Fall Flowers

Day 8: A mile or so in, something stoplight-red caught my eye in the distance. My first thought was that I'd found a new location for Ramaria araiospora, an uncommon coral fungus which I've only previously observed inside Mount Rainier National Park. As I got closer, I thought I could see its tips emerging from a thickened base. "Young one," I thought. "That's why it's so bright." And then the pin of truth pierced the balloon of hope as I realized I'd been led down the path by a fraud. The "fungus" turned out to be an artificial flower, gone astray from some bouquet. Then continuing my hike, I'd gone another mile and a half before spotting a distinctly unnatural blue at trailside. A short distance away, hot-pink petals stood out against the grey-brown debris, presumably from someone's idea of a fitting memorial for their dearly departed. This begs the question as to how anyone could hike a state-park trail unobserved with a bouquet large enough that they wouldn't notice it was shedding fairly large pieces. This is not the first "flower fall" I've encountered on this trail, either, although it may have been the freshest. And before I go off on a rant about completely unnecessary hydrocarbon-based products, I'll close.