Moon Landing?

4/27/2013

Another rainy day on the mountain. You know what the means? Tells from Africa. I apologize for the quality of the photograph above. I was cold and I guess shivering does not make for focused photographs. I will add that I took this photo and then put on my warm layers. I didn't want anyone to think I don't practice what I preach. This photograph was taken on our third day of hiking on Mt. Kilimanjaro. I was beginning to wonder if we had left the mountain and been teleported to the moon. The lava rocks, or boulders, made for an interested landscape. That was one of the unique experiences of this trip. Each day brought a different landscape. I will say the experience made me think of Alum Cave trail. People often ask me which trail to the lodge is my favorite. I will say Alum. I love how you have such distinct differences from strolling by the river for a while to traversing through a rock and finishing your hike looking out over the edge of a cliff. The views make for an interesting hike. One hike I will never grow tired of.

As I said earlier, it is socked in and rainy. The high yesterday was 52º with a low of 32º. Today is a good day to sit by the fire in the office and read a good book while drinking some of our famous hot cocoa. For those of you who wander out today, make sure you have good rain gear. You are going to get wet. But, as I have said before, rainy days can make for some of the best hiking. It is a different experience.

Debi

4/27/2013 12:26:24 am

Enjoy your rainy day and that hot chocolate everyone. We have 48 already at 7:25am in western Michigan and its going to be a beautiful day. Just woke up looked out my window and saw 10 deer out in the field. Life is good!

Gina

4/27/2013 03:32:40 am

good for you Debi, 'bout time u got some good weather. Were rainy here in the Smokies for a few days

Debi

4/28/2013 01:04:40 am

deborahp24

4/27/2013 01:38:52 am

WE are coming up in august...I want one of the new tee shirts..can you reserve one?

Brian N bama

4/27/2013 02:03:37 am

2 weeks from today I will be coming Alum once again for what I know wil be another fantastic stay up top. Probably going to hike back down boulevard. Can't wait. Allyson, will you be up top on the 11th of May.

Betsy

4/27/2013 02:20:09 pm

Brian we are coming back on May 11th also but since we are driving from PA we wont be hiking the mountain til later in the week. The ankle I broke last fall has healed nicely and we are anxious to bring our 13 year old son up to le conte. What is your other favorite trail up to le conte? We love alum but want to try a different route.

Rebecca Stedman

4/27/2013 04:05:51 am

This looks like a fairly flat area, did not expect to see that. Perhaps it is just the fog or cloud that makes it seem that way. How much elevation had you gained at this point? What a great adventure for you.

Leigh

4/27/2013 04:31:47 am

So enjoy your pics and posts. Isn't it funny how no matter where we roam we are reminded of home? Rainy days always remind me of the Smokies. Seemed like it always used to rain on our trips there when I was a kid. Spent many a day hiking in the rain.

Pat N.

4/27/2013 04:33:13 am

Finally warmth and sun for me, so I feel for ya...but there's never a bad day on the mountain. I love Chris's hat...too cute.

Debnfl

4/27/2013 04:43:40 am

Awesome!

awesome

4/27/2013 04:04:45 pm

Great's Bear!

awesome

4/27/2013 04:57:46 am

doug y

4/27/2013 06:02:35 am

Most interesting photo today ! I was wondering exactly where on that mountain it was snapped ? Getting into the afternoon here and I've been waiting for the rain to arrive - - looks like that will be any minute now. Not until in my thirties did I finally get accustomed to it raining a lot when I was in the Smokies, and I, most of the time, rather enjoy hiking in the rain, as long as it's not a deluge. But now in my early sixties I believe my tendency is to avoid rainy periods if I possibly can, although I do fnd it pleasant for I don;t believe there can ever be a bad day in those mountains ! Preparing for it, however, is always one of the first things on my checklists. My plans to stay at the shelter above the lodge Monday night might be altered, depending on the final route I decide upon. I now feel that a short 'jaunt' out the A.T. and back will suffice, at least until warm(er) weather begins to dominate. I was wondering if anyone here might possibly be interested in doing half the A.T. sometime ? It would require abouit four days more or less at a leisurely hiking pace, and believe me, I'd be the slowest in any group ! Debi: those deer may have wandered up from Kentucky ! Haven't seen any here for a while. Rain has arrived and it actually looks rather like a foggy / rainy afternoon in the Smokies !! Good afternoon.

Tom B

4/27/2013 01:50:51 pm

doug, I might be interested in doing the AT hike sometime. I live in SW Ohio but my schedule is fairly flexible. Perhaps we could share e-mails through Allyson?

Paul B

4/27/2013 02:52:12 pm

My brother and I are heading up in a few weeks to spend the night in the shelter. Our first step in the "next level" of back country hiking. My goal is to send a few days next summer hiking the AT and ending up at LeConte for a night at the lodge as a reward. Would enjoy some pointers.

Debi

4/28/2013 01:06:14 am

Doug, yes, its been awhile since I have seen 10 deer at once. But our fields are starting to green up and there coming to eat. There pretty skinny from the winter.

Steve D

4/27/2013 06:15:29 am

Love that pic today! A few years ago, we had some friends move to Maui for his job, and decided since the lodging was free we better take this opportunity to go as you never know if you will be able to get back somewhere that far away. They got us up at 3am one morning, and drove us to Mt. Haleakala, a 10,000 ft high mountain that was once a volcano and we saw the most spectacular sunrise I have ever seen. Talk about looking like a moon landing, that crater on top there looks exactly like that, and that was the first thing I thought of when we got up there. Go to google and type in "photos of Haleakala sunrise" and you will see what I am talking about. It was pretty amazing that we were able to drive all the way up there. Yes Doug it is a beautiful rainy foggy day here in the Smokies. I love that fog.

pam

4/27/2013 08:34:45 am

Love the pic. Sorry about ur rain but it is beautiful in the low 70s in central Ohio. told my husband I want to go to the Smokies in late April. We were there in late March this yr with the snow. Maybe next yr we can make that trip. Happy trails!

Pat Morganp

4/27/2013 11:05:23 am

I'm sorry it is raining but I do enjoy your stories of your trip to Africa. It is gorgeous here in NE Ohio - wish we could share some sunshine.

doug y

4/28/2013 01:07:12 am

Tom B & Paul B: I'll send some ides later,

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