#ryan's hat

Step softly upon the trail so as not to disturb any nearby trolls who may be resting.

Cedar Creek Trail, Petit Jean Mountain State Park, today.

((backstory:  we were originally scheduled to be at Burning Man when we took this adventure, but the day we were meant to head to Nevada, I came down with some wicked tonsil funk that had me bedridden and miserable for about a week.  I recovered thanks to the wonders of good friends and good antibiotics, but there we were on the west coast, miles from home, with our first trip to Europe looming on the horizon, and a deep need to take it slow and easy as best we could...so we made the decision to take an unhurried road trip home together instead of bolting pell mell for the desert, stopping to visit as many beautiful places as we could afford to.  This was Ryan's first visit to the Redwoods.  I wouldn't change it now.))

**nose**   photo by Belinda Taylor