We walked north on the NCT from Timber Creek at US 10- just the closest section to me. Not the most scenic, but not ugly. It just doesn't have any water features or really interesting spots. And it's SO familiar to me. But today was about the miles, not about the scenery.
Found a lot of little Stalked Puffball. Some were still fresh, but most had opened the little hole on the top to release the spores.
It was delightful for hiking. The air was crisp- low 50s, and the sky even tried to clear.
Most interesting find of the day was this mushroom being overtaken by... something.
At first I thought it was a slime mold. I could convince myself that the white blob here was part of the plasmodium- the phase where it's like an amoeba, and it moves. It was very slimy and shiny.
And I really thought it was when I saw these little columns on another edge.
But I've blown the pictures up really big at home (I really need one of those video microscopes that I tried out last winter. I'll just have to wait till I can get a better quality one that will actually work.) And now I am quite sure that it's not a slime mold, but only another fungus. See the shiny "spikes". No slime mold grows that way. They are so small they only look like hairs to the naked eye.
The sunset was specatcular!
In other news: Between the beautiful morning and the beautiful sunset was a cold and drizzly afternoon. I did manage to work on the trailer. I've started reworking the kitchen end. I crossed one big item off my list. 36 BIG ITEMS and 21 small ones to go. 45 days left.
Cathy's Hike 100 is at 61 miles.
North Country Trail, Lake County, MI, US 10 north to FR 6419 and back. 8.5 miles
 | See Ludington SP Loop |
3 comments:
Perfect hiking weather.
Ann- it was!
Lulu: "Looks like there's plenty to sniff through there, even without a water feature!"
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