Against what should have been my better judgement, I decided to join a group of die-hard hikers on a trek of the blue trail—the one designated as "most difficult"—that circumnavigated the rugged terrain of Avalonia's TriTown preserve. I'd actually hiked most of this pathway before, but when I made the walk, it was at my own pace. This morning, the group was moving much faster than I was used to, and it was cold and windy, so it didn't take too long to realize that I was overmatched. Still, it was worth the effort to stand atop the height of land and look down at a group of "alpine" vernal pools that had to harbor really interesting critters. There was nothing stirring under the clear and newly formed ice, and, truth be told, I was in real danger of not stirring anymore myself. So, judiciously, I put the vernals on my must-sample-later list, and, since I would have gravity and the wind direction on my side, I opted to head back along the same route.