But once there, I parked the car. Next to a blue car with a bicycle stowed on top. I pulled on my hiking boots, shouldered my pack, and headed off into the woods. I love the sound of the stream off to the right. The leaf-rich cushioned path was soft beneath my boots and slippery in places. Smells were rich.
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No sun shone but the air was cool and moist. The rhododendrons will be in bloom over the next few weeks. Some of the larger, higher bushes had fat buds on them. I want to hike that trail when they bloom. When I hiked in NC several years ago, in April, they had not yet bloomed. Perhaps they keep their buds for weeks.
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I expected the wooden steps to be more slippery than they were. Moss on rocks was rich and green, variegated green. I stopped frequently to snap pictures. The water was higher than last weekend but still shallow, and deeply green. After about 15 minutes of walking, I turned right on the path and moved gradually away from the water. Stopping, I listened carefully. No cars, no voices, nothing but bird song and the faint sound of the creek.
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