Llamas, lunch and lepidoptera

Whether it’s guiding a group of tourists through the scenic trails of Bluff Mountain for a gourmet lunch hike, or transporting research equipment high into the Smoky Mountains for a scientist, Sandy Sgrillo and her small herd of llamas are on the go. Sandy recently invited The Herald to accompany her and the herd of seven llamas she owns on a three-hour lunch hike. Hikers enjoyed breathtaking views and took photographs, while the quiet, beautiful creatures carried the gear and food on the trail. “They can carry up to 25 percent of their weight,” said Sgrillo, “but I usually do not put that much on them.” The lunch was a delicious Chicken Caesar Salad, Strawberry Shortcake, and cold beverages. Sgrillo, who is the only llama trek business in the area, also offers a one-hour hike, a six-hour full day hike with lunch, an overnight romantic getaway that includes dinner and breakfast, and is also planning to do llama weddings. Said Sgrillo, “The bride will have the white llama, the groom will have the black llama. I’ve got a little country man with a big beard who does hillbilly weddings, and a guy who said he’d come out and do some music.” Sgrillo is also available to trek gear by special permit for scientists in the park. “I have a scientist who’s an entomologist from Washington DC. He comes down to the Smokies to do research studies in the park,” she relates. “He has to go up into the high elevations, over 5,000 feet, and take samples to put into the ATBI Study. The last trip I went on with him was right after a heavy rain and we were crossing creeks. I was up to my waist in water. Ice cold, rushing water. It was an adventure.” Sgrillo has plans to expand. “I’m going to open up a little shop, with little llama items. T-shirts, hats, little stuffed llamas and things like that. Have a little petting zoo.” Sgrillo and her llamas will be taking part in the Wilderness Wildlife program the first week of January in Pigeon Forge. “I’ll be doing two hikes and giving a slide show presentation,” said Sgrillo, adding, “It’s a fabulous program. It’s a whole week of lectures, presentations, hikes and classes. Everything is free” The animals are surprisingly clean, with soft, thick wool deep enough to bury your hand in. Their large eyes convey a gentle intelligence and curiosity common to all the species. Contrary to popular belief, llamas don’t normally spit or kick at humans. For more information, call Smoky Mountain Llama Treks at 428-4606 or visit the website at www.smokymountain llamatreks.com.