The best and most reasonable way to negotiate a rhododendron/laurel thicket along a creek is to walk in the creek. Barring that, we plunged into the thicket. They were smiling. I knew what was coming. Lovely creek, I'll have to say.
A variety of Indian Pipe, I think
Galax a bloomin'
Escargot on a stick?
Pitch Pine owing to the three needles per bundle and medium spikiness of the cone (extreme spikiness would be Table Mountain Pine but not found in this habitat)
New growth on a Big Leaf Rhodo is very pink and sticky.
Rats, I should know what it is but can't remember- covered the forest floor. Wintergreen?
Blue Spotted Salamander (1)
Slugous grossus
It's about the texture, man.
Matches my shoes, man. Somethin' is always tryin' to eat your lunch.
Spotted (Striped) Wintergreen, Chimaphila maculata in seed
Dwarf (?) Rattlesnake Plantain
I am determined to identify a species on these next three (2). Lichens come in many weird and fascinating forms.
Really, they do.
Even looking like some lettuce that I eat
A fern grove- He was at least a temporary fern lover, owing to the fact that he could stand upright and not be battered by bush branch and leaf for the first time in an hour.
All sunshine and openness for the present.
Pond Mtn Peak- Look carefully and you can see the word "POND".
Virginia Spiderwort, Tradescantia virginia- This was an amazingly tall, large-leafed specimen at about 3 feet tall with 1 1/2 foot leaves
Wet weather stream near the top of the ridge, obviously always moist
Early bloom
Flaming Azalea- I don't see much of that in these parts.
Mountain Laurel
Straight up fungus- Golden Waxy Cap (3)
Survival with a smile: The expected cruise back down the poorly maintenanced trail turned out not to be a cruise either. Hurricance Helene fell hundreds of trees along this ridgetop. Here we head down the ridge and things begin to lighten up abit. It was a fun but grueling adventure. As one of them said, "A memory made." These kinds of memories toughen and render appreciation and caution in the woods. I am thankful to have shared it with two accommodating brothers in Christ for the shared adventure and fellowship.
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