#killarneypp

I suppose it's better to be safe than sorry. Giving yourself a lot of extra time wait out whatever weather might happen is the most productive thing you can do. And obviously you want to bring the right gear and be prepared for the worse, just in case. Better to bring it and not need it than want for it. I often have to remind myself of that when I'm carrying all that extra bad-weather gear over a portage on a beautiful hot day. Rain gear, for example, is scientifically proven to be much heavier when exposed to the sun. 

But what's worse, tragic really, is when we see that bad weather forecast and thoughts of staying home creep into our heads. I'll fully admit that it happens to me. "Do I really want to deal with all that [insert troublesome weather]?"

Don't let that happen. (Well, maybe for the extreme stuff, like tornadoes or volcanic eruptions and such.)

Some really interesting stuff happens, even if the bad weather does come. (Again, as long as you're ready for it.) The first thing you'll realize is that you'll often have the place to yourself. Then you'll discover new interesting aspects of being outdoors. With rain often comes moody fog, sometimes fantastic light shows in the sky, but definitely some great colours before and after the rain comes. At least you can enjoy the red-in-the-morning before the sailor-take-warning. 

When it's cold, especially with some wetness, it can make things really inconvenient. But then again, with a couple of layers, a nice warm fire, it's like a power-up to experiencing a warm cup of coffee. 

And then there's the stories. Sure you might get a little wet or a little cold or muddy or whatever, but when was the last time you didn't come back with a great memory to share under those conditions?

When I need to convince myself I should take that trip even though the weather might be bad, I think of all those things put together. With cold keeping all the people away, the rain bringing cool fog and enhancing the lighting, the possible colour shows in the sky, I just know I'm going to come home with some great photos. 

Once I think of the photos (like this one) and the stories I might come home with, I don't entertain those thoughts of staying home for one more second.