Winter Break Trip - Day 5

[breakfast (pancakes, eggs), rested all morning, lunch (Bertucci’s, gift card, finished at 1330), we all took a nature walk at Reservation, rested in the afternoon, went with Katie and family to a friend’s NYE party, stayed until around 11:00 PM, home for NYC ball drop]

Winter Break Trip - Day 4

[breakfast (with John & Eric at Butterfields), shopping at Ocean State Job Lot, drove with Mollie to Cape (used US-6 to Willow Street, then MA-6A), Yarmouthport (Gray's Beach - walked on Bass Hole boardwalk), Dennis (old home and schools), Brewster (Slough Pond, Old Mill, Mom's cemetery, Nickerson State Park), Orleans, lunch (snacks), gas fillup (Shell at 1330) and shopping at Stop & Shop (old Purity Supreme, at 1345), drove on Mid Cape highway to MA-132 and then MA-6A to Sandy Neck State Park, arrived at Dad & Beth’s house around 2:00 PM, Katie and family arrived later, dinner (Chinese), saw Christmas lights in Sandwich, drove back to Hanover around 8:00 PM, movies]

Winter Break Trip - Day 3

[snow, breakfast (eggs), resting all morning (I was sick with a head cold), lunch (tuna fish and chips), I went on a nice walk on the nearby trail (back via MA-123), dinner (lasagna – Mollie helped Katie make it), movies, TV]

Winter Break Trip - Day 2

[breakfast (Ella made pancakes), ice skating, lunch at Lynwood Cafe (pizza), rested in the afternoon (TV), dinner (chicken pot pie), movies]

Winter Break Trip - Day 1

[beginning a Winter Break Trip with Mollie - got up at 0500 and left Alexandria by 0615 (had to backtrack to get food), breakfast in the car (fruit, snacks), drove via I-83 to I-84, gas in Milford (PA) at 1055 - lunch in the car (sandwiches).  Wanting a break from the car, Mollie and I caught a quick hike just before we entered Connecticut (from NY-52 and across I-84, NOBO).  It was short 3+ miles - pretty easy and pleasant for December 27. – later, crossed Connecticut on back roads (avoiding traffic), then I-95, dinner (Burger King at 1700), arrived at Katie’s around 1800 – we ate again (rotisserie chicken), watched movies and TV, bed late - AT Today = 1.60 miles / G.T. AT = 591.60 miles]

Alexandria, VA (USA)

[slept in - ate breakfast (eggs, toast) - we cleaned up my apartment (cleared it of all decorations) - ate lunch (leftovers) and then went for walk in Huntley Meadows - dinner (leftovers - lots of them!) - we watched a Redbox movie and then headed to bed]

Falls Church, VA (USA)

[we exchanged presents - ate breakfast - watched movies - we drove to Kim's (1330) in Falls Church - ate lunch with her and her family (enjoyed her Christmas music at the end) - we then drove to Woodbridge - shopping at Wawa (1800) - we first went to Kelly's but figured out she was at Jason's house - once we'd arrived, we had a nice late dinner with Kelly, Jason, their kids and extended family - Mollie and I stayed until 2200 - we drove home and went straight to bed]

Washington, DC (USA)

[I was teleworking for the day - Mollie slept late - breakfast (cereal) - house cleanup - lunch (flat bread and hummus, apple) - Mollie and I checked on Frosty and got a few things from Nicky’s house - we drove to the Metro and headed into the city (around 1500) - we went to my office at Navy Yard and then walked back to L’Enfant (saw my friends, Jan and Ron) - we then walked to Freer-Sackler Gallery and enjoyed the Sotetsu exhibit - afterwards, we walked over to Penn Quarter and ate dinner at Carmine's (finished at 1800) - walked back to L'Enfant (1815) - rode home - made Key Lime pie with Mollie - movies - opened presents - went to Mass at St. John Neumann in Reston to hear Kim play the organ (with a choir and orchestra!) - service was really great and we left around 2345 - bed when we got home]

Arlington, VA (USA)

[was supposed to see kids at 1700 but they had other plans - I found out that Joey and Stephanie were having dinner and drinks on Columbia Pike - I managed to find my way there solo (first time) - we met up at William Jeffrey's Tavern and had some good wine and hummus/pitas/veggies while we watched lots of "first dates" and lonely hearts - we finished around 1930 - Joey's friend Erik was arriving at Reagan Airport, so I accompanied them (after stopping at Pentagon City, in case I wanted to go home already - didn't) - on the way back to their apartment, Stephanie picked up a delicious Ledo's pizza and we all sampled some - Joey dropped me off at the Metro around 2000 and I made my way home]

Arlington, VA (USA)

[lots of back and forth on Metro all day (meetings) - lunch (farewell for Kevin H.) at 1130 - after work was done, I went to Vie de France for a while and then went to Frat House with Kelly around 1800 - the party was great (lots of people) - we had a ball for several hours - ended up at Crystal City Restaurant around 2300 - Joey got me an Uber home and I went straight to bed]

Arlington, VA (USA)

[left work in the morning and headed to Pentagon City - took care of business at USAA - picked up lunch at Popeye's (1130) on the way home]

Burke, VA (USA)

[Mollie slept late again, breakfast was sausage and cheese balls, Mass (St. Lawrence), went walking all the way around Burke Lake, bought fish at Petsmart, shopping for Christmas items and groceries at Giant (1445), wrapping presents, developing menu for Winter Break, I dropped Mollie off at her house (1700 PM)]

Washington, DC (USA)

[Mollie slept really late, breakfast was eggs and biscuits, homework and house cleaning, lunch was leftovers, drove to Huntington Metro (TopGolf on the way), shopping for Christmas presents (Brenna & Erin and Nicky) at Fashion Center at Pentagon City (Mere Minerals and Teavana) between 1400 and 1530 - rode Metro to see a White House Christmas Tree - walked down Pennsylvania Avenue to see Congressional Christmas Tree, walked to Union Station and had dinner at Thunder Grill (seafood gumbo and salad, key lime pie) - finished at 1830 - explored Union Station - walked back to L'Enfant and took Metro back to the car, got gas on way home (1950), Mollie cooking (for breakfast), watched movie ("A Grandpa for Christmas") - bed around 2230 PM]

Alexandria, VA (USA)

[teleworked all day - took care of legal issues at the Hoffman Center in the early afternoon - Nicky dropped Mollie off (1700 PM) - dinner was tortellini with marinara sauce and green beans - we watched episodes of "The Flash" on Netflix - bed around 2200 PM]

Alexandria, VA (USA)

[I bought one of my co-workers a Secret Santa gift (at CVS and Buffalo Wild Wings - 0945 and 1130) - during lunch time, we had a project All Hands at Capital Gallery - after work, our Account held its annual holiday party, complete with great food, music (karaoke), video games and hobbity horse races (our team won!) - on the way home, I had a choice of two happy hours (one with Sean and the other with Sabrina) - critical mass was achieved at the Port City Brewing Company (off Duke Street), so I drove there from the Metro Station - it turned out to be an Embry-Riddle Alumni mixer and was really fun (got some good stuff - shirts, aviation cookie cutters) - afterwards (1930), our group went to Rustico (on Slaters Lane) - we met additional friends there and stayed until closing (2300) - made it home around 2345]

Alexandria, VA (USA)

[went to ATCA holiday party - left office around 1045 - met up with Phil Y. on the Metro and hung out on King Street (at their headquarters) until around 1300 - then we headed back to the office for the rest of the day of work]

Chantilly, VA (USA)

[up early - forgot my company ID, returned to get it (0615) - got in traffic jam on the way to Metro station - arrived at work and realized I forgot my key for the desk (ughhh!) - used a kiosk machine for several hours and then went to a meeting at headquarters - headed home via Braddock Road and met with Colberte - worked from home for several hours - met Nicky and kids at doctor's office - left there around 1600 and drove (via three attempts to cross I-95) to Chantilly - happy hour at Wellington's (1715) - later met up with Jackie, Mike, Eric and Steve for dinner - had great time - got gas in Centreville and then drove home around 1945]

Buchanan, VA (USA)

[I left the hotel at 0615 - it was pitch black with fog and the car was covered in frost. After getting some gas (0635), I drove up VA-43 to the Blue Ridge Parkway and witnessed a spectacular sunrise. I used the same parking area as yesterday (0700) and hiked SOBO into the frosty, dimly lit forest. Off in the distance to the west, I could see gray ridges shrouded in mist - my camera couldn't even capture the beauty... Only a few hundred yards down the trail, I encountered a section hiker ("Blaze of Glory") who had spent the night in a shelter a few miles away. We chatted for a bit before I continued. The section was a "roller coaster" (+/- 1000 feet four times) and it was tough going most of the day. I was trying to reach a turnaround in the woods from May 2014, when I had surrendered during my climb up Fullhardt Knob because I was so out of shape (understatement). I chatted with several other section hikers (one was "Socrates") and wasn't in a particular hurry because of the distance I'd targeted (18 miles). The sounds of train whistles in the Valley were nearly continuous all morning. I was able to peel off gloves, ear muffs and my pullover by 0900 and was sweating by noon. I reached my destination (about half a mile south of the shelter), although it was initially hard to locate my turnaround, exactly, because of the changes in seasons. It felt good to overcome my limitations and close the loop on a previous "failure". I headed back quickly and only paused twice - to talk to hikers. It was definitely a day for socializing as we caught our breaths... The last person I encountered was a SOBO thru hiker (a Mainer who departed Katahdin on August 4) and he gave me some great tips for longer jaunts in the future. The only thing missing was any wildlife encounters. It was a long climb back to the car but I finished by 1430 - whew! After eating a quick meal in Buchanan, I made good time back to NoVA. This could be the last AT hike of the year - finished around 280 miles in the last 12 months (a pretty nice amount, considering that I hiked on fewer weekends, took no multi-week trips and had surgery)... Hope I can keep up the pace in 2016! AT Today = 9.00 miles / G.T. = 590.00 miles]

Buchanan, VA (USA)

[It was a late start again (after I got to go to a late movie with Brenna last night). I got on the road by 0930 (after a gas fillup in Alexandria) - used I-66 and I-81 - but had no particular destination in mind. I was actually just hoping to fit in a couple more days of hiking before the end of the year... Used the restroom and got lunch at Wendy's in Raphine (1200). Got off the interstate for good at Buchanan and used VA-43 to get to the Blue Ridge Parkway. I parked at Blackhorse Gap (1300) and biked back (around 5 miles) to the place where I started this journey in May 2014 (Bobblets Gap). There sure has been a lot of water under the bridge since then! I did get turned around a few times because of poor blaze markings but otherwise had a nice hike on the trail. The weather was great! I only saw one other person all day (a trail runner with three dogs on a "sled line", following behind him). There was some evidence of snow along the BRP, which I had to cross a few times. When I reached my car again, I drove back to retrieve my bike and then repositioned at the trailhead on VA-43. Even though it was almost dark by this point (1600), I hiked NOBO to the top of Cove Mountain (**three trees**) and saw a beautiful sunset, followed by all the colors deepening to black on the distant ridges. For the second time in as many months, I finished my day in the dark. It was cold but not unbearable... After finishing (1715) nearly 9 miles of hiking for the day, I drove into town and found a hiker friendly motel (Wattstull Inn - nice caretaker, had lots to talk to me about). Picked up "dinner" (snacks) at the Shell at the bottom of the hill (brisk walking!) at 1900. More hiking planned for tomorrow - I'm hoping to tie up a loose end near Troutville... AT Today = 6.50 miles / Grand Total AT = 581.00 miles]