#12:Wood's Mountain

The morning started out somewhat cool, or maybe it was just me again (I decided to wear shorts again, risk a few scratches for comfort!). The humidity was still very high, however.

After riding about 15 minutes with a couple other people, we arrived at our destination. A short climb, and we were on an old service road that the USFS used to use. I was under the impression it was still used for training some of the rangers, as we came across several fallen trees that had notches cut out of them with chainsaws, like someone had been practicing.

After almost walking into a spider web I went with a little more caution, and on a turn spotted this web off the beaten path. The light hit it *just right* for me to catch it. The resident spider was busily spinning, in waiting for its next meal.

This is apparently Wild Ginger. It's totally unrelated to the stuff you buy in the grocery store, but it can be used in much the same way.

I decided I liked the heart shaped leaves, and unlike the galax, wild ginger doesn't smell funny.  It was a little too late in the season for the flowers for it though. Those are a little hard to spot, as they're little brown things right down near the ground. Apparently they grow down at ground level so that the ants can reach it and pollinate it.

The patterns on the leaves remind me a little of butterflies, or maybe one of those inkblot-splotch kind of things, where you just think you see a butterfly. No telling how someone would interpret that kind of thing.

There were still many mushrooms poking out. All the rain in the previous weeks has been quite good for them, and they are all over the place. I found this one hiding under some rhododendron bushes.

It reminded me a bit of a sea creature that took a wrong turn somewhere (we're like 4+ hours from any beach here...)  like a sand dollar. Or some sort of strange jellyfish. It even had a hole in it, like someone had come along with a hole punch-CLICK!- and had marked it.

Or, it could have been almost like a giant's bead from a necklace. I almost wanted to pick it, and take it to the woodsy's "lost and found" and see if a wood creature claimed it.

Of course, it may of belonged to this fellow, hiding in the tree. You may have to zoom in to see him hiding in the bark up there. He's frowning a bit, I guess he didn't like us trimming his rhododendron out of the path.

But, it needed to be done.

I was a bit afraid to get closer for a better photograph, so I had to settle for one from the path. It's never a good idea to leave it, even for something as interesting as a face you may see.

I cut some things, and apologised to the troll in the tree, and moved on.

So...Many...Mushrooms! This one looked square and had a hole in it. It reminds me a bit of one of those old timey candle holders, with the ring on the side to hold it as you walk up the stairs to bed at night....

Perhaps the tree-troll was looking for his lost candlestick.

All in all, we managed a little over 3 miles or so today. There were a couple of places where things had grown up a bit, but it wasn't too bad.

In other news, the plan™ is starting to formulate in the back of my mind. There are lists to make (I have one already going, will probably have several more before the year is out) and things to do.

Something a little newer this week, something to maybe inspire you out there in badhairland to make your own lists and plans, and to go for it.



I am somehow dubious about Katy Perry dragging a parachute around the desert, but I liked the song.
Stay tuned!
Aye,
Kraneia