Dolly Sods, soaking in the creek and stinky dogs

Saturday took us to Dolly Sods State Park.

The Dolly Sods Wilderness — originally simply Dolly Sods — is a U.S. Wilderness Area in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA, and is part of the Monongahela National Forest (MNF) of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).

Dolly Sods is a rocky, high-altitude plateau with sweeping vistas and lifeforms normally found much farther north in Canada. To the north, the distinctive landscape of "the Sods" is characterized by stunted (“flagged”) trees, wind-carved boulders,heath barrens, grassy meadows created in the last century by logging and fires, and sphagnum bogs that are much older. To the south, a dense cove forest occupies the branched canyon excavated by the North Fork of Red Creek.

The name derives from an 18th-century German homesteading family — the Dahles — and a local term for an open mountaintop meadow — a "sods".

Rob and I chose the southern, dense cove forest trail along the Red Creek.  That trail head was the closest and we decided that we would rather hike than drive.  The red creek gives hikers regular access to the creek and makes for a happy water dog.

PENNY LANE WADING

 ANNIE WAS FEELING LEFT OUT SO SHE STOOD IN THE MIDDLE ON SOME ROCKS

FETCHING STICKS

We got a bit of a bad start when the trail split and was not marked.  We went one way and should have gone the other.  Our way led us close to the creek but was very dense.  The area is thick with rhododendron bushes.  I would imagine they are absolutely beautiful when they are in full bloom. We slogged along for about 45 minutes and decided to turn around. Five minutes after we turned, we came across the trail we should have been on.  Once we found that, it was much better and we continued.  We got about two hours out and decided to stop for a bite to eat.  We were at a really beautiful part of the creek.  It was wide and clear with lots of wildflowers.

We turned here since the option was to cross and keep going or head back.  We considered crossing but we were fairly certain going on would make for a 6-7 hour hike.  Penny Lane and Annie had both been very active on this hike so turning seemed like a better choice.

LITTLE MISS MIGHTY DOG.  SHE JUMPED ON AND THEN OVER TONS OF LOGS AND ROCKS.  SHE EVEN WADED A BIT WHICH IS SOMETHING SHE HAS NEVER BEEN WILLING TO DO.

PENNY LANE IS ALWAYS OUT FRONT.  THIS IS EARLY ON IN THE HIKE.  IT GETS MUCH TIGHTER BUT IS EASILY DOABLE IF HIKERS STAY ON THE TRAIL.

Our trip back to the car was much easier.  We figured out where we went wrong and just laughed.  We never felt lost, just irritated that the "trail" that we had chosen was so crappy.

When we got back to the RV, the camp was in full swing.

 I THINK THE PEACOCK SAVES THIS FOR THE WEEKENDS.  THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM IN FULL DRESS.  HE IS QUITE THE HANDSOME FELLOW.

THE DUCKS DECIDED TO TAKE UP RESIDENCE UNDERNEATH  LEWIS. 

  It was a beautiful Saturday and the campers were taking full advantage.  People were fishing, tubing and grilling.  Rob and I got our short beach chairs and went for a soak.  We had our chairs, our red Solo cups and each other.  It was grand.

We wiled away the rest of the day just hanging out.  We visited with our neighbors, got to meet their dogs Sully, Tyrone and Nia and practiced relaxing.  We did dinner on the grill and played Bocci Ball.

We also decided that the dogs were really stinky.  They needed a bath but we were too tired.  Maybe tomorrow.

Another great day in this thing we call life.