We were out on Highway 70 in Arizona and we were marveling at the clouds...they were gorgeous...
As we went on things began looking more and more ominous...
The direction we were headed took us right through Globe, AZ which is at 3,544 feet above sea level down the side of a mountain to Superior, AZ which is at 2,749 feet. It makes this drop through a series sharp guard-railed turns and 6 and 7% grades. Now, see, it's probably not that bad of a drive...when it's dry.
It should be said that there are two things that I am TRULY afraid of. One is high places. My legs go cold on good sized over passes. The other is driving at freeway speeds, when I don't KNOW where I am, in heavy rain.
It started raining a few minutes before we hit Globe proper...we saw the sign at 4:07 pm. By the time we hit Miami, AZ, 3,411 ft at 4:21 pm it was pouring...I mean waterfalls-coming-down-the-cuts-in-the-rock pouring...
By 4:24 we were PUSHING water.
There was a gray truck in front of me...he didn't have his lights on...and there was a point I couldn't see him at all...thankfully I could see the guard rail.
It was terrifying. We were praying aloud...specifically for the Lord to close the skies.
I'm not sure how long we drove in it...but by the time we saw the sign to Pinal County at 4:37 pm it had completely stopped raining. As in, He closed the skies.
We were in Superior, AZ by 4:49 pm...it hadn't been raining for awhile...
and by 4:54 pm we were all the way down...
It's weird. I'm not sure what to write. I know that writing this can in no way touch the emotion of that timeframe. I was still shaking an hour after we were down. I'm not sure I want to get back in the car even now.
I also know that there are a bunch of people who simply aren't afraid of heights or rain and so it doesn't seem a big deal.
Still, it was a big deal to us. And scary. And faith building.
He shut the skies for me.
See ya around...
(Pictures supplied by Beanie and log of places, elevations and times supplied by Grandma)
