Rant: A Diamond in the Rain

Thanks to our unpredictable weather, it’s wise to bring sunscreen, water, a raincoat, blanket, gloves, and a towel to a Colorado Rockies game—just in case. Early in this (young) 2013 season, it was the snow that kept the diamond at Coors Field covered by a tarp. Recently, intermittent rain showers have turned a few games into a six- or seven-hour affair. I can’t control the weather, but sticking it out at the field for more than an hour in the cold, wet rain, well, stinks. But, I’ll throw on a poncho, grab some hot chocolate, and wait. In the glass-half-full corner, I always try to remember that at least I’m at a baseball game. Plus, the state needs the moisture (see below).

Rave: Soaking the State

I’m willing to wait out rain delays at Rockies games because donning a yellow plastic rain deflector is a miniscule task compared to the tragedy that would likely face many of our neighbors during wild fire season if we trade in all of our rain-soaked days for sunny ones. After one of the most destructive fire seasons in Colorado history—including the Lower North Fork, Waldo Canyon, and High Park fires, just to name a few—any storm pattern will help provide relief from the state’s drought. (Read my Q&A with Colorado Springs Battalion Chief Jim Schanel about his experience with the Waldo Canyon Fire to learn more.) As our neighbors to the west recover, our neighbors to the east know that any water headed their way means possibly salvaging a crop and surviving off the land for another year. So, even though this week’s forecast is clear skies, let it rain!

—Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Follow editorial assistant Lindsey R. McKissick on Twitter at @LindseyRMcK.