Jamie Richards- Noland Trail Experience

In celebration of the recent warm and sunny weather, our class met at the Noland Trail this past Tuesday, April 21st. The day was relatively nice, but as luck would have it, a short (but heavy) shower arrived right as class was beginning. Not letting this discourage us, we ventured onto the trail as soon as the rain subsided. As I have been running on this trail numerous times, I am quite familiar with much of the brush lining the sides of the path. Dr. Redick pointed out numerous species of plants, both domestic and non, and recounted past experiences in the area. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I was not quite as familiar with the trail as I had initially assumed. However, I was not convinced that I, personally, held the ability to have anything remotely similar to an enlightening experience on the trail, let alone while in the company of a large group of peers. We were advised to set off individually in an attempt to communicate with nature, and I opted to explore in the direction opposite of each of my colleagues. Upon first departing, I glanced around at the plants surrounding my feet and suddenly discovered myself at the edge of a bicycle path. I admired the formation of the trees around the path, but simultaneously smirked at the unfortunate sight of this asphalt obstruction snaking its way through this beautiful wilderness. I turned back and decided to venture off the path a bit. At first, the only thing catching my attention was the sound of the leaves crunching beneath my shoes. At the same time, I thought to myself how enjoyable this solitude was. Out of the corner of my eye, suddenly, I noticed a small movement. To my right sat a mound of dried leaves, and upon closer observation, about a dozen young lizards no longer than two inches from head to tail scurrying among the leaves. I watched the creatures for minutes in utter amusement, and they appeared to watch me as well. Not wishing to disturb the little guys, I set off to continue my journery. As I walked, I found myself scanning my surroundings eagerly, anticipating locating other intriguing aspects of the trail. As I crossed the wooden bridge near the entrance of the trail that I had utilized just an hour before, I looked at the clock on my cell phone and remarked to myself in shock how quickly time had flown by. However, I was content and began to mentally prepare myself for my next class. Just as I was about to exit the area, I noticed a small patch of light on the ground to my left. The multitude of tall trees within my immediate vicinity blocked the vast majority of direct sunlight from hitting the ground, but a somehow this small bundle of rays had penetrated the canopy above. At the center of this small spot of sunlight sat a spider web, with its patient constructer nestled at its core. The strands with which the web was composed glistened in the sun's rays, almost as if the structure was created from diamonds. The direct sunlight also revealed how truly elaborate this web was. Not only was it spun horizontally, but also vertically; I was amazed at how many tiers the spider had woven. The opportunity to observe this work of nature was quite enlightening and truly left me with a sense of awe. I can now say that I have new respect for the endurance of these arachnids, and nature in general!