Happy Summer

I have a thing about waking up early. To keep myself in bed after I wake up is an undertaking. This morning I planned to hike our highest local peak to celebrate the solstice with Kona. When my eyes flew open at the crack of 4:40AM, my body protested. It wasn't a day for a summit run. I willed myself back to sleep for another 40 minutes and then headed to our ridge to greet Summer.

Had we been at on our high-altitude trail, I'm sure our morning would have felt more like Summer. Being much closer to sea level, we trotted through June Gloom instead of sunshine.
Overcast and misty mornings are normal during the Summer along much of the West Coast as thick marine layers push inland. Here in Southern California, overcast mornings typically arrive in May and June. We sun addicted Southlanders fondly refer to this foggy weather pattern as May Grey and June Gloom.
So while our morning hike felt particularly June, it didn't feel particularly Summer.

And I'm not about to complain about that. It won't be long before morning rays make the Summer air thick and hard to run through. I welcome overcast skies this time of year, though I'm always amazed how hot I can feel when the air is filled with mist and the sun is out of sight. 60 degrees is plenty warm to work up a sweat on our steep hills and with 150% humidity, sweat does nothing to cool you off. It wasn't long before I was wet from both the outside in and the inside out.

In the sticky morning, Kona and I took it easy. Kona tried her best to follow scents she picked up in the breeze, though I wouldn't let her wade into the foxtail-ridden grass.
Before heading home, we practiced some recalls. Kona sprinted through the mist.
Thoroughly sweaty without help from the sun, I jogged the final stretch to the car with Kona panting as she trotted by my side. And with that, we finished our first outing of the Summer.