Dave Porter. Wildflowers. The Skyline Open Space Preserves.

A few weeks ago, Brandon and I made our way to the Skyline Open Space Preserves, our most recent hiking area in hopes to explore new territory. Our first stop. We paid a visit to big Bertha herself, the Methuselah Tree. She's a big ol beast. Over 1800 years, 14 feet in diameter, and ever growing. Mother nature at its finest.

We were pressed for time, so instead of exploring, we gear towards our usual. We meet an older man by the name of Dave Porter. He had just finished his hike and was on his way home. Before he left, we asked for hiking suggestions. He said we ought to take the Chinquapin (check spelling) Trail, opposite of our intentioned hike.

We stayed and chit chatted a bit. Talked music and all the amazing trails the area offered. He then asked if we liked wildflowers. My eyes jumped immediately. We talked about my dreams and flowers with him. He went into his car and brought out a book. It was filled with hundreds of photos of wildflowers and botanicals located in the exact hiking areas we were trailing. A book he wrote and photographed. He goes through his book and points out specific flowers that will appear throughout our hike. I'm a happy kid at this point. Asked if I could purchase the book. He hesitates. Said it was his personal unedited copy. We left, shook hands and proceeded to hike. He stops us, hands me the book and says, " always stop and admire the flowers."

He's even got a few pages left for notes. "In case there are ever any florals or botanicals that I may have missed, you have plenty of room to jot it down," he says. 

We try and start our hikes as early as 1:00pm. Not so early on mosts personal day clock but plenty of time to endure a solid 3-4 hour hike and still catch the sunset.

We had just missed it. You can't really tell by this photo, but Brandon and I are in the middle of a stranger's backyard catching the last of the rays. We'll do anything to admire a good lookin' sunset. The old crank puss resident said it was private property and told us (not so) nicely to leave. We said we just wanted to see the sunset. She didn't buy it at all. As if we were going to break into her house and grab all her loot. Not much of a people person I guess.