.
The storm was mainly over, and I returned to the sxs, wrapped a towel around my soggy jeans and headed downhill. It wasn’t far before I noticed how washed the road now was… and the mini drifts of hail along the road.
The storm had moved south, but was still impressive.
Thinking of our fresh cut hay, I wondered what condition it was in. The farther down I drove, the drier it became. Our storm was confined to the mountaintop, and the hay was fine. My little adventure was over, just as soon as I could change my wet clothes! I took one last look as I turned towards home, impressive in so many ways!
That was some storm. Glad you and your dogs were ok, if somewhat wet, after being attacked by hailstones.
Nothing is more frightening than lightning when you’re on the top of a mountain. How long did it take the dogs to dry?
Wow, what an adventure! Getting hit by hail is no fun. Good to see your stories back in my feed because for some reason they disappeared for quite some time. Anyway, glad the hay was ok and everyone made it through!
Good story and love the pictures! So glad hay was dry.
Scary for sure. Glad you made it back okay and that the hay was not damaged. Wyoming weather is always changing!
So glad everything turned out OK for you both, the doggies, and the hay. Just imagine how very different this would have been for James, back in the day of his stories.
What an adventure!
Wow!