Almost There: The Jug End Ridge Hike

We were nearing the high point of Jug End Ridge. I could tell by the blue sky showing through the trees, the increasing rocky ledges and the aroma of pine needles baking in the sun. Clover and Daphne led the way:

I passed yet another of the many red mushrooms which adorned the trail:

We were, in fact, already walking the ridge although the views had not yet opened up. The "Silly Sisters" were still full of energy, racing and wrestling:

More red mushrooms growing out of the mossy ground, these two with nicely upturned edges. I couldn't tell if these differently shaped red mushrooms were different species or the same species at different stages of growth. But I sure appreciated their beauty:

Small, elegantly formed brown mushrooms:

And tiny beige toadstools shaped like bar stools:

And then I began to see the eastern valley off through the trees. I knew from a previous hike many years ago that even better views were just ahead:

We were very close to the edge and could glimpse the landscape below whenever we crossed a high rocky ridge:

Daphne ran on ahead, crossing the rocky ledges like a tiny mountain goat. She looked back as if she wondered what was taking me so long:

But I had paused at a whole colony of fawn colored mushrooms under the fern fronds. Well, we were almost there. I'll post more tomorrow:

Lots Of Mushrooms On The Trail To Jug End Ridge

The dogs and I were hiking up to Jug End Ridge and I had marveled at the great variety of beautiful mushrooms all along the trail. But when I saw several bright PURPLE mushrooms, I knew I'd seen the best of them all:

And right near by were these fluorescent, DayGlo orange beauties. The young ones look like typical toadstools, but the older ones were upturned like Marilyn Monroe's skirt as she stood over a subway grate:

And just so you won't think that all mushrooms are pretty, I photographed this ugly monster which looked to me as if an Ogre had pooped alongside the trail:

There were Mountain Laurels aplenty on both sides of the trail, though none of them grew to much height. At this point in the hike, Seamus still had lots of energy:

And the two "Silly Sisters" never run out of energy. Every waking moment is an opportunity for them to run, wrestle, play and get into trouble:

Small Sassafras trees grew all along the trail but there were no full size trees. In fact, I saw no Sassafras taller than about two feet. I finally decided that they must be able to flower and bear seed at a young age and in this harsh environment, only live a few years:

A very large white fringed mushroom with an orange center:

And an abundance of Coral Fungi, intricate little clumps of white loveliness:

I was becoming tired by this time and my toes were beginning to hurt. I might have turned back right then and there except that I could see blue sky off to our right and I could smell the sun's warmth heating the pine needles on the rocky ridge. I knew we were getting close:

And we passed by these orange mushrooms with sprinkles. We were getting close to our goal, so I kept hiking. I'll post more tomorrow: