Ranch in Rain
“I hope that the rain will never stop. If it continues, then I can stay here forever.”
19 June 2024 Boulder Valley Ranch A cool summer day, low 70s with patches of rain, patches of purple crownvetch, patches of prairie, patches of sunlight. Then a stampede of cyclists clattered past, helpfully ringing their bells and calling “on your left.” Their cacophony of conversation had been audible several minutes before their passing, and thus S and D had already stepped well to the right.
The cyclists even called out thank you! What is the world coming to? An actual moment of civility under the patchy gray sky.
Even a passing jogger said hello. And the prairie dogs beeped cheerfully! And some birds chirped, and the cottonwoods emitted their cotton, and the flowers bloomed, and there was a tiny little snake (but not a rattlesnake), and it just S’d its way into the grass and vanished. And the wind blew and rain came down, but it was ok because there was a windmill, and because our intrepid explorers had umbrellas and hats and reasonably good moods.
At least until the end of the trail, where they encountered a locked gate. Locked! Who locks a gate these days? In this era of chirping birds and civilized cyclists? Nobody, that’s who.
Well, somebody didn’t get the memo.
Not to worry: our fearless adventurers simply parkoured over it.
Ok no. Perhaps they could build a quick trebuchet and sail over? Hmm, that would only work once. Maybe a stile? I mean, why not a stile?
Well, eventually they gave up searching for alternatives and did it the old fashioned way: by clambering over. Not without an assortment of old-man snorts and grunts, mind you; and I’m quite sure you’d expect no less, dear Reader, than a chorus of guttural snorts, the likes of which are usually reserved for harridans and poodles and people glued to their cell phones, but you know how it is: any opportunity to grunt or snort derisively these days is welcome. It’s a tradition, after all, issuing derisive grunts; yes let’s call it that, a tradition upheld.
So over the gate they went, plopped onto the road on the other side, then two steps to the parking lot, and another successful BNO.
Huzzah!