A down sort of day

Bellingham Bay from Gates Overlook

Not "down" in terms of the day itself, I should clarify, but one where my down jacket and down comforter have made their first appearances to help usher in the cold weather, both outdoors (the jacket) and indoors (the comforter). 

Today's Senior Trailblazers (I took the picture)

Only six of us showed up in the chill (37°F) to make our hike to Raptor Ridge from Gates Overlook. We drove up to the Overlook to start our hike, which would take us on an out-and-back, going down the 100+ steps of the Rock trail, heading down to the South Lost Lake trail until reaching the North Lost Lake trail, which then took us to the junction to Raptor Ridge. It was somewhere around 4 miles to get there, with plenty of elevation gain and loss, but I don't really know how much.

The massive rock that gives the trail its name

There were two hikers, Don and Cindy, who had never done this route before, and it's always fun to see how much people appreciate the incredible beauty of this trail. The steps were dry but steep, and I couldn't have done them without my poles, but I did manage the entire hike without a spill.

The hikers on Raptor Ridge

It was another absolutely beautiful day, with little to no wind (which is unusual and twice in a row!), and after we enjoyed a leisurely lunch in the sunshine, we turned around and went back the way we had come. 

Mushrooms that look like bouquets

Similar to our hike on Tuesday, there were so many mushrooms sprouting up from the ground and on the rocks everywhere around us that I could have spent the entire hike taking pictures of the myriad types we saw, but we also had some distance to cover.

Big leaf maple leaves

Now that we've had a good bit of rain, which caused the mushrooms to flower, we have also had some wind that helped these leaves fall off the trees. They are so pretty, even on the ground, that I had to capture their abundance to share with you.

White buxom mushroom

I thought this mushroom captured the season perfectly, from her two eyes to her buxom arms, to the "skirt" she is displaying. I some ways, she personifies the season, and brings a smile to my face. By the time we returned to the Overlook, we had covered a long eight miles and plenty of elevation. I never underestimate those steps, and by the time we were done, I was quite happy to sit in the car as Owen drove us back to the Senior Center. 

It was yet another wonderful day in the beautiful forest, and as we said goodbye, I think everyone who came was glad for the adventure. I know I was. 

:-)