Nature School :: In the Clouds

After a long wait, we made it to Buzzard Rock again.  The fog was thick from all the wet weather we've had.  This is Bread Proofing Weather, as I am now calling it.  It was cooler up high, though, so a hike was just the thing to stay comfortably warm.

We trekked past (and ate) many blueberries and blackberries before entering the krumholz forest.  While our mountains do not have a true tree line, the climate is certainly hard on them.  Every single tree is twisted by the Winter winds, as revealed when they fall and lose their bark.  The size of the trees is deceptive, too, since they are much older than they look.  It was cool and very wet in the woods and we crossed many small springs and streams.  They were icy cold, and Roan put his foot in every single one. 

Coming out of the damp darkness, we were met by these views.  I could not see Buzzard Rock until we were right on it.  We had lunch on some small rocks in the meadow and the children did some climbing.  They are so much braver and stronger than I was as a child.  I have more oxen-like strength, but they are so nimble!

The winds blew and the fog drifted around, occasionally revealing more of the mountainside.  This is looking up Whitetop.  The road is not in use, or I've never seen it used, but it has always been there.  It's another way down to the rock, but it's a steep climb back up.  We took it last time.

You can see Roan with his air guitar here, singing as if we were on the rooftop of Apple Records.  This part of our state is called the Rooftop of Virginia, so I guess it was quite appropriate.  He said the rocks and wind made you want to sing in a loud and wild voice.  He such a quiet little fellow much of the time, but don't let it fool you!

As we had our lunch, we could see over to another rocky outcropping.  When the clouds blew out, we made our way over.  This picture makes it look so far--I guess it was!  We walked down a little user-created trail to get there.

Willow fancied herself Mary Poppins, as you can see.  The wind really was strong enough to carry off the umbrella.  Oh, the funny thing about all these little blackberries that Laurel is walking by, and those you can see in the first photo, is that there was about three berries in the whole of them!

Why I did not take a picture of the rocks we came to is beyond me.  They were arranged in the most wonderful series of shelves, big and wide with plenty of room to walk and sit.  And how it is that we have never visited this spot is also a curiosity.  It was so lovely to sit and watch the fog go by and catch sight of the valleys below.  Obviously, we're going to have to come back before the weather turns and see it all again.  Leaves on Whitetop are done by the Molasses Festival, so we'll have to get back there in about a month.

The walk back was warm and steamy, perfect for rising dough, but not so kind to tired children.  It is a rare thing to be too warm on Whitetop, but it does happen.  The portion through the forest was very welcome, and I urged them along with more berries.  We were quite happy to see the car, having walked over miles of rocks (and rocks hidden under the grass) to get there and back again.  Peanut butter sandwiches with black raspberry jam awaited and it was a quiet ride home.