#4: Little Table Rock

For the folks unfamiliar with western NC, Table Rock is a point overlooking Linville Gorge, in the Pisgah National Forest.  What you may not also realize, is there is a "Big" Table Rock, and a "Little" Table Rock, right behind it. Which is where I ended up Monday afternoon.

I shall forthwith call thee Gary II.

My camera was acting up somewhat, as I had obviously forgot to feed it fresh batteries before I left. but I got a couple good ones.

I met another snail friend. This fellow was even bigger than the last one I saw.  He wasn't terribly impressed at my picking him up off the trail. But I felt it was for the best, with all the trimming and digging we were doing.

I picked him up and he slewed his little head round at me as if to say "really?"  I guess he was afraid I was out for escargot. Fortunately I was not. I set him on the other side of the trail, and he happily went on his snail-y way.

Almost imagine a troll in there somewhere. 

The trail came up to a junction that was obviously used as a camp site, and then turned and went steeply uphill for a quarter mile or so. A couple of hairpin-turns later, and you come to this. You have to scramble up and over various stony obstacles to get through, and you have to really watch where you put your feet.

The stuff growing in the foreground is called Galax. It smells really strange, almost skunky, and the white flower spikes are apparently popular in flower arrangements (although I have yet to see a flower arrangement with these in it). I was told you can get a permit to harvest them here in the park.

About 45 minutes later, we were up on the top, and it was time for lunch.  I had managed to turn my ankle (starting to wonder if I need a brace on my left one, it's always that one that turns) and smooshed my pinky between the bypass loppers and a rock (ow.)

However, I think the view was worth the boo-boo.

Holy Crap. 

Aye,

Kraneia