SECOND DAY IN THE FIELD

This morning, we enjoyed a good breakfast, the arrival of Jana Steinová, and the great view towards the Tatra mountains – Belianske Tatry.

This day was dedicated to granitic rocks exclusively. We drove to the small town, Tatranská Lomnica, and took the “lanovka” (cabin lift) to the Lomnický štít, the second highest peak of the Tatras, 2634 m. The lanovka was safe, Alica assured us, because it recently fell down and were therefore exchanged with a brand new cabin and cable......



At the very top, it was not entirely straight forward to collect. Fences protected people from falling down the steep mountain, but also made lichen-collecting somewhat challenging.

Einar Timdal collecting Calvitimela armeniaca using his foot as "collect-stopper".

Calvitimela armeniaca

After some creative collecting (see above), most of the group lost the spirit when the weather turned foggy and it started to hail. 

The “return-to-lanovka-spirit” became acute when Alica fetched some climbing gear. The majority of the group jumped onto the first lanovka back to the middle station, Skalnaté pleso (1754 m), where one could collect under more “normal” conditions. We saw, e.g., Brodoa atrofusca, B. intestiniformis, Calvitimela armeniaca, Cornicularia normoerica, Lecidea confluens, Lecidoma demissum, Orphniospora moriopsis, Protoparmelia badia, P. phaeonesos, Psorinia conglomerata, Sporastatia testudinea.

Psorinia conglomerata

In the meantime, Alica did some outside-the-fence collecting, secured by Mika. In addition to a few interesting collections (Alectoria ochroleuca, Cetraria ericetorum, C. islandica, Cladonia macroceras,  Flavocetraria cuculata, F. nivalis, Thamnolia vermicularis, Umbilicaria cylindrica, U. crustulosa, U. decussata, U. deusta, U. hirsuta), this activity definitely resulted in some “public outreach”.

Alica prepared for "lichen hunting"

Cetraria islandica, Flavocetraria nivalis, Alectoria ochroleuca, Thamnolia vermicularis

Umbilicaria decussata

Finally, gathered at 1754 m (the middle station), a sudden hail shower chased us all into the restaurant, and eventually back down to Tatranská Lomnica. Down there, some collected epiphytic lichens (e.g. Melanohalea glabra), others shopped more or less necessary consumables/souvenirs.

Back at “Penzion u Pavla” in Ždiar, we were served a traditional dish called Halušky. A mighty, calorie-bomb after a day of hard work!

Anna Guttová and Zuzana Fačkovcová joined the lichen-team. Finally, our bryological friends arrived after a long day on the road and in the field. Penzion u Pavla is now full!