Storm Wrack

Storm wrack over the Great Valley, as seen from Harvey's Knob Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway

Tuesday, September 18, 2012:

The above photo is the most quintessential shot of 'storm wrack' cloud I've ever seen.  The term was first brought to my attention in J.R.R. Tolkein's elegant writing style with this quote from The Two Towers, Book III, Chapter 7:

 "The clouds were torn and drifting, and stars peeped out; and above the hills of the Coomb-side the westering moon rode, glimmering yellow in the storm-wrack."

Too bad this little-used term has been recently (2005) turned into a cheap commercial term in the Dungeons and Dragons role playing game.  It's a far more elegant descriptive term - I hate to see it ruined like that.

In any case - storms laid to wrack and ruin my hike plans today.  I probably could have hiked ... there were breaks between bouts of heavy rain, especially after 3PM.  But I decided to wait for the great weather that is expected tomorrow and in coming days.  This storm accompanies a strong cold front that promises to bring some bright clear weather.

So today I stoked up on calories at the Country Cookin breakfast buffet in Daleville, more than caught up on sleep and rest, and just goofed around on the internet a little.  In all a day of recharging the batteries.