White pines

Memories can be distorted. Eleven years ago, the Wildcat Hollow Trail seemed a cakewalk. All flat ridgetops and broad-trailed lowlands. Today, a struggle through brambles and thick undergrowth. The trail, lightly trod, was wrought with treefalls and thickets. We made it 8 or so miles in six hours and thankfully located a brilliant campsite amid white pines at about 1,000 feet.

The avian highlight was a white-eyed vireo near a series of natural gas wells. Right now, we're oddly hearing bullfrogs in an old pond nearby. We've also seen and heard towhees, pileated woodpecker and turkeys. We also just observed either a meteorite or a low-flying satellite. Weird. There's a crescent moon rising and the air is coolish. Tomorrow, 7 miles more.