Well, after six days on the trail, I and everything I’m wearing smell like Buster after he’s rolled around in the grass on a rainy day. It’s pretty disgusting.
Since today’s hike was short and sweet with very few big vistas, I snapped several pictures of the flowers that decorate the mountains. Spring is such an amazing time to be in this part of the country. I have always been an abysmal gardener, but that doesn't stop me from appreciating the wild beauty of flowers like these.
This one has the unfortunate name of spider wort, which in my mind detracts quite a bit from its splendor. I think it deserves a much daintier name, don’t you?
This is my favorite: mountain laurel. These grow on trees and their blooms drop to the ground in early June; in fact, many trees this week had already lost all their flowers, and some parts of the trail were covered in white because of it. It felt wrong to walk on something so exquisite. The blooms are so lovely and delicate, they look like they belong on a wedding cake. Even the underside of each flower is intricate and perfect.
Here’s something called a flame azalea, also known as rhododendron. They come in other colors too, but the orange ones were really plentiful this week. In some spots, these bushes surround the trail on the left and right, with their branches having grown together about 10 feet above you, forming a sort of tunnel to walk through.
This one’s a firepink. Aren’t those petals cool? I love their shape.I’m a little embarrassed to say that when I finally neared Sams Gap, where the A.T. intersects with a paved interstate at a trailhead parking area, I actually let out a primitive little whoop when I saw my car. I don’t think I’ve ever thought of that rusty little Altima as beautiful until today. I love the trail, but I also love leaving it after this many days. So I said goodbye to the A.T. till probably this fall.
As of today, I have 314.4 miles down, 1,855.6 to go!
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