The Waterville Valley in New Hampshire, already sodden beyond capacity, was treated to yet another full night of heavy rain. Comfortable enough when you're in secure, cozy quarters, which we most certainly were. It was cool enough that the windows were closed tight to the rain. Cool enough in fact, to use the electrical baseboard heaters for ambient heat to feel really comfortable.

We awoke to heavily overcast conditions, but that was expected. We hoped the rain would hold off for long enough to enable us to exercise our lazy bodies, having opted to traipse about by car rather than clamber mountain trails yesterday. We decided we'd drive over to the Winnipesauke Lakes area and climb the Rattlesnake. Not much of a physical challenge for most able-bodied young people, but it represents an endurance-reasonable haul for me.

The drive there, as always, was a pleasant one. Passing architecturally beautiful, gracious old 18th- and 19th-Century homes maintained with pride is always an especial treat. Particularly with mountains looming high in the background, along the highways.

There was an unusual absence of vehicles in the parking lot when we finally arrived at the trailhead. Unsurprising given both the weather and the fact it was a week-day and school was not yet out for the season. Even in the parking lot, blackflies made their pestiferous presence known, inclining us to the use of an insecticidal skin lotion, something we'd much rather not use, even at the low dosage of the product we had with us.

The climb isn't the most exciting, not by any measure, nor the most attractive, but it does have its share of micro-scenic areas, and some venerable old oaks and hemlock grow there as well. No wildlife to be seen anywhere, a puzzling anomaly in the entire area where we seldom see creatures of the forest. If we were with our youngest son he would show us things like toads and salamanders that we aren't capable of sighting on our own.

Riley was resolutely determined to do the climb on his own, indicating to us he had no interest whatever in being carried at any point in the upward journey. We saw a few young people descending, exchanging a few brief words of greeting in the process; many people are taken with the presence of a little dog in such surroundings.

Before we reached the summit we veered off a few yards short of it to climb to a lookout that is blessed with far more spectacular views than the summit itself, overlooking Little Winnepesaukee. And we took quite a few photos there, before going on toward the top of Rattlesnake, which we discovered, as we imagined, to be bare of the presence of others.

Apart from a few lethargic drizzles, no downpours occurred, for which we were grateful.  The descent was leisurely and seemed surprisingly swift.  Oddly enough when we did arrive back at the parking lot the skies opened up, and we drove away from the site in a reasonable enough facsimile of a downpour.