July 6, 2015: Outdoor Adventure Monday

Today we went for a hike up Whiteside Mountain near Highlands, NC. The weather has been rainy and overcast for the past week, but today turned out to be good day for a hike. The trail wasn't nearly as muddy or slippery as we had feared, and we had a decent view from the summit despite the haze. 

There were some very colorful fungi growing on fallen logs, and as we got towards the top, rhododendrons were just beginning to bloom.

When we reached the top, we encountered a toddler who was completely obsessed with Cookie. He stared at her, petted her, and said his own version of "dog" at least fifty times. His parents offered him snacks, and his brother tried to interest him in climbing on rocks, but nothing interested him as much as Cookie.

The view from the summit was worth the mile-long hike up the mountain. We rested for a while,then headed back down the mountain. What a great morning!