Hike Our Planet - @HikeOurPlanet

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Field Notes:
Today was joyous for so many reasons, first my right leg has been bothering me for nearly 2 month no matter what I did it would not heal.  This past week it has felt like new or perhaps old LOL all I know is I was out hiking up up up for 4 1/2 hours and no cramping YEAH! Putting off hiking on West Mountain was driving me crazy and I had not even ventured out to the Goat Rock Trail for 8 weeks. I Love feeling strong again.

The Autumn Leaves were glorious on the Canyon and Oak Trails. Sunlight through the Leaves bathed me in pink, red, gold and orange.  I felt as if hiking was a dance on the glow of warm rays piercing the Forest canopy.  It is as if Leaves are stained glass reflecting the Universes Love.  A sweet squirrel peers at me from a Tree from the Forest.  The creatures on West Mountain are more cautious than their counterparts on Hot Springs and North Mountains.

As small flock of birds appeared on the West Mountain Trail they are tiny and fast so I just concentrate on taking the photos.  It is not until I get home that I see they are Nuthatches, both white and red breasted.  It is the first mixed Nuthatch flock I have seen in the park.

On the Sunset Trail another first, a flock of lovely Eastern Bluebirds.  They are lively and swift moving quickly through the Trees and I feel so blessed to be there at just the right moment. These are the first eastern Bluebirds I have seen and it is a wonderful moment.

Found the ruins of an old rest hut on the Sunset Trail, special thanks to Mark for mentioning it to me.  Having been married in a surviving hut on Hot Springs Mountain’s Honeysuckle Trail seeing this was like visiting the ruins of an ancient civilization.  The summer foliage hid it from my view last time I was on the trail.

I have discovered why the Turkey Vultures frequently soar above West and Music Mountains.  When I first hiked on the Sunset Trail to Music Mountain the foliage was so thick I did not take the upper trail.  Today the the trail was nearly clear and I headed up Music Mountain to the cell towers.  When I looked up I spotted and followed a soaring turkey Vulture across the sky,then saw it land on one of the towers.  The cell towers are the perfect perch for the Turkey Vultures to land and take off when catching the drafts created by the many Mountains in the park. I will have to come back on another day when I have more time to look around and see if I can find their ground nests.

It was a wonderful morning/afternoon in the park, thank you for sharing it with me.
Much Love to You All,
Lee