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One December when we lived in Monterey, California, we drove from Monterey to Colorado to spend Christmas with our families.
On the way, we stopped at Disneyland and Tijuana, then the Grand Canyon.
We got to our campsite at the Grand Canyon quite late and set up our tent in the dark. And then we proceeded not to sleep for the next 3 or 4 hours. It was sooo cold. We hadn’t considered the elevation when we made plans and were just thinking “it’s Arizona- it’ll be warm.”
After several hours of freezing and not sleeping, we gave up, packed everything back into the car and huddled in the car for warmth while we waited for the sun to rise. As dawn approached we scoped out a couple view points, looking for the best spot to take pictures of the sunrise. We were soon joined by crowds of people. Even in December, the Grand Canyon is a destination.
We took some pictures, then resumed our trip to Colorado.
This experience showed us that we should always check the forecast, regardless of where or when we’re going. It’s easy to think the weather will be one way, skip checking the forecast, and pay the consequences. We’re usually pretty good about checking the forecast, though on occasion we do forget, and it’s never a good thing.
Like last spring when we forgot to check the weather before heading to Colorado for a quick trip for my brother’s wedding. We were totally unprepared for the April blizzard that dumped a lot of snow on us. No boots or heavy coats, just lightweight jackets and a credit card to scrape the snow and ice off the car. Our feet got wet and cold, but we survived 🙂
Has weather ever caught you unawares?
