Initially it was so humid I was using my sweat rag about every 10 yds or so, but after about 30 minutes I either acclimated, ran out of bodily fluids to sweat, or the humidity dropped. That was nice, because I hate sweat dripping off my face.
At the top on the SE side of the upper there was a little drying pool, now mostly mud. As I stood looking to see whether or not I would be fretting over taddies running out of room I saw something wonderful: dozens of the itty-bittiest toadlets I have ever seen. Eddie and I had to step carefully to avoid walking on them. Now I remember why I couldn't stop taking pics of them last spring and summer. Every time I see them I think these are the cutest ones ever and I must have a photo. I didn't take my camera today, so they're just a memory.
A tiny cutie from last June.
For the most part the usual puddle places were small and drying, making all parts of the trail easily navigible... navigable... navigatable? I should have worn my boots that I don't like to get muddy. Between the 2 lakes on the left there are luscious acres and acres of blackberries that are useless to me because they are intertwined with horrible brambles. Any plant with thorns that reaches out, takes hold and spreads it ugly self around I call brambles. Blackberry thorns are big and bad enough, but couple them with brambles and forget it.
There were still some flowers on the canes just past the 2nd lake, and maybe my sister-in-law, who is coming this weekend, will decide if there are enough to pick and make a flower essence with. She's on the road to becoming an Herbalist, and she said she'd bring some of her stuff in case we find anything useful. Cool.
We encountered one hiker w/ backpack while return on the tadpole. That's a bit unusual; I usually don't see any hikers or bikers on that route because that route is HELLACIOUS in the sun. Anyway, he complimented Eddie as we passed.
On our descent we took the west side of the blue and there was a horse and rider coming through the low brushy area that was cleared by PSO last fall. Eddie spied them and he stood on alert on a woodsy side trail until they turned and headed north through the woods. After the big cut vine and before joining with the main trail I found another box turtle! I picked her up for ID purposes, and saw she had pretty orange on her face and cheery yellow on her forelegs. She looked about 13-16 yrs old, much like the young man I found recently on the top near the meadow. I set her back down and waited for her to come out and get away from us but she just stayed hunkered down. I'm used to turtles who aren't a bit afraid of people, but of course they're used to me.
Total hike 1hr, 20 min.
I had tossed some mealworms and beetles into the compound just before leaving for the hike (the "regulars" were hanging around there - Mark, Blocky, and Rehab) and looked in on them when I returned home. Rehab was out past bedtime still routing/rutting around for them.
It was dusk out and the pic I took with the flash filled in the shadows too much, so I opted for no flash and longer shutter speed, therefore a bit blurry. But at least you can see her row of rutting in front, and she's starting a 2nd row.
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