Field research: Here I am doing what it takes* to effectively field a stated preference survey

*Doing what it takes: "Hiking" the 4.8 mile roundtrip Grandfather Trail (the last half mile featured thunder, lightning, pouring rain and some hail) at Grandfather Mountain State Park to better understand Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (I think that dead tree in the middle is a Hemlock). The last time I hiked this trail was 7 years ago (enough time to forget how difficult it is) and resulted in my rugged profile picture. Here is another picture from the hike (about 20 minutes before the storm began):