PA190026

So we're hiking up and hiking up, I'm listening for anything that sounds big, as I always do while in the woods (not something you really need to think about in Hawaii, but anywhere else I tune my ears in pretty good, keep Sam close, and make sure we're all talking loudly. That is rarely a problem with 'ole Ben in the pack...). So I hear a rustle off to my right and almost bug out before I see this girl crouched in the underbrush! Turns out she's picking mushrooms to eat. Centralia, she says. I get confused and think her name is Centralia, but no it's Heike, which is even more astounding to me, that she's out on a hike and her name is Heike (pronounced "Hike-a"). Kathy - what does Heike mean? Is it German? Sam was pretty intrigued, too. We all learned about edible mushrooms vs poisonous and a way to distinguish - look for a ring around the stem. If you see a ring, stay away. Generally speaking, poisonous mushrooms tend to cause diarrhea, not generally death. And while dose-response is very individual (allergies/size, etc.) you have to eat a good chomp vs just touch the mushroom then put fingers in the mouth. Still...I'm not eager to pick and eat wild mushrooms.