Bob Stratton Bald Dayhike, August 3, 2013
What a day this turned out to be! It remained cool and cloudy with no rain all day. On the trail up the mountain we encountered Jewelweed, Bee Balm, Oswego Tea, and phlox maculate. This was a little advance to whet our appetite for the show at the top of the mountain. And what a show it was! Vast fields of pink Phlox paniculata, three feet high, stretching in every direction interspersed with stands of Lillium Superbum aka Turk’s Cap Lily, five to six feet tall. We had lunch among the flowers and everyone wandered around the bald taking many pictures of the flowers and the view. Joining us for lunch was the irrepressible TeePee, known to all hikers who frequent the Cherokee. Participants on this trip were Donald and Madelaine Box, Kendra Cross, Boe Rudder Monty Simmons, Udo and Kelly Licht, and Bob Butterfield with 2 guests. Reported by hike leader Betty Petty.
|
DAYHIKE:A sub-tropical rain forest in the Citico Creek / Joyce Kilmer Wildernesses? That is what this group of people from the hiking club discovered on a recent hike to the area, after all the rain we have had this year. These trails are typically overgrown, but this year it was an experience even seeing the trail beneath your feet, especially between Bob Bald and the Hangover. We were walking through shoulder high branches hanging over the trail most of the way to the Hangover. If separated by more than a few feet from each other, you lost the person in front of you! It didn’t matter if you had long pants on as most of us did, because it was the arms and upper body that was quite scratched by the time the hike was over. The adventure through this rain forest was well worth it though, as we enjoyed phlox and turk’s cap lily like never before seen by any of us. We expected some phlox this time of year, but it was thigh high and ALL through the meadow of Bob Bald! It has such a delicate fragrance. This hike was made up of a shorter option to the bald and a longer choice to the Hangover. Wayne, Faye, Melvin, and Raleigh turned around after lunch together amid the phlox, while Spears, Ralph, Donald, Wendy and Susan forged on to The Hangover. As if today didn’t already hold some surprises, we were really in for it when we reached the Hangover! After three tough miles from the bald, we had seated ourselves on the rock outcropping to snack and enjoy the view. When out of the corner of my eye, what did I see? Surely, I was delusional from the hot day and the constant pushing away of branches, while trying not to fall on the fall on the rocks you couldn’t see that made up most of the trail. But I found myself saying, “Spears, I think there is a peacock standing behind you!” And sure enough, out from the laurel walks this huge peacock! He was most interested in joining us for a snack. We couldn’t help but wonder how he got there! He had to have wandered up from a farm…but to over 5000 ft. elevation? We were quite intrigued and took several pictures, as he calmly walked among us and begged food off us! This hike was a demanding workout after 13 miles of rugged and overgrown trails, but we thoroughly enjoyed our adventurous day complete with an unforgettable meadow full of phlox AND a unique bird sighting! On our return trip, we came across Betty and her backpacking group that were spending the night on the bald! This particular hike had offered three different options for CHC hikers! Those that joined in today had an interesting experience, that is for sure. Susan Faidley, reporting.
