Sometimes all the signs are saying “this is not going to work out”, and sometimes they’re all wrong. This was one of those days.
I had wanted to photograph this spot at sunset since I first saw it, but things were just not really working out to make that happen. I was down to my last day in the area, and had other commitments through the day. I thought maybe I could make it out there once my commitments were over: I’d have enough time to drive out there, make the hike at a relaxed pace, and have a bit of time before sunset. But that’s where things started to go sideways.
Only one weather model indicated there was any chance of light, while all the other ones indicated that I was just going to get soaked with rain. Then my commitments went long, so the possibility of a relaxed hiking pace was gone. Then I started feeling sick, which was going to make the 12k of accelerated hiking less fun. But I was determined – I got in the car and went for it.
Immediate downpour, and I’m out of gas. Great. I tried to make a quick stop and pop back on the road, but it was rush hour with a healthy dose of construction. My stop wasn’t quick, and I debated just turning around – I was just about out of time. I decided to stick with it – my hard lesson of giving up too soon at Peggy’s Cove was echoing in my head. “We’ll just see what happens,” I said.
As I approached the trailhead, I could see the haze of rain at the point I was definitely going to get wet. “That’s it. I’m going for it.” I set a solid pace, and within minutes the rain got going. “Could this have been all for nothing?” I wondered.
As I got to the last kilometer of the hike, the sky started to warm and lighten up. “So you’re saying there’s a chance!” I started running! I got to the point just in time for the sun to break below the clouds, and this is what greeted me there. Sometimes you just have to give things a chance, even when the odds are against you!