On Saturday Jeff and I and our friend Don decided to hike up Dog Mountain....
It's a 7.6 mile hike - which sounds like a piece of cake to someone who rides 40 miles on a bike...
I have heard of Dog Mountain from photography friends...
I have even heard that its a "strenuous" hike...
Some have even referred to it as "very steep"....
In the spring the flowers are AMAZING up there and I have always intended to go...
So knowing I had missed the flowers I thought it would still be a good chance to scout things out for my spring trip...
Now all I can think is UGH I HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!
Before we had even left the parking lot we were warned that there was a rattle snake on the trail at the 5th switchback...
FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE SNAKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Needless to say for those of you who know my intense fear of those nasty creatures I was a bit concerned -
However I was also determined to have my camera out and ready... because if I have to see one I'm gonna have a picture of one!
As we headed up the trail three other people warned us of the rattle snake on the trail just ahead...
I'm freaking out - my heart is pounding because of the steepness of the trail and then double time because of my fear - I fear my heart will just burst apart...
But my camera is out and ready - I will be brave!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you see a picture of a snake?
Its not what you think its not that I freaked out dropped my camera and ran for my life...
Its not that I froze and couldn't push the shutter...
Its that the darn snake hid from us...
And it would seem only us...
Because EVERYONE else saw it!
Oh well...
I wasn't too upset :)
I would much rather take pictures like these!
My dear husband helped me lug up all my camera equipment...
So I made sure I used each and every piece to justify carrying the 10+ lbs of lenses, tripod etc....
There are three reasons I am smiling in this picture
1. I made it to the top (it is very steep!) and the misery is over (sadly I was wrong)
2. I did not see the rattlesnake on the side of the trail that EVERYONE else saw - apparently it even had a coffee cup!
3. I had no idea how painful it would be going down....
The views are very impressive from the top of Dog Mountain. I was wishing for blue skies or the light to at least break through but no luck...
It is gorgeous and if I were taking the above shot in the spring this hill would be covered in yellow and red flowers...
But I'm not I'm taking it in August...
I did notice that in some areas the mountains looked just as the Smokey Mountains do.
On the way down the trail we saw warning signs about the rattle snake...
Signs that were not there on our way up...
Meaning other people had seen said rattler since we had passed by...
I was so worried about not seeing the nasty creature until it was crawling over my boot that I missed the opportunity to take a picture of the sign...
It read "Beware rattle snake near tree with coffee cup"...
Unbelievably not only could we not spot the snake we couldn't spot the coffee cup...
Leading me to conclude there is a rattle snake up there who is as scared of me as I am of him - with a caffeine addiction....
Frychik
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