Week One Observations: 3/19-25

Day one: The approach trail was covered and lined by pieces of granite, all sizes and colors. It was so beautiful I kept staring at my feet instead of looking up. Day four: Blood Mountain was so beautiful! Huge slabs of rock and huge views! I wouldn't mind living at the top of a place like that! Day Six: You can tell if the trail you are on is a popular one due to hiker tracks - the earth on both sides of the trail is extremely aerated due to hiking poles. Last night, the top layer of soil must have frozen after the water in the dirt did, because there were tiny icicles that had been squeezed out of the dirt. At first I thought they were tiny sprouts of plants, but as you looked closer you could see these one-to-two inch "sprouts" actually looked like clumps of hair, polar bear hair really, since they were so thin and clear.