Shannon wrote a great Happy Hiker’s Go to List and I thought I’d piggyback off of it and share with you a tail about WEATHER and how fear inspires self preservation.
Weather, it seems so simple. We wake up, we check our weather app, we plan our day. At least, that’s what I do! I am especially checking for thunder storms on the day I plan on being out in the woods. Specifically, I check to see what time the storms will be appearing on the horizon. Three pm, cool, I’ll be done by three pm. That’s my plan. (So Shannon is the planner when it comes to hikes, so do what Shannon does, not me!)
I don’t mind rain so much, after all, I have my rain poncho that goes over my pack to keep it nice and dry and I have one for me too. It’s the thunderstorms and the lightening that we worry about. Ok, Shannon worries. I never really worried about them until the day that I was caught in one while on a local trail.
A Beautiful, Sunny Start
I was at Beaver Dams in Gloucester, VA hiking the all purpose trail starting from the Farys Mill Road Entrance. Essentially, the back end, where there are less people in general. The trail is a total of 9 miles from end to end. I had hiked in from both ends, but had never hit the middle yet, so I was excited to see that section of the trail.
I was training for a long backpacking trip and my overnight pack was loaded up to mimic the weight I’d later be carrying. I had checked my handy dandy weather app and it said storms around 2:30 pm. My goal was to hike about 7 miles, out and back, before that time. No biggie. I parked the car, slugged my pack over my shoulders, and set off, as usual, one foot at a time.
The sun was shining, there was a slight breeze that I used to cool off the arm pits as I walked and I saw not one single person. It was perfect. I hit the 3.5 mile marker, was feeling loose, limber and energized, so I thought what the heck! I’ll push through to 4, turn around and head back and I will get in an 8 mile hike today!
That is when I felt the first rain drop. I glanced at the sky and noticed clouds starting to gather. According to the weather app and the clock, I had at least another hour before it actually was due to storm. So I pressed on. After all, I was just going to do another quick half a mile and then book it back to the car.
Fight, Flight or Freeze
What a mistake! Thunder boomed over my head and lightening quickly followed. I didn’t freak out at first. I just made a quick decision to turn back around and head back out as quickly as I can. As soon as I flipped around to backtrack it out of there, the sky let loose. Literally, the thunder rolled and lightning struck! (Garth Brooks anyone?)
My heart sped up, adrenaline coursed through my veins, and my freeze response hit. The phrase fight, flight or freeze is a real thing and when faced with real danger, your body and mind will automatically respond. Everyone has an unique response to fear, even though it will fall into one of those categories. Mine is FREEZE. I stood in the middle of the trail, petrified and frozen in place. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t breath. Another boom of thunder and crack of lightning. I screamed. This is how fear inspires self preservation, I realized later!
The lightening kept coming, loud cracks echoed all around me. I swear it was hitting trees right next to me. I thought at any minute I’d be struck. I remembered a story my parents used to tell me about a man in Norwich, NY many times over and survived. Would I be so lucky?
Shelter from the Storm
I highly doubted it! Think, Felice! What has Shannon told you about storms? I gritted my teeth and looked through the pouring rain. Were there any large rocks or downed trees i could scramble under? Not that I could see.. nothing that said “safety is here.” Then I remembered I had seen a house not that far away. Thats when I willed my feet to move and I clumsily ran, my gear smacking my back and legs with every step. Frantically, I scanned the right side of the trail, searching for the house that would give me some shelter.
Finally I spotted it, about 200 yards off the trail. I ditched the trail, half crying, in total panic and ducked under their back porch. Praying that the storm would pass quickly before anyone came home because who wants to find a crazy, panicked woman under their porch in full hiking gear with a red poncho thrown over it all? Or maybe someone was home and they’d call the police or run me off with a shotgun.
Neither of those things happened. I know I texted Shannon a picture and I have searched and searched for it and haven’t found it yet. Otherwise, I would definitely share here.
My Take Aways
Thankfully, the storm did pass, and other than being a bit traumatized, I survived. I do have a healthier respect for weather, lightning especially, which Shannon appreciates as we continue our hiking adventures. I also have more understanding on my own, unique fear response, which has given me insights into how i respond to various situations and how fear inspires self preservation.
My advice? Take weather seriously and plan ahead and think on your feet because sometimes, even good plans fall through!
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