Okay, part 1 was mostly about the previous day, this entry will be about today.
Hiked up Mount Albert - very steep! Met up with a trail maintenance crew, very odd sight. First they stripped the bark from the tree, (they didn't see me coming and almost threw a 30-ft section of bark on me!) and then they cut it down to make the steps in steep areas. And we did not lack for those on the way up Mt. Albert.
The view from the summit was definitely something to behold. The hillside is punctuated by peaks and valleys and everything is green. Very few roads seem to occur in this reach of NC; only every now and then do you catch glimpses of farms or roadways. A view like this is why people climb mountains. Had lunch (second breakfast) with Dan and Stephan at the summit and met a cool Aussie named Dave. He had all this great dehydrated organic fruit and vegetables from a farm in Maine. He shared some kickin' tomatoes with us but wouldn't part with any blueberries. Don't blame him, either.
Below the summit on the other side were more rhodee forests and tunnels - they make a nice archway over the trail - and in another stretch the forest floor was bathed in sunlight and draped in mayapple and white trillium. Sights like these are breathtaking and make you glad to be outside.
finding rainbow springs
financial opportunities vs trail magic
hoot owl calling outside the yurt
passing the 100-mile mark
3 showers in 100 miles
ginger and mercury return