July 13, 2015: outdoor adventure Monday

Early this morning we went for a hike on the Richland Balsam Summit trail. When we left the house we were in a blanket of fog, which is typical for mornings in the Smoky Mountains. The fog is patchy, though, and by the time we'd driven a few miles, we could see that it was a beautiful morning with just a few clouds in the sky, a perfect morning for a hike.

Richland Balsam is between Sylva and Waynesville, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, near milepost 431. We had been there before--last October--but the trail felt very different in the summer. The heavy rainfall we've had recently seemed to have kept hikers away while at the same time encouraging all the plants to grow, so the trail was a bit overgrown in places.

The trail head is near the highest point on the parkway, which is 6053' above sea level. The summit is just over 6400', and is surrounded by trees, so you don't get much of a view. There's a bench to sit and rest before beginning your descent. We stopped for a while and gave Cookie some water.

Hiking this year is a bit different for me. Last December, I was diagnosed with COPD and began treatment. I've had asthma for quite a while, but this feels different. I'm forced to go more slowly, to pay more attention to my breath,and to stop and rest much more frequently. The slower pace has made me aware of so many things I hadn't noticed before! I'm more likely to hear birds singing, and woodpeckers knocking on trees.  

On the way down there was more time to stop and notice the beautiful scenery.