While waiting for my hiking partner, I noticed the most uncommon, common Queen Anne's Lace at road's margin. That such a common weed can be so beautiful reminds me of what Jesus said: "And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!" (Matthew 6:28-30)
The Appalachian Trail crosses the road through Low Gap above Shady Valley. I told my hiking partner that the common name, Low Gap, meant that we had a climb up to the ridge. It was a much milder climb than I anticipated.
I had expected some kind of view, hopefully of the lake below the ridge. The only one that we got was from a small field part way up the ridge. The mountains are on the east side of Shady Valley, TN. Someone keeps this totally isolated field cleared. Is it private property with an AT crossing agreement?
It has been neither exceptionally wet nor overly dry, but the ferns and other herbaceous plants appeared well watered. Perhaps the combination of shade and groundwater flow sustains them in the summer heat.
White Bee Balm is not as common in the woods. It is also curious to me that the blooms do not cover the crest of the bloom pod. Is that because they have already bloomed and fell off, or is it just a how they bloom?
Trillium gone to seed appeared all around. Though a ridgetop, the soil seemed fertile and moist. The lighting in the picture with filtered sunlight looks almost artificial.
This section of trail is actually not as open as the majority of the trail. You can see the smooth, gentle slope though.
Tiger Lily punctuated the green ubiquity.
Am I biased concerning what represents open woods by having been in so much dense underbrush? It did seem like no deer could easily hide in this woods.
I wonder how well this stile would be for any livestock that really wanted to get into the woods. I guess there isn't much drawing them there with shade along the fields' margins.
It didn't slow us down.
The woods here look more like what I remember the majority of it looking like, open with medium-sized trees.
The field must have been 1/4 mile long.
We are told that the weeks long poor visibility may be blamed on forest fires in Canada. So much for reducing carbon footprint.
We had a good 6 1/2 miles, mostly shaded in the woods. The sun was quite intense in the field, but the breeze prevented a miserable traverse. The open field and distant mountains looked so expansive.
We had only seen one hiker up to this point. Another one appeared on the horizon, looking like a through hiker* with the seemingly large pack. When we got close, the hiker says, "Hello stranger." They were my son and granddaughter. her shade canopy was what looked like a large pack far off. My son said that he was trying to call me but was seeking cell phone reception. Face-to-face is better anyway. What a pleasant surprise.
At trail's end he ferried me back to my car and we went to my house where we talked and Mamaw held her granddaughter.
I told my son that I couldn't see his face because of his cap bill. He replied that it was OK since he was an extra. I will assure you that daddies and sons are not extras, despite what some parts of society want you to believe. Sons and daughters need their daddies always and desperately in these crazy circumstances.
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