Security Guard of the Gods

Hiked up into the foothills this morning. It's been so hot and humid lately I wanted to get an early start. I actually climbed high enough to get rained on: a brief splatter of fat drops. On my way back down, I saw a rainbow. Rounding a switchback, I saw two more, all flowing out of the same huge cloud. As the gold, yellow, and green of the first rainbow faded, I saw a violet band at the bottom.


I was reminded of Norse mythology and the Bifrost Bridge. Made of rainbow, the bridge connected Midgard, the realm of Man, with Asgard, the realm of the gods. Since evil giants could use Bifrost to attack Asgard, the bridge was guarded by Heimdall, the watchman of the gods. I image Heimdall with a large key ring and a half-pint of bourbon in his lunch box. He often calls in sick, particularly on payday weekends.

In any case, quite a colorful sight in the hills above the Jet Propulsion Labs.