Afternoon Thunderstorms

 Last Friday Gary, Jaycee and I decided to go on a ride.  We borrowed Jon's wheeler so we all three had one to ride.  It was a great day for an outdoor adventure....and what an adventure it turned out to be.  We went up Spanish Fork Canyon to Starvation and rode down to Scofield Lake.

 I  love the views and the ride.  There are some switchbacks that are fun to go down,

 We stopped for a minute and this chipmunk poked his head out and watched us.  I think he was as curious about us as we were about him.  

 The lake was really pretty  I loved getting pictures of the mountains and clouds in the reflection of the water.

 We got out our binoculars and were looking at the birds.  Jaycee just got a nice new camera.  It took better pictures than the view through the binoculars.  I'm thinking I need to save up for a camera like that one day.

 We thought the black birds might be cranes and the white ones pelicans.  I should research it on Google.  Whatever they were it was fun to watch them.

 Jaycee kept trying to get a picture of the fish jumping.  

 While we were bird watching and having a snack some nasty, dark clouds rolled in.  We decided it was time to head back to the truck.  We got to the part of the mountain with the switchbacks and it was raining with lightening/thunder.  We didn't dare head up them and chance getting struck by lightening.

 So we turned around and went back to the lake.  The storm was worse there so we turned around again and headed back to the mountains.  The storm was soooo bad.  It was really scary...the kind of mountain thunderstorm where the lightening is so close to you and the thunder loud and rumbling all around you.

 We parked the machines and decided to hide in this drainage pipe or whatever you call it.  Jaycee had taken  a picture of it earlier because she thought it looked cool.  There was room to stand up in it.  I wish we would have taken a camera with us.  Some birds had built mud nests on the top of the pipe.  We stood there freezing cold and wet watching the rain come down and the thunder flashing.  It was so loud and scary.  I was really scared....but so glad we found somewhere to ride out the storm.

 When it cleared up some we got on the machines and rode back up the mountain.  It was raining still and it hurt your skin when the drops hit you.  I could hear thunder still but tried not to think about it and just ride as fast as I could.  I think Gary was the brave one and Jaycee and I were the chickens.  When we got up to the top and headed to the little canyon you go down to the truck the thunderstorm had moved over to it, so we turned around and went back up the road a bit and waiting for the storm to pass.....AGAIN.  We really need to  check the weather next time we decide to go for a ride!