Michelle, Chazzy and I spent a wonderful day hiking the spine of Clinch Mountain from Laurel Bed Lake to Mutter's Gap. We were looking for solitude, hard to come by on a Memorial Day weekend, and found it along a logging road between the two points. We probably covered about ten miles and did not meet another person the entire day. The logging road is above 4,000 feet and we were serenaded along the way by high-altitude species we don't normally get to hear at lower elevations. Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Magnolia, Canada, and Chestnut-sided Warblers were found along the entire length of the road. In one small rhododendron shrouded hollow we had front row seats to one of nature's greatest concert duets. On one side we heard the haunting lilt of the Veery while on the other a Wood Thrush filled the forest with his flute-like melodies. They seemed to be competing and we certainly could not decide on a winner. Near Mutter's Gap, a sleek raptor appeared over Beartown Mountain and circled upwards on a thermal. It was an Osprey, a bird we were not expecting at this altitude. After gaining a thousand feet or so he headed off to the Northeast following Clinch Mountain. We also found Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Least Flycatchers, Ruffed Grouse and Winter Wrens along the way. Wildflowers lined the roadway and butterflies were busy inspecting each one for nectar. This was truly a great day that will not soon be forgotten.