Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Max Patch

I felt the need to do something different today. So what did I do? I got in my truck and drove further into the wilderness.



To as close to the top of the world as I can get in these parts.





A grassy bald at 4629 feet? or so.







A meadow on a mountaintop.






North



South. I live some where out there.



East



West











Butterflies on Dung.









The drive back home.









13 comments:

EAL said...

Just lovely. We will be passing by a bit to the east next week--on our way to the beach. NC has it all.

Les said...

The Blue Ridge is one of my favorite places to wander, without a map. It is so different from this sprawling flat plain. I hope to get to the mountains in July. Thanks for sharing.

Frances, said...

Hi Christopher, thanks for taking us up with you. I can imagine your wonder at the views and you studying the flora. Butterflies on the dung, a study in nature.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Thanks for taking us along on your outing. The scenery was gorgeous.

lisa said...

Great views! I wonder what the butterflies get from the dung...salt?

Christopher C. NC said...

It was a perfect day with clear skies and light wind. Don't think I would want to be up there in a thunderstorm. I will definitely go back. The botanizing was fun and I have no doubt the flower show in the meadow changes with the season.

Anonymous said...

Great trip. Felt as though I were there. Beautiful scenery. God's country. Thanks, Christopher.

chuck b. said...

That looks like a nice place to discretely collect small amounts of wildflower seed.


With a permit, of course.

Christopher C. NC said...

You are welcome Lola. Thanks for leaving a comment.

Chuck I discretely looked at the seeds of the yellow snapdragon looking flower that we do not have here and they did not seem quite ready. A good excuse to go back.

It will give me time to get a permit of course.

Anonymous said...

Hi Christopher, Thank you for this great outing! I really enjoyed the hike and those views are spectacular. I must go there one of these days. For another day when you want to do something different, have you ever been to Cattaloochee to see he Elk? It is our favorite place to go.

lisa said...

I think your yellow snapdragon is butter-and-eggs. I love that stuff, but germinating seeds just by scattering hasn't worked too well for me so far. (Heh, I suppose some sort of effort may be required :) I just think "How would the plant do it?", but I guess that's not always enough.

Christopher C. NC said...

I haven't been to Cattalooche yet Siria. There is still much to explore. The drive to Max Patch on a gravel road is a bit bumpy in a light truck, but no need to go fast.

Right you are Lisa, Butter and Eggs it is. Thanks a bunch. I was looking in its former family, Scrophulariaceae, now Plantaginaceae. Close anyway.

Anonymous said...

The drive to Cattaloochee isn't too bad, although part of the way over the mountain into the valley is on a gravel road. It is a beautiful drive and about 10 miles from when you exit onto 276 from
I-40. We like to go around 7pm and take a picnic dinner. You must leave by sunset, but the sun isn't setting these days until after 9pm so there is plenty of time to eat and watch/photograph the elk. We were there a few weeks ago and there were two babies with their mothers.