Late May Summary

I don't really have time to type up some of the more exciting things I've been doing the past couple of weeks. So here is a summary and list of things that stand out:

FCC Father/Son: Spent a couple weekends working Father/Son, co-leading nature hikes and lifegaurding when need. It was a blast! I love camp, and it's nice to be around people who enjoy being outdoors and acting crazy. I was sick the second one I worked so with the heat it was much more difficult to keep that excitement running but really when it comes down to it I always enjoy the time I spend at camp. Whether it is with fellow counselors or some really cool kids, I have a blast! The wildlife at camp is incredible as well with lots of Lady's Slippers, smooth solomon's seals, spice bush, etc. in bloom.

Second Coming at Southside of Looking Glass: Brad and few other new FCC adventure staff picked me up from the Garden Jubilee this past Sunday (a fun time in itself, where I learned so many more things than just being able to name a plant) to go climbing. Brad and I teamed up (he's almost 1.5 feet taller than I am!) to climb the 2 (almost 3) pitches of a popular route called Second Coming. He lead the 5.7, 100 foot pitch, and I lead the 5.5, 200 foot pitch. I am holding in some pride in myself for being a beginner trad climber and handling a pitch that tall! It was not that moves were scary (though there were a few tricky ones) or extremely difficult, it was just that there was not enough gear to put a piece in every couple of feet. So I had to suck it up and run out the rope some. All in all it was fun, and I had a great time catching up with Brad whom I missed dearly since leading trips with him last summer. He has become such a strong and smart climber!

Hiking at Pilot Cove/Slade Rock Creek: I don't have a Pisgah map, but I found the trail I wanted to go on at the Pisgah Visitor Center. I intended for a 10 mile hike at least, taking up at least 4 hours of my day engulfed with the woods. I ended up only hiking about 5-6 miles and the only engulfing going on was the mosquitoes and gnats gnawing on my flesh. No but I very much enjoyed turning off my phone and heading into part of the Pisgah Forest that I feel is most beautiful. The area is around Pink Beds picnic area, down the gravel road just beyond the parking area. I thought the trail I had found on the map at the visitor center would be well-defined but only the trail for Bennett Branch and Pilot Cove had a label. So I picked the one that I thought might be it but I picked the shorter loop, which somehow I diverged off of anyway. The forest was richly green. Tall, thin tulip poplars and maples dominated the forest, leaving room for lush ferns to cover the forest floor. Here is my list of noteworthy Flora that I found and was able to identify:


Mountain Laurel- this obviously was everywhere but the blooms on these were astounding! 15 footers! Huge guys!
Pink Lady's Slipper- just one, past bloom, and big!
Trillium- several, not sure what kind because they had all just completed their blooms
Indian cucumber- new one for me to identify! it has 5 with an umbel arrangement, then a few inches of more stem, and then more leaves that shade a flower hanging beneath.
Squawroot- I really enjoy the way this one grows. Not technically a flower, but grows from decaying material
Halberd-leaved violet- I don't think I actually saw this one, but maybe something close to it. In any way the leaves are toothed like this violet but shaped like the Little Brown Jugs. Just not sure.
Fly Poison- another new one I noticed! the species name muscitoxicum literally means fly poison. It looks like a grass but the bloom is a big long cluster of white flowers.
ALSO: false solomon's seal, smooth solomon's seal, sweet shrub, bloodroot, downy rattlesnake plantain, galax, fire pink, blue-eyed grass

Nursery: I went into Fletcher to pick up some Japanese Maples that Wes had ordered from another nursery. The drive is pretty, but the land the nursery is on is beautiful! He has several acres and lives on the land as well. 3 wet, excited dogs greeted me. After loading in the flats of maples the guy informed me that he had just bought a baby camel and asked if I wanted to meet him. Of course I said yes! So we took off to the barn where he keeps this adorable baby camel that stands about my height. He has a buddy, which is a 6 week old kyloe calf. AWESOME! The camel let me pet him and he rubbed his head on mine and jumped up and down to play with me. He kept sucking on my hand thinking his soon-to-come milk would come out of it. Probably one of the most adorable things I've ever seen. The man also owns 5-6 Sicilian donkeys, which are tiny and are the donkeys thought to have been what Mary rode to Bethlehem on. They have a signature "cross" that runs down their back and across the shoulders. He ALSO has several kyloe (highland cows). They have long hair and horns and are typical beef cows in Scotland. Three of them were standing in a muddy creek in the shade. The cutest cows I've ever seen! On my arrival back to the nursery and preparing to transplant some of the new little maples, I found a female cardinal flying around in the propagation house, which is closed in and huge. I cornered her, caught her, and let her go but she hung out on my finger for a few minutes before taking off. All in all, a pretty sweet day!

In the process of field researching I am discovering the importance of always being prepared. Even when you think you are prepared and have everything down and planned out- you don't. You end up soaking wet in the middle of a field, alone and surrounded by cows.

When we left this morning it was pouring down the rain and 43 degrees outside. I don't think temperatures ever rose and the rain oscillated from pouring to slightly drizzling. Melise and I spent the first couple of hours running through overgrown Christmas tree lots and fields searching for bird boxes. The result was being cold, wet, and frustrated. But okay with it. I then kept a look out for some Second Hand Thrift Store, which never appeared. Luckily we dried off eventually, and the heat in the car was a lifesaver.

Down one of the roads I dropped Melise off to check the first half of the boxes and I drove to the end to work to meet her in the middle. At one box I almost got a beak to the eye, which yeah is a bit of exaggeration but the parents were divebombing me. I would duck down and as soon as I stood back up another would swoop over my head. So I abandoned the box (which is not part of the study. Otherwise, as any good researcher would do, I would risk my life to check the box) and returned to the car and contemplated going back out with my bike helmet on. I didn't. I just moved on. To the right is one of the bluebird chicks just about 12 days old. The can leave the nest about 14 or 15 days old. If I were this little dude's parents I'd be protective too!

A couple of houses down there is a box that is in a front yard and houses two dogs; one is the protector and the other is the peace keeper. It was my third time at this house, and the larger dog usually barks for a little bit but then realizes that we are things she jump on and play with. But for some reason she wouldn't come near me and continued to follow closely behind and growl. The little peace keeper was out of sight for some reason. I succeeded in ignoring her after several attempts to make peace but eventually just left. At the end of the driveway she noticed that I was still around and much too close to her property. She came to the edge of the field to continue to announce her fierce presence. As soon as I got in my car to leave she began chasing me and biting at my front tires. Crazy dog!!

Another protective dad hovered over me and swooped down at my head. The chicks had JUST hatched so I could understand him being protective. But it still freaked the heck out of me so I quickly darted back to the car where I noticed my leg bleeding from getting caught in briars due to my hasty fleeing.

This research is helping me to acquire more professional skills at creeping and making sketchy turn-a-rounds. I am sure the neighborhoods we drive around think Melise and I are up to some sketchy business.

We also saw black-capped chickadee chicks in two separates nests. One they were almost fully developed and the other they were just a day or two old. They are just a few cm long in total length after they're born. Dawwwww...

What a day in the field! Fun. But I am tired. I am also just slightly sick with a sore throat, swollen lymph nodes which causes a lot of pressure in the back of my head. And it makes me sleepy. So, goodnight world!

Super Spectacular Ornithologists Uuuunite!

Melise and I started yesterday with our first day of helping one of the undergrad students with her research project on Eastern Bluebirds. There are about 40'ish bird boxes that have to be checked EVERY day in some of the most beautiful rural roads, fields, farms, etc. Some are given mealworm supplements and some need to be measured every few days for weight. All of this plus extra experiments can take hours a day, so you can see why she needs some help!

Gist: It is aweeesomeeee!

Yesterday we rode around with Amanda and she showed us all of the boxes and how to weigh or band the chicks. Some of the other boxes in addition to the ones related to the study are inhabited by other birds, like tree swallows or nuthatches and so on. Melise and I also kept a lookout of other species as we drove/walked around.

Today this list of special birds includes:
a couple goldfinches
a few brown thrashes
a male cardinal
lots and lots of tree swallows
a white-breasted nuthatch nest
red-tailed hawk flying over us for like, uhhh, 3 minutes!!
and a male house finch

Super cool day. Beautiful weather. Azaleas blooming! and NO classes!!

Nature! And Little Lost Cove

**I wrote this on the boonebeta.webs.com blog, which everyone should totally check out if you are a climber in the Boone area. But here it is on here just for memory's-sake.**

What a perfect day to get outside and climb today! Daniel and I headed to Lost Cove late in the afternoon on a last minute whim but it was such great timing.

This was my first time down to Little Lost Cove, so of course I had a brief run through of the most of the problems and it's cool to see the things that I've heard people talking so much about and projecting. Props to you all for the sweet moves you've made on those! That's some challenging stuff for sure.

I don't think the area could have made any better of a first impression. The view was amazing and the sun aimed perfectly on distant cliffs from the car as we left. The sun shone cooly and there were streams all over the place leftover from the rains Friday night. I felt like I was in a jungle with diverging pools appearing from under huge boulders and looping around them to reconnect and continue down the mountain.

Majority of the problems were dry but Daniel's pad did get a bit wet from having to inevitably lay it down in the streams. By far my favorite problem we worked today (and that Daniel crushed) was a little beta tricky at first. I don't know what it is but it's across from Matt's Prow in that corner where the two boulders meet. It's a low start, out right to a little bit small than a tennis ball sized pocket, out left, and then we figured out that you bump your left on this small ledge and match the right onto then bump straight up to a jug, another jug out right, then top out. I am terrible at expaining problems but if anyone has an idea let me know!

Also, I got to do some geeking out at the amazing wildflowers in bloom today. Upon looking them up I discovered that we found a Large-Flowered Bellwort (as my guidbook calls it) or Uvularia grandiflora. It's leaves look as though they've been peeled back to reveal a yellow, bell-shaped flower that hangs down and is part of the Lily family. We also saw several Cut-Leaved Toothworts(Cardamine concatenata), which have very distinctly shaped leaves and white flowers, and is a part of the mustard family. Apparently if you see pink flowers it is much more rare. Both flowers can be seen here and here. And to top it off we caught a couple of salamanders!! Always fun. They were either Seal salamanders or Duskies. Both look similar. Darn amphibians.

So remember!: If you go out climbing or bouldering respect nature but enjoy it and play in it! If you want to catch salamanders or other amphibious creatures make sure to have dirty and moist hands so they can continue to exchange gases. Interacting with more than just the rocks makes climbing trips better just when you thought it couldn't!!

First 10a lead!

I am too good at procrastination. It is a skill that school has taught me well.

So yesterday, in the midst of ominous winds and increasingly darkening clouds, a couple of us went to the Dump (a small, local crag) to get some climbing in. We warmed up on a 5.6; a climb that Melise first taught me how to lead on and a pretty fun warm-up. Andrew lead Homegrown, a 10a and a climb I've only top roped twice before.

As he climbed I contemplated leading it, or keeping it safe to just top rope it again. I have never been able to climb it without falling and the idea of falling above my last draw was pretty scary.

<---this is me on toprope on Homegrown back in the late fall. It was mildly chilly that day.

So I was convinced eventually to lead it, without having to clip the first draw because I would have been really sketched out by it and would have just turned my back to the entire idea. But I did it! And was completely shocked by it. I mean, I knew I could finish the climb but part of me always wonders how much of toproping is me climbing and how much is the person belaying me keeping me too tight and therefore basically aiding me up the wall. What a perfect first hard lead! Slabby at points, balancy, tiny little rare crystal crimpers (which for some reason I love). I did take a baby whipper. But it actually wasn't bad.

I am ready for the Gunks, which is next weekend ahhhhh!! It may rain, but hopefully it will hold off in New York. I am excited to have an awesome travel/climbing partner plus the promise of staying with Katie and Dustin, who are super strong climbers themselves.

Stoked.

Kleptomaniac of the Toilet Paper Kind

I admit it. I steal toilet paper on a weekly basis from the 1st floor of Rankin Science and sometimes the 3rd floor of the library. I say they pretty much beg you to. They wouldn't just leave it out in the open if they didn't want people to make good use of it than just wiping their bums.

For example, I had a constant supply of tissue when I had my sinus infection a few weeks ago.

Two weeks ago I spilled coffee all over my notebook in class, and had an immediate dabber to dry it up.

Don't you hate those moments when you are using the bathroom to realize that there is no toilet paper left? Not a problem if you have a roll that you carry with you at all times.

I know there are more people out there that do it than just me, so don't pretend like it's not a good idea. Though I'd have to say it's not for those who desire quality out of their toilet paper. But if you want to save a few bucks a month or two and have a college campus readily available to you then lose that pride and snatch a couple of rolls!

Yes, I do realize this is a pointless blog entry.

And I do feel like I have been talking to myself the entire time.

But the last couple of entries have been deeply serious. So here's to living senselessly!

"There's a better home awaiting...

...in the sky, Lord, in the sky." Will the Circle Be Unbroken

You should never leave a situation wishing you had reached out to someone, or even allowed them to reach out to you. You should seize chances to get to know people you are working with and who are a part of something that is big in your life.

Unfortunately I have left a lot of people in my life like this. I have left them in the background of moments that have been an integral part of me. Those people are important to me because I will remember them as key pieces to creating these monents. But did I get to know these people? Do I know their dreams? their passions? what makes them laugh? what pisses them off?

To a dear friend, Jimmy Lewis, I am sorry that I left you as one of these people. You stood out with your humor and charisma. I permitted being shy to get the best of me and I never opened up to create memories with you. But you were a Blackfoot, and last summer I had the chance to be one as well and I believe that connects us. Your knowledge of the woods and ability to allow boys to gain that same appreciation for the outdoors extended into last summer. I was asked all the time where you were and what you were up to and, "Last year, Jimmy one time..." I admired a lot of things about you, but I am sorry that I could never gain that friendship to tell you the good things about you and to laugh at your sarcastic and crazy humor.

We watch people fall out of our lives through death, or disconnection, or from a fight. And we allow them to leave, and sometimes way too easily do we allow them to leave. This is one of my greatest vices. I have let so many go when distance parts us. Don't let this happen. Don't ever regret letting someone slip.

I light a Falling Creek candle in your honor tonight, Jimmy. Rest peacefully.