Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Glutton for punishment, now with company

No bears this time. Just lots of wet and cold.

Jacob and I went for an overnighter on the Benton Mackaye Trail in north Georgia yesterday. From the time we left our cars to sometime during the night, it rained constantly. This was fine, if a little annoying, when we were hiking, but really sucked when it came time to set up camp and cook some dinner. It didn't help that it was just above freezing at the time.

Also, Jacob didn't bring any gloves, so I gave him my extra pair. Problem was, I gave him the warmer ones.

He brought a couple beers along, not to mention the tent, so I guess that makes up for it.

The night was damp and cold, we woke up to find our boots frozen stiff, but at least the new day was dry and sunny, if still a little windy.

Yet another trip to make me appreciate my warm, dry bed.


Jacob breaking camp this morning. Note the toasty-looking mittens.

Hiking into the warmth of the sun.

Long Creek Falls, almost home.

In lieu of flowers, I give you the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, evidenced by the tiny white things at the base of the needles. I had mentioned to Jacob how it was good to see so many apparently healthy hemlock trees in the area, as opposed to the Smokies, where they are being killed wholesale by this non-native invasive pest, and then we took a closer look. It was on every hemlock we saw. So sad.

10 comments:

A Free Man said...

I suspect it's bad karma for the genus Tsuga, cosmic justice for killing Socrates.

Although, Wikipedia has just informed me that the Socratic hemlock is a different plant. Confused karma?

Beej said...

Glad to see the bears didn't eat you!

shelleycoughlin said...

Good job hiding from the bears!

Jacob said...

Yeah, those mittens rocked. I would have taken the black ones you wore, but I just took the ones you offered.

And all of your pictures make us look to be liars. Everything looks so bright and sunny.

Anonymous said...

The hemlock situation makes me really sad.

Noelle said...

Damn pests, always making me worry about some thing or another.

Oh, and for the record, I appreciate my warm bed, and I don't feel the need to put on frozen boots to do it. But that's just the way I roll.

Courtney said...

What, you didn't take any pictures of yourselves in the freezing rain?

Julie said...

It's true, your photos make you look like a liar. Are you and Jacob liars?

Julie said...

It's true, your photos make you look like a liar. Are you and Jacob liars?

The Modern Gal said...

Woolly bully.