Fragrance Lake and beyond

Group 2 today (me behind the camera)

Our Senior Trailblazer groups are beginning to smoosh together, as you can see from this picture of today's hiking group. Al (third from left) is the usual leader for Group 1, but today he was ours, and since the weather was not all that good for a trip to the mountains, he led us on a local hike that started at the Two Dollar trail and went all the way up to viewpoint looking out over the Sound. 

At the top of the Two Dollar trail

There are hikers who regularly go with the harder group mixed in with the more leisurely middle group. We were blessed with a very congenial mix today, and everyone had what seemed to be a good time.  I was very happy to be on this trail, which was a favorite of Melanie's and mine when it was just the two of us. 

Our dense beautiful landscape

The Pacific Northwest is such a beautiful place to live and enjoy. Many of the hikes that take us through such dense forests remind me once again how fortunate I am to be here, out and about, able to take in such scenery, and to be joined with so many like-minded folks.

Fragrance Lake

When we reached the lake, it was overcast but we had seen a few peeks of sunshine. And then the fog moved in, as you can  see here. It didn't last very long, but the feeling it gave me was one of serenity. Instead of heading back right away, Al suggested that we take the South Lost Lake trail up to the viewpoint before returning the way we had come. 

Looking out at Samish Bay

It was pretty foggy still, but you can see a few islands through the clouds. We had more and more sunshine, but it was still quite cool and perfect hiking weather. At this point, we decided to have lunch, since some of us were getting hungry. From here, we returned the way we had come, as planned, giving us a bit more than eight miles of hiking, with around 1,200 feet of elevation gain and loss.

Heading back down

Although it was a little more distance than I had anticipated, I only got a little grumpy before we stopped for lunch. I really should try to remember that having a little something to snack on as I walk will help my mood immeasurably. But for whatever reason, I forget each time, until it happens again. Maybe one day I'll learn.

In any event, we did have a wonderful day out in the wilderness, and the fun part is that we had no rain until we reached the cars, and then we got a few sprinkles as we piled back in for the trip back to the Senior Center. Another great day!

:-)