More Flora, More Fauna

While we're staying at the comparatively luxurious Quality Inn in Front Royal, Virginia I thought I would update everyone on some of plants and animals we observed in the Shenandoahs. The first and second picture are of wild mustard (the yellow flower) and garlic mustard (the white flower). Both of these plants are edible (flowers, leaves, stems, and all) and grow in great abundance within arm's reach of the Trail. It wouldn't have been uncommon to see me picking flowers...and eating them. They both taste fairly good, but the garlic mustard is more to my liking.

Yes, the next picture is a bear. Walking uphill one day I scared him (and he scared me) right off the Trail. He lumbered/awkwardly ran about 75 feet away and then stopped to reassess the situation. Evidently, he decided I was no longer anything to get worked up about and continued rooting around for squirrels he had buried for the long winter. Dwight (I named the bear Dwight) was a very photogenic lad and allowed me to take as many pictures and videos as my hand shaking with adrenaline would allow.

The rest of the pictures are just a random assortment. Hopefully they give you a feel of how pleasant our hike through the Shenandoahs turned out to be.