Ruffner Mountain

I really enjoyed my experience when I walked through Ruffner Mountain. It was really fun! I learned a lot about the mountain and I got to do things that I never thought I would get the opportunity to do. I learned that a branch that had fallen was not merely just a branch, it had a story to it. Dr. Van Zandt taught us about how there was most likely a beetle that had laid its eggs inside of the branch, and chewed the branch off of the tree. This story was very interesting to me because I realized that although it looked like an ordinary branch of leaves, there was actually a long story behind it. It was really cool to realize that nature is not just placed for no reason, but rather most of it has developed due to a long story. Bugs are a very important part of nature, and throughout this class this is something that I have learned. My favorite part of climbing Ruffner Mountain was when I got the opportunity to go into a cave. I have never been in a cave before, so this was an extremely cool experience for me. It was cool to have flash lights and be able to see the beauty of the way that the cave was constructed. I did not get the chance to find many bugs down there, but it was still a learning experience for me. Another thing about Ruffner that I thought was really cool was when we got to look at the quarry. I have not climbed many mountains before, so this was one of the first quarries that I have seen. I loved seeing the beautiful view. It made me think about how wonderful hiking could be, and that I should do it more often. So all in all, my experience at Ruffner Mountain was a very positive one, and I can not wait to hike more mountains and learn about nature in the future! 

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