Be Careful Hiking!

You have to be careful when you are hiking.  There are so many hazards looking to get you.  On top of those hazards, if you don't prepare you could make things much worse on yourself.  I always try to minimize the risks when I am on the trail.

Sometimes I seem to take the hazard with me.  Sometimes it's just more fun that way.

You would think he would have seen that GIANT root hanging out above the trail.  You would also think he wouldn't stick his ankle in there.  You would think!

Then again, who would have thought I would have ended up down here, off the trail on my back. . .

. . . but I did. Last words while squished in between tree roots, "I think something is crawling on my butt!"

Not long after I climbed out and checked myself for bugs and critters we caught a panoramic view of the valley below.

When we left the house, there was dense fog, but as we drove to the top of the mountain for the trail head, we found ourselves, high above the clouds.  There were a few areas that offered amazing views like I have never seen before.  It was like being in an airplane.  Dense clouds below us as far as the eye could see.  In some area, mountains poked out above the clouds.  There were ripples throughout the horizon.  It was like looking at an ocean, but this ocean didn't move.  Above our heads was a thin layer of clouds blocking the sun.  We were in this band of clear air and we just stood and watched it for a while.

The view seemed to sober up our crazy antics on the trail but just long enough until we got back to the car!