Winter Break Trip - Day 4

I was awake at 0530 but didn't bother Mollie until 0730 (she’d slept through several alarms).  We ate breakfast (leftovers) in the room and then walked over to the Independence Hall Visitors Center (arrived at 0800).  A Ranger had recommended this time to me the previous day (it was the last day of ticketed tours of the Pennsylvania State House until March) but no one else had actually arrived yet.  Mollie noticed (annoyed) that the doors didn't open until 0830, so I suggested she walk around and take some photos (she did this and returned about 20 minutes later).  When the Visitors Center opened, we got our tickets (and a 10 minute history lesson from a volunteer) for a 0900 tour.  We made our way over there (and through security) about 15 minutes early and then got ushered inside for our tour.  It was Mollie’s first trip inside this historic building and we got a great Ranger for our tour.  Mollie took lots of pictures and asked me questions between stops.  After the tour was over (0930), we walked next door to visit Congress Hall, the seat of Congress from 1790 to 1800.  We got to sit in the seats of the House of Representatives and learned about the inauguration of John Adams.  After we finished with photos and walking around the grounds of Independence Hall, we went across the street and inside a big Wawa we'd seen.  We discovered that it was located inside an old Newspaper Building.  We walked south for a little bit until we reached Washington Square, where we paid our respects to Unknown Soldiers of the Revolution.  The weather was so great (low 50s and sunny).  On the way back, we located the Signers Statue (took more pictures) and then walked over to The Bourse.  Mollie had seen signs for a Ruth Bader Ginsberg exhibit at the National Museum of American Jewish History and we first thought about only going inside to buy Erin a souvenir at the gift shop.  Once inside the doors, however, we discovered that most of the museum was free.  So (at 1030) we started at the top floor and worked our way down through many interesting stories of Jewish immigration and famous Jewish-Americans through the years.  We were probably in the museum for almost an hour before we went to the gift shop.  The lady working there told us about a local event coming up in the next 48 hours (Mummers Parade) and talked about the murals we'd seen near the Zoo.  We then walked next door to get food at The Bourse (1145).  We sampled two different restaurants for our lunch (Mollie got Korean tacos from Tacorean and I got a grilled cheese sandwich and filling fries at Mighty Melt).  While we were eating, Mollie told me that she really enjoyed the kimchi (her first time trying it).  When we finished eating, we walked over to Betsy Ross' house (arrived at 1230).  We'd heard that the site was planning a 268th Birthday Bash (her birthday was on January 1) and took a tour of the home (complete with interactions with Betsy herself) before that event began; at 1300, we enjoyed a birthday party, complete with songs, a speech by Betsy and old-timey cupcakes.  Soon afterwards, we stopped at a small gift shop (Souvenir, Inc.) nearby so I could buy Mollie more memorable items from our visit.  We ended up talking to the owner for a little while (he was very nice).  We next walked towards the waterfront so we could visit Elfreth's Alley (oldest neighborhood in America).  The sightseeing trip was finished by 1415 and we walked back to the hotel.  Mollie and I spent several hours resting (I actually took a nap) and didn't get ready to go out again (Mollie's choice) until 1730.  By that time, Mollie had researched things to do in the evening and she told me we "needed" to go to the fireworks show that started at 1800.  That sounded fun, so we left our hotel, walked to Market Street and then towards Penn's Landing.  The closer we got to the waterfront, the more crowded it was; by 1745, we could barely move because there were so many people.  Fortunately, we were on the bridge over the Interstate and, when the fireworks began, we had a front row spot.  The show was really good, with colorful sparklers and memorable barrages of multi-effect explosions.  Mollie and I clapped a lot; after the fireworks were over, we walked back towards the Independence Mall.  We were both hungry but wanted to avoid large crowds and find something unique.  This took us on a rather large circuit around Market and Arch Streets but we eventually came back to just about where we started (Market Street Bridge, just west of Penn's Landing).  We ended up having dinner (Philly cheesesteak egg rolls, Philadelphia Roll Sushi) at Thai Koji Sushi Old City (1850).  Mollie and I both agreed that everyone at the business and tourist sites during the trip had been extremely friendly and welcoming.  Mollie added that she had a really great vacation.  Afterwards (close to 2000), we went back to the hotel and spent the rest of the evening watching TV (“Jack Reacher 2”).  We took a break from the show to watch the ball drop in Times Square.  Both of us were asleep by 0045.  Happy  New Year!

Winter Break Trip - Day 3

I was awake very early but Mollie slept until about 0800.  It was raining a lot so we didn't rush out of the room.  We left the hotel at around 0900 and walked one block to the north to the entrance of the US Mint.  We took an interesting tour (although no money was being made) and looked at some cool coin collections in the gift shop.  A lady who worked there told us about the different coins made by each Mint (San Francisco, Denver, Philadelphia and West Point).  Mollie traded an old paper dollar for four new (unused) quarters that had never been circulated.  After about 30 minutes at the Mint, we walked across the street to pay our respects at Benjamin Franklin's tomb in the Christ Church Burial Ground.  We knew that most of the restaurants at The Bourse would be open by 1000 so we next walked over there for brunch (pastries at Barry's Buns).  While sitting at a table inside the warm and dry building, we had several good conversations.  We eventually went back outside and walked around the area near the Independence Mall, looking inside the gift shop at the National Liberty Museum (pricy!) and taking pictures at Carpenters Hall (site of the meeting of the First Continental Congress).  We then walked down the street (big golf umbrella required) towards a Philly Cheese Steak restaurant on South Street that one of my friends had recommended.  Along the way, we marveled at the pretty row homes on each street and stopped for photos and a bit of history at the Thaddeus Kosciusko National Memorial.  Nearby, we watched a Goodwill truck hit an old tree (more than once) and cause it to fall (in pieces) onto the one-way street below.  The ensuing traffic chaos was entertaining.  On South Street, we found ourselves in a totally different world (tattoo parlors, adult book stores, racy theaters, etc.) but located Jim's Steaks and got our lunch (two sandwiches and some fries) at around 1100.  The food was delicious and Mollie ate every bite.  It was nice to be out of the rain, too, so we took our time at the second floor table with a good view of the street below.  After we were done eating, we talked back to the north (still had to carry the big umbrella) so that we could visit another NPS-operated facility at Franklin Court.  This place has always been one of my favorite stops in Philadelphia and, this time, there was an updated museum.  Starting at around noon, we took a tour there and were treated to many interactive and informative exhibits.  I think Mollie really learned a lot and was inspired by Ben Franklin the polymath.  We also toured the printing office (demo of process) and looked inside the "B Free" Franklin Post Office branch.  Mollie told me later that she really liked Franklin Court a lot and it raised her opinion of Franklin tremendously.  We then walked down Market Street to the Independence National Historical Park Visitor Center, where Mollie got several stamps in her NPS Passport (there were 16 to choose from but only four with boxes for the stamps and Mollie was out of room in her "additional cancellations" section).  It had gotten really windy and the rain was still nasty so we walked back to the hotel to recharge.  On the way, we both commented on how much walking we'd done and how convenient all the sites were to our lodgings.  We read for a little while and I ended up taking a nap (1330 to 1515) while Mollie messaged with her friends and relaxed.  We were crossing our fingers for drier, less windy weather in a few hours and we got lucky.  With much nicer weather in the late afternoon, we went outside again.  I'd toyed with getting an Uber to visit the Reading Terminal Market but Mollie said she thought we could walk there.  At 1530, we headed down Arch Street until we arrived at the famous market.  We had fun browsing in the shops and stalls, taking in the sights, sounds and smells.  Mollie got some good gifts for her sisters (candles) at Bee Natural.  Meanwhile, and I tried not to lose her in the mass of humanity.  We both commented that it reminded us of Quincy Market and Pikes Place Market (sans flying fish) and it was a welcome change from walking through history in the rain.  We ate a delicious dinner at Olympia Gyro (gyro combo special) and had a nice conversation about our day.  Again, we thought it was nice to relax in a warm, dry place and the people who ran the restaurant treated us very well.  After eating (done at 1725), we then explored the market some more and Mollie later got a free cookie at Famous 4th Street.  Eventually, we got tired of trying to navigate the crowds and decided to leave (1745).  Since it was still early, we headed over towards Franklin Square to enjoy a Winter Festival (I'd thought about an Uber but Mollie said it was really closed so we walked).  Mollie had wanted to visit this place a lot since seeing it on the first night when we arrived.  She took lots of pictures and asked if we could stay to watch a “dancing lights” show (I agreed).  We went into a heated tent where people could get drinks and entertain their kids while staying warm but we both agreed that it was TOO warm.  The light show kicked off at 1800 and Mollie commented that they had done a better job than ZooLights in coordinating the music and visuals.  After it was over (1815), I asked Mollie if she would be interested in walking down to the waterfront.  Since it was pretty nice, she agreed and we walked down Race Street towards the Delaware River.  Along the way, we encountered our first panhandler (I'd previously commented on how they were strangely absent in Philadelphia).  After crossing under the interstate, we reached the Race Street Pier and got some great views of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge (above our heads). We then walked along the road until we reached Penn's Landing.  There was a skating rink and other activities for kids there.  Actually, it was clear that it was a Winter Carnival of some kind and there were a lot of teenagers having fun.  We stayed for a little bit and then walked up a ramp until we were on a footbridge that took us across the Interstate and back to Market Street (it had a lit up sign).  Mollie commented on how fun the day had been and was excited about the activities we still had left for our last full day in Philadelphia.  We arrived back at the hotel by 1845 and spent the rest of the evening watching TV (“Forrest Gump”).  Mollie posted on Facebook about our evening stroll (and my dad made a nice comment on how well she'd written her post).  I was going to turn off the TV early but then another movie (“The Intern”) came on and Mollie asked to watch it.  We were both pleasantly surprised by how good it was.  Bed was at 2300.

Winter Break Trip - Day 2

We slept until around 0800.  It was overcast and rain was threatening but we wanted to get some more NPS Passport stamps to the north of the city (Valley Forge National Historical Park and Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site).  So, we packed up the car and left Philadelphia (via I-76 and US-422).  We exited at PA-23 and arrived at the (temporary) Valley Forge Visitor Center and Mollie got a stamp for her book.  We also watched a movie there and got some hiking maps.  Mollie told me she was hungry, so we drove a short distance to the north on US-422 (to the Aberdeen, King of Prussia exit) and stopped at Taco Bell for "brunch" (box of 10 tacos).  At 1000, we drove back to Valley Forge so we could take the driving tour.  We stopped a few times because it really hadn't started raining yet.  We visited recreations of the cramped living quarters (there were some reenactors inside) and walked along the defensive earthworks.   Mollie and I also found several memorials to the brave patriots who died here during the harsh winter of 1777-1778.  We were able to take a nice walk on the Joseph Plum Martin trail, all the way to the Masonic memorial arch, before it started to rain.  I'd been to this park several times before (most recently, with the Twins in AUG 2008) but it was new to Mollie.  We both agreed that the park was unforgettable, memorable and humbling.  We planned to see some more of the site and followed road signs on to pretty country roads.  However, as we were driving around the perimeter of the park (taking pictures), we came upon a pretty covered bridge.  I thought it looked interesting and decided to take that road (we were "chased" by impatient local who was flashing her lights for us to hurry up).  After a short distance, we found ourselves outside of the park altogether.  Mollie said that she was ready to go to the next place, so she set up the GPS route for the drive to Hopewell Furnace. On the way (partly on PA-23), we saw lots of horses and drove through a pretty little town called St. Peters (it had purple and pink houses).  It started to rain, unfortunately, but we tried to continue our enjoyment of the route through pretty fields and over rolling hills.  Before long, we reached Hopewell Furnace (just after 1300).  We watched a movie in the Visitor Center and talked to the Ranger.  Mollie got another stamp for her book and then bought souvenirs (an NPS Passport ornament and some Passport stickers so she could send away for missing stamps).  After that, we took a walk around in the property.  As usual, we were some of the only guests and had the grounds mostly to ourselves.  It was cold and rainy but we learned a lot about the early history of iron working in America.  At one time, many people in the US had one of the stoves made at this “factory” in their home.  We got the added bonus of seeing lots of animals (cows, horses, sheep, chickens).  After finishing our visit to the park, we drove north towards Reading until we reached US-422 again. I had wanted to visit the Daniel Boone Homestead but we had heard from the Ranger that it was closed (part of a dispute over ownership and management).  Still, I wanted to see what it looked like and we drove to the entrance that I expected to be closed.  When we arrived, we found a sign that stated the park was open to foot traffic.  It was raining, but I decided to take a walk through the grounds in the rain and mud (with an umbrella) by myself.  Meanwhile, Mollie stayed in the car.  I discovered that the Daniel Boone Homestead (history park) had essentially gone out of business.  It took a lot of walking through old homesteads and historic buildings (not sure they were all native to the area) but I eventually found a building that was purported to be the birthplace of Daniel Boone (it had changed tremendously over the years).  After all that walking, I decided the place was probably not worth a fee for admission.  However, the price was right today and I got to see the homestead where one of my childhood heroes was born and raised.  When I reached the car, it was close to 1430.  Since it was raining and we were tired, we decided to head back to the hotel. Along the way (1445) we picked up food at Wawa (with an gift card I got from Erin) for later in the evening.  We then drove on US-422 for over 20 miles; I guess I hadn't been paying attention to the fuel gauge very well because I suddenly realized that we needed to get gas.  Mollie helped me find a station (it had one of the lower prices we'd seen all day).  In the process of trying to reach it, we drove through the area where Villanova and Bryn Mawr were located. Mollie was intrigued by the fancy area of Montgomery County and we talked about her college plans, along with my mother's dream (as a young girl) to attend school in the area.  We eventually stopped at a Sunoco in Rosemont (1525) and then I decided to continue towards Philadelphia on US-30. For some reason, Google Maps kept trying to make us get on I-76 (it had a massive traffic jam) but I resisted this advice.  Instead, we took surface streets (mainly US-30, AKA Lancaster Avenue) and we entered the city from the north.  There were lots of burned out neighborhoods there and I was a bit worried about the atmosphere.  However, the rain and lack of people visible made me feel better by the end.  We passed a street car (Mollie thought it was cool) and later passed the Zoo (we saw lots of colorful murals everywhere nearby).  We eventually crossed the Schuylkill River and got to see the "Rocky Stairs" (they were all lit up for the Holidays.  A Logan Square, I encountered my first annoyed local driver as I incorrectly navigated the complicated traffic circle.  For the rest of the drive, I continued to resist the GPS urgings (we remained on Vine Street all the way to Fourth Street).  We arrived at the hotel by about 1615 and I found a good spot to park in the garage this time. Because it had stopped raining, we dropped things off at the room and immediately went walking in the area near our hotel.  Mollie bought a gift for her mother at Penzeys at The Bourse.  We got some evening photos at Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell and then walked to the Visitor Center to pick up a walking map.  It started to rain again, so we walked back to the hotel.  There, we ate our dinner (Wawa sandwiches) and watched TV (Star Wars movies).  Mollie called her mother a few times and we made plans for the next few days.  We both were asleep by 2330.

Winter Break Trip - Day 1

We got on the road at 0730 and drove east via I-495 and US-50 (crossed the Bay Bridge at 0810).  Since Mollie had forgotten to get a NPS Passport stamp for the Maryland Unit of Assateague Island National Seashore, we drove there first (via US-50 to Berlin, MD and then took side roads to MD-611).  At the National Seashore, we stopped at the Visitor Center and Mollie ran inside to get the stamp.  We then drove over to the park itself and asked the Ranger at the gate where the wild ponies might be.  He directed us to the campground and we actually did find them there.  Once Mollie had gotten her fill of photos and near-horse encounters, we drove back to MD-611 and then east on US-50 towards Ocean City.  We stopped at Chick-fil-A (1050) and ate a nice lunch inside.  My office started bothering me with requests (lots of texts) but I did my best to ignore them and stayed in the moment with Mollie.  Back in the car, we continued on US-50 until we were in Ocean City itself.  Mollie told me she really didn't enjoy the downtown beach feel and there were many, many traffic signals.  We did find it interesting to see all the instances of the various local restaurants (some familiar and some not).  We eventually found ourselves in Delaware (on DE-1) but never saw the entrance sign.  We continued north, through traffic and small beach towns, along the Delaware Coast until we reached Dover (Mollie fell asleep during this time).  I'd been planning to drive all the way to New Castle but then I saw a sign for First State National Historical Park and decided to try to get the NPS Passport stamp there.  When we drove into the little downtown area, we were pleasantly surprised by the lack of cars and people.  We first stopped at the Visitor Center for the historic downtown (located in the State Archives).  The people there were very nice and gave us walking directions to see some of the city's history.  The weather was very good (low 60s) and we enjoyed walking around the nice downtown area. We discovered that the small city was very walking-friendly.  Mollie told me this was now her favorite city of all the ones we have visited.  A big highlight of our visit was a personalized tour (we were the only guests) of the Old Delaware State House.  We learned about how 30 representatives (10 from each county) met to quickly ratify the Constitution (unanimously) and deliver it to Congress, making Delaware the first state.  We also heard stories about Caesar Rodney and John Dickinson, along with the Delaware land system of “Hundreds” (still used today).  Some tourists from the UK arrived just as the tour was ending, so we left the building and walked around the town green (there were more historic old buildings nearby). Mollie took lots more photos and we lingered in the pleasant weather and atmosphere until around 1345.  We then drove north on US-13 (and along some back roads that paralleled the Delaware River) until we reached the even more historic (and older) town of New Castle.  This was another unit of the First State National Historical Park but was much more connected with early Colonial history.  The town, which was the 1682 landing spot of William Penn when he came to the area to exercise the charter for Pennsylvania, was the original capital of the future state.  When Delaware separated in 1776, the location was expected to be easily captured from the river by the British.  To protect their fledgling government, the founding fathers moved the capital to Dover; we learned even more history when we visited an old arsenal building; the area was first settled by the Dutch in 1651 and later captured by Sweden and England.  Once we started walking, we found there were cobblestones and many old buildings in the colonial style.  We followed a little map to see the different points of interest and got some pretty views of the coast (including the Delaware River Bridge).  Since it was still nice outside and not too dark yet, we walked along a pleasant bike trail that followed the river south of town. Mollie was bored for a lot of the walk and we ended up taking a different route (along a busy street in town) to get back to the area near our car.  Mollie had smelled delicious food in that area, so we followed our nose until we reached Jessop's Tavern.  We were lucky because they had enough room for our small party without a reservation (there was a big line for larger groups).  We ate dinner (lobster mac, burger) and a locally made beer (for me) at Jessop's Tavern, a 300 year old building (built in 1674, the tavern opened in 1724) in the old section of town.  We enjoyed ourselves immensely and even got dessert (ice cream in fancy cones and waffle bowls).  After finishing our delicious meal (1730), Mollie and I got back on the road.  I needed Mollie to help me to navigate (on I-95 and a maze of city streets).  After arriving at the Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District (1815), I checked in and sent Mollie to the room so I could park (1830).  There weren’t any spots left except for the reserved ones but the folks in the lobby told me I could park there (Guest Services actually told me they were overbooked because of a convention and I saw many Cosplay folks who were in the area).  I finally got upstairs to the room and got settled with Mollie.  She asked if she could explore the hotel and I agreed.  Mollie actually wasn’t gone long, though, because she found the same crowds of convention attendees (young people in Cosplay mode).  We spent time watching TV (Hobbit movies) and reading.  Mollie relaxed in her comfy bed.  She informed me later that her cold had gone away (but I was skeptical).  We went to bed at around 2230.

Arlington, VA (USA)

[at 1530, I left my apartment and drove to Fort Myer (via I-495 and I-395, with a Google Maps detour around Arlington Cemetery) - I arrived at the Memorial Chapel at around 1615 and went inside to see Kim, who was coordinating a Christmas music recital - that event began at 1630 - Kim's husband, David, arrived just before it started and we had great seats to watch the performance - at 1700, the Mass officially began and it ended up being VERY LONG - it wasn't over until almost 1830 - by then, David had to leave - I was able to get together briefly with Kim and congratulate her for the job she and her choir/orchestra had done - I headed home after that (via the grocery store, mobbed with last minute shoppers) and arrived by 1930]

Landover, MD (USA)

I got some tickets from my company to watch the Giants-Redskins game today and was happy when Brenna said she wanted to go too! We left Alexandria at 1145 and used I-495 to reach Maryland.  We had a nice conversation on the way - it's good to have Brenna home!  The trip to Landover was pretty easy but somehow I missed the exit ramp for FedEx Field (there was a lot of police and fire activity and I was talking to Brenna).  As a result, we ended up on the complete opposite side (northern end) of the stadium.  Brenna helped me (Google Maps) get to an entrance but we still found ourselves at Platinum Parking Lot E, rather than A.  Fortunately, the parking lot guys let us in there and we parked by about 1230.  It took us a while to get to my company's suite (we had to walk all the way around the field) but we arrived just before kickoff (1300).  There were lots of really friendly people from work there.  Brenna enjoyed the food and camaraderie and watched a lot of the game with me.  We stayed through the end of the Third Quarter and then headed for our car.  Because of the walk, we got on the road at the end of the Fourth Quarter (1600).  Fortunately, the game went into overtime when the Redskins tied the Giants and the traffic wasn’t too bad.  We used US-50 and a series of state-named roads to cross the northeast end of DC.  We had originally planned to park at Gallery Place and ride the Red Line but there was construction and single tracking.  We passed the pretty Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and soon found ourselves in a neighborhood close to the National Zoo.  I parked along Harvard Street and it was only a short walk to the entrance to the Zoo.  We got there early enough 1630) that some of the animals were still outside (highlights were cows and donkeys, along with an elephant sighting).  As it got darker, we walked a lot and got some hot chocolate.  Brenna commented on how much warmer it was than last year, although her hands got cold.  Once the ZooLights were all shining, we took our time walking and snapping photos of everything.  Brenna really enjoyed the experience (especially the new paper lanterns) and liked wearing the lit-up snowflake I got when I came with Mollie and Erin.  We walked around until about 1800 and, when it started to get really crowded, made our way back to the car.  Brenna then helped me find my way back to the main roads (it was tough and I worried all night about speed and red-light cameras).  Before long, we were on familiar roads (Rock Creek Parkway with pretty lights at the Kennedy Center, Memorial Bridge, I-395).  We arrived at Nicky’s at close to 1930 and I said goodbye to Brenna there.  Very glad I got to go to ZooLights with all three of my girls this year!

Nanjemoy, MD (USA)

I had an appointment in Fairfax with my new tax advisor, so I left my apartment at 0915 and drove (via I-495, I-66 and US-50) to the appointment, which lasted from 1000 to 1045.  I called Mollie on the way home, to make sure she would be ready to go on an adventure.  Just before I was going to hang up, I realized that I was very close (on US-50) to Freddy's Steakburgers and Frozen Custard - I asked Mollie if she wanted me to get lunch there and she enthusiastically agreed.  I got the food and we ate together after I arrived home (1130).  We had a great conversation over delicious burgers, fries and custard & cookie sandwiches.  After we were done eating, Mollie finished packing and we departed for Southern Maryland (1215).  We’d intended to visit my government client’s Christmas Tree farm (usually open on this weekend).  However, after an hour of driving (mostly on MD-210 and back roads to Nanjemoy), we arrived (1315) to find that it was closed.  I was disappointed but Mollie didn’t seem phased - instead, she redirected our excursion towards the Piscataway National Farm.  It took a lot of back road driving (and Google Maps led us astray again) but we eventually arrived at the NPS Unit 1445.  The place was a ghost town - there wasn't even car in the parking lot.  But, as usual, we had a lot of fun by ourselves, walking around and visiting the animals; we talked a bit more about Christmas plans, college applications, travel (etc.).  It was a brisk, damp day, but we were treated to great views of Mount Vernon (on the other side of the Potomac), lots of cows, chickens, donkeys, turkeys and pigs.  We then drove back to Alexandria (via MD-210, which had become a speed camera zone all the way).  Because of traffic on I-495, we ended up exiting the Interstate at Eisenhower Avenue, which gave us an opportunity to stop briefly at the Animal Shelter.  Mollie and I enjoyed seeing the animals there and then we went to Nicky’s, arriving at around 1530.  I dropped Mollie off (so she could go to a cookout at Steve’s with the whole family) and went home.

Washington, DC (USA)

[work - at 1215, John got an Uber for us and we went to the Blue Duck Tavern in Georgetown - John kept raving about how it was a "five star Michelin restaurant" and the atmosphere was definitely upscale - we ate some good food (including a fancy desert) - took an Uber back to L'Enfant at 1445 - worked for a few more hours - had planned to meet up with Bill again but his meetings were going to delay him until after 1900 - also, Mollie contacted me to say that she was going to come over to my house for the weekend (I hadn't expect that) - so, I went home, arriving just before she did]

Alexandria, VA (USA)

[work - took Metro to King Street at 1600 for meeting with financial advisor - at about 1730, walked back to Theismanns to meet up with Bill and his friends for happy hour - had a great dinner with all of my old friends from the Ops Team - at about 1930, I left them and took Metro back to Huntington - home by 2015]

Oxon Hill, MD (USA)

[parked at Branch Avenue - work - left office at about 1600 and took Metro to Archives/Penn Quarter (raining) - met up with Greta at Plan B for happy hour (and light dinner) until around 1745 - then took Metro back to Branch Avenue and drove a short distance to MGM National Harbor (really rainy and tough to see the lines on the road!) - arrived at around 1845 and walked around the shops and restaurants until Voltaggio Brothers Steakhouse opened for the Redskins Suite Network Holiday Party at 1900 - just after I checked into the front desk, Marci showed up too - we went inside and got some drinks (and fancy finger foods) until the rest of the group showed up (Iman, Chris, Jacob) - then the food line opened up and we got some amazing samples of the restaurant's food (including tasty deserts) - there was live music, announcements from radio personalities (that I actually recognized) and great comradery - eventually (2100), Jan and Ronnette arrived and we met even more people she knew - I departed close to 2145 and drove home (not raining so hard any more but I was actually tired!)]

Arlington, VA (USA)

[work - took Metro to Pentagon City at 1600 and met up with Stephanie at Sine for happy hour - stayed until just after 1800 and then went home (via Metro and Huntington)]

Beltsville, MD (USA)

[at 1445, I drove over to Beltsville for Brother Jim's Christmas Open House - met his nephew, Ben (and Ben's girlfriend, Anna) - ate some great food and stayed until about 1800 - drove home (some traffic but generally fast), arriving about 45 minutes later]

Arlington, VA (USA)

[work - took Metro to Pentagon City at 1515 - solo happy hour at Chevys until around 1730 - Metro back to Huntington]

Washington, DC (USA)

Most years, I take Mollie with me to see the pretty lights at the National Zoo.  Sometimes, Brenna has come with me/us.  But this year, we had a special treat - Erin wanted to come!  And, even more exciting, we were able to coordinate attendance during FoNZ Member Week (something I've always wanted to do).  I picked up Erin and Mollie at Nicky’s at 1600 and we drove into DC.  There was lots of traffic and road closure issues - this made things difficult and I got a bit lost.  Mollie helped me get back on track and we were able to get a parking spot by 1645.  Erin didn't know what to expect from ZooLights but she was a bit excited.  When we first arrived, we found a lot of other people in line for tickets (etc.) - I knew there were other places to wait so I walked into the Zoo alone.  As a result, we got separated while we searched for a FoNZ booth to give us our swag for Member Week.  Eventually, I found out that the booth near the Panda Pavilion would give us a bag of items (free ride tickets, carry sack, glowing snowflakes).  Erin and Mollie caught up to me shortly after that and we got some dinner (hot dog for Erin, Stromboli for Mollie, chicken strips for me).  When we finished eating, Erin asked if we could get some hot chocolate and we walked a short distance to find a place that was selling little Italian got chocolates (VERY rich!).  I also got an apple cider donut!  Since we were near the top of the hill, we got some photos at the Connecticut Avenue entrance and then walked all around the Zoo, taking pictures and enjoying the scenery.  There were new “lantern animals” - a huge upgrade - and the regular cool lights. We sported our lighted snowflake necklaces and browsed in the tents of the Grump Holiday Market (something we've never seen there before).  I convinced the girls to go for rides on the carousel and the ZooTube (they had fun).  We then continued our walk back towards the car and left the Zoo at around 1930.  I dropped off Erin and Mollie at Nicky’s 2015.  I believe Erin enjoyed the evening as much as Mollie and I always do - can’t beat Zoo Lights!

Arlington, VA (USA)

[I left my apartment at about 1715 - drove to Crystal City Gateway hotel - parked at around 1745 - waited until 1800 in the lobby until the cocktail hour for my company Holiday Party started - enjoyed meeting up with lots of colleagues (Tony, Bill B, Arnie, Marci, Frank, Ronnette, Ron, Jan, Arnie, David, Michael, Jabel) - went into the Ballroom and ate a delicious dinner (buffet style) - lots of prizes, some dancing, etc. - stayed until 2230 and then drove home (arrived after 2300, no parking)]

Washington, DC (USA)

[work - at 1630, took Metro (Yellow) to U Street and then walked down the street to the Service Bar - met up with a lot of my former colleagues and enjoyed some good drinks and food - walked back to Metro and headed home (1930) - picked up Mollie at 2020]

Washington, DC (USA)

I got a VIP tour of the Capitol today! My guide was a distinguished staff intern from James Madison University.  At 1445, I met Erin at Senator Maggie Hassan’s office in the Hart Senate Office Building and she introduced me to her colleagues, who had high praise for her work this year. We then took a little subway over to the Capitol Building itself. Erin took me to several places with amazing views and I got to see many behind-the-scenes features in the area of both House and Senate Chambers. The public tour areas weren’t too crowded and we sometimes went beyond the typical boundaries, wandering freely through a maze of offices, committee rooms and the old Supreme Court chambers. Erin knew some of the staff members and pointed out several Senators she’d become familiar with(including Senator Hassan herself, who we saw during one of our train rides) during her Washington Semester. Near the end of the visit, we sat in the Gallery while the Senate voted to confirm a judge. Erin had actually helped Sen. Hassan prepare for this vote - her participation in that kind of process impressed me! She had to go back to work so I said goodbye to her near her office after about an hour and a half. I’d toured this building a few times before but it was a canned tour - for obvious reasons, I’ll never forget this visit!  I walked from the Capitol back to L'Enfant plaza and ended up running into Joe and Stephanie (they were headed to the Capitol Christmas Tree lighting).  Since it was raining and I didn't have an umbrella, I didn't stay with them.  Instead, I took the Metro to Pentagon City and had solo happy hour at Chevys.  I left for home at around 1900 and was in my apartment about 45 minutes later.  What a special day!

Harrisonburg, VA (USA)

Brenna and I made arrangements to meet at Cracker Barrel in Harrisonburg this morning!  I left Marion just after 0600 and drove north on I-81.  It was raining and I barely avoided a major accident when I came across a broken down car that was blocking the left lane (no first responders anywhere nearby) near Salem.  After getting by (whew!), I tried to notify the State Police but no one answered the phone.  Oh well - I'm sure the post-Thanksgiving drive for everyone later in the day will be messy...   Both Brenna and I arrived at the restaurant at 0900 (she had just returned from Alexandria the night before).  We ate breakfast together and had a nice talk.  I stayed with her until about 1015, when she left to go to church and I left for home.  There were (already) massive traffic jams between Harrisonburg and I-66 and it kept raining.  However, I arrived back at my place, feeling great after a successful trip, just after 1200.

Hiawassee, GA (USA)

Bittersweet morning, knowing that this was probably my last day of AT hiking in 2019 but also excited to have a shuttle ride instead of a backtrack. Got gas and picked up a sandwich (the lady making it was very nice) at Ingles in Hiawassee (0705).  I also got breakfast to go from Hardees (0720) and then drove to Unicoi Gap (via GA-75) to meet my shuttle driver. Ron showed up just after I did (0800) and quickly took me over to Hogpen Gap. On the way, he told me all the bailout points for the section and gave me instructions on how to avoid being attacked by the wild hogs on the ridge (!!!). He also shared some of his shuttle business model (24x7x365 service, 8,000+ miles driving every month), giving me some ideas for a possible third career... We drove through some rain but found the sun shining at my starting point. After saying goodbye to Ron, I headed NOBO at 0830. Today, I started on the ridge close to 4,000 feet, so no climb was required. However, the trail soon began to descend... The morning started out warm (low 50s) so I wore a short sleeved shirt all day (gonna miss this weather). While it was dry where I was initially, I saw ominous rain clouds along the ridge where I was going. And those hints turned to reality within about three miles - I went into a cloud bank and walked through a “mister” for the next hour. It wasn’t actually raining but I felt nice and damp when I finally broke out of the cloud during my 1,000 foot descent into Low Gap. I passed two solo backpackers (one guy, one girl) but didn’t see anyone else in the first seven miles. A bonus today: I found a section of AT that must have been built while the evil Trail Designer was on vacation! For the first time in the whole week, I got to walk for miles and miles on a pleasantly graded fire road with few rocks, roots or water hazards! I was feeling really good when the trail started uphill again just past the midpoint. Encountered a Dad-Daughter backpacking duo from Florida (they were cold) and a young man wearing a “Flora-Bama” shirt! I found out he was a Marine Student Aviator on leave just after finishing API - he’s got a huge adventure ahead of him and I wished him well. One challenge interrupted my Zen: the climb up Jacks Knob to Chattahoochee Gap. Ron had told me it was “as bad as Kelly Gap” (steep climb to the north( but I’d shrugged this off with “at least I’ll only have to climb it once!” After the trail leveled off, I met up with a Dad and his young son, who were trying out their backpacks on “the easiest section of AT in Georgia” (I couldn’t argue). I continued towards my car without any problems until I passed Red Clay Gap, which was the start of my climb up Blue Mountain. Several questions came into my head here: (1) who let the evil Trail Designer come back to work?; (2) if the rocks are all green and there is moss everywhere, shouldn’t it be called Green Mountain?; (3) did someone think that piling rocks for hikers to walk on was a good idea? I don’t remember outwardly expressing any curses during my climb over not one, not two, not three, but FOUR false peaks. After a day of flat and featureless terrain, I really paid for this shuttle ride - rocks, roots, mud, slippery leaves, drop offs... Passed one last hiker (and his German Shepherd) about half way up to the “top” (he was coming down, lucky bastard...). Finally, I reached a place where the AT took a turn downhill, despite the fact that there was another ridge to climb. From there, I could hear the cars at Unicoi and see long distances to the north (it had cleared up a bit and the temps had reached the low 60s). Took my time going down the steep trail with the end so close, reaching my car at 1430 after nearly 14.5 miles (some of it retread). Sore but feeling giddy from taking such a huge bite out of GA this week. I just have one more section (to the NC border) and I’ll be done with another state!  I left Unicoi Gap at around 1600 and called Mollie as I drove north on GA-75.  I was trying to stay ahead of the rain and was mildly successful while I was on US-64, heading east.  I called my dad and talked to him until I was on I-40.  Ended up switching to I-26 (and drove north) during the call but then it started pouring and I said goodbye to him.  The drive across Sams Gap was treacherous (it was getting dark - add fog!).  There was a lot of traffic after I passed Erwin.  I stopped for gas fillup at Boones Creek QP in Johnson City, TN (1805) and then took North Roan Street and TN-75 to the northeast (passing Tri-Cities Airport).  This allowed me to use the Airport Parkway until I reached I-81.  I drove to Marion and stopped for the night at Travel Inn (1950).  I ate dinner (part of the sandwich I'd gotten in the morning) in my room and watched TV.  I was glad to be off the road - it was getting wetter and colder all evening.  Really can’t complain, though, because the weather conditions for the hiking this week couldn’t have been better. Hope to see Brenna tomorrow!  AT Today = 14.20 miles / G.T. AT = 1526.36 miles

Hiawassee, GA (USA)

I worked in my hotel room for a few hours this morning and didn't leave Hiawassee until around 1000. I got breakfast to go from Hardees before heading into the mountains.  The best part of my delayed departure, though: temps were in the 50s already! I used US-76 and GA-75 to reach Indian Grave Gap Road (gravel, USFS-283). Within the first hundred yards, I encountered a creek that crossed the road! I could see the pebbles in the water (i.e., about three inches deep) and decided to take "Nessie" through the obstacle. She did great! The rest of the climb up to Indian Grave Gap was OK but the condition of the road gave me pause - I'd wanted to drive all the way up to Tray Gap to park but decided against it when I reached the trail crossing where I last hiked in 2017. This meant that my climb was an extra 500 feet, for a total of 1,500 feet to the Tray Mountain summit, but I figured I was as rested & ready as I was going to be all day and started NOBO at 1000. I noticed that another USFS road (79) crossed the AT a few times during the climb so I bailed off the trail after about a mile and followed the road towards the next parking area. There were huge, deep mud puddles and several places where I would have had trouble getting my car through and I was glad I'd parked early. I was even happier when a car pulled up behind me and offered a ride! Gladly accepted the offer and piled into the car with an older gentleman and a young lady hiker. The drive was less than a mile, but it was enough time for me to realize that this was Ron, my shuttle driver for tomorrow! He and I joked a bit about this being an audition and (re)confirmed the pickup time and location for the morning. Soon, we were at Tray Gap and we said goodbye to Ron - the lady hiker headed downhill while I continued uphill. The climb wasn't too bad (lots of switchbacks, for once) and I was pleasantly surprised at the huge number of view points. It was overcast but the visibility was good enough to see lots of cool scenery: Hiawassee, flat lands to the south and Powell Mountain (where I climbed yesterday - it was actually covered with clouds). Passed a family of four, heading south, and soon started to hear some loud voices below me to the north. When I caught up to the pair of older guys making the racket, I saw they were about 50 yards apart, carrying on a conversation! I asked them if anything was wrong and they replied that they didn't want to descend all the way down the other side of the mountain (because they'd have to climb up again). They asked me how far the shelter was - I didn't know, but had noticed it was in the vicinity of a mile from the summit. That was apparently too far for them and the reversed course. After that, I was alone for several hours and, like yesterday, it was eerily quiet. The sun peaked out a few times but it was cloudy all day. A light breeze kept me cool and made the series of short roller coaster hills for this part of the hike more bearable - I was in a short sleeved shirt all day. There weren't too many landmarks nearby so I had to keep watching out for clues to the location where I'd turned around yesterday (1 mile south of Sassafras Gap) - fortunately, I recognized the place again! Nearby, there was actually a signpost (someone had stolen the sign itself) that would have made an excellent marker but I'd somehow missed it the day before. Started back towards the car and immediately got views of Tray Mountain in the distance... At around 4500 feet, it was a formidable sight and I started dreading having to climb it again since there really hadn't been any switchbacks recently - leaves were needed to block my view! But, somehow, I trudged and plodded my way all the way back up the hill, encountering only three people: a solo backpacker guy who seemed to enjoy correcting my hiking math ("you *only* walked six miles") and a young couple leaving the AT at the Shelter (for the night). Back on the summit, however, I started to see huge numbers of day hikers - it was crowded up there (and the parking lot explained why)! When I got my views again from the top of the tallest mountain I've climbed this week, I breathed a sigh of relief and started down towards my car with some extra pep in my step. Didn't see anyone else until I'd almost finished - a young Asian couple, who didn't seem to speak much English, enthusiastically wished me a "Happy Thanksgiving!" but said little else. Finished my day just after 1600, having hiked more than 12.5 miles. The drive back to town (including a second transit of the creek!) was uneventful.  Mollie called me when I was hiking and then we played phone tag for a few hours in the evening - when I finally talked to her, she said she was just checking on me to find out how my trip was going.  I ate dinner at Taco Bell in Hiawassee (1810) and relaxed in my room for the rest of the evening. Gearing up for my longest section of the trip tomorrow - wish me luck! AT Today = 6.70 miles / G.T. AT = 1512.16 miles

Hiawassee, GA (USA)

Thanksgiving Day!  I got breakfast at McDonalds in Hiawassee (0810) and, while eating inside, formulated my plans for the day.  During several previous trips to Hiawassee, I’ve looked at the trail guide for the area southeast of town on US-76 and thought “that’s too hard, I’ll hike it later.” Today, the bill came due... The temps started in the 30s again and I stayed in town until the sun started warming up the mountains. After breakfast, I drove east to the AT Trailhead at Dick’s Creek Gap. By 0915, I started SOBO, starting a steep, 1,500 foot climb up Powell Mountain. It had warmed up into the 40s but it was cooler in the shady areas on the west side of the ridge. I started with two layers (one a short sleeved shirt) but, when I came into the warm sun, it got too warm. But then a cold breeze tried to blow off my hat! For the next two hours, I layered down and layered up several times - I was either sweating or shivering... Almost immediately after I reached the summit of the first climb, the trail dropped down again (almost as steep) into Deep Gap (I was disappointed in the lack of creativity of the names nearby - there was another Deep Gap only 15 miles north in NC). On the way down, I got a good view of Hiawassee and Chatuge Lake in the distance. I passed another hiker (Ridgerunner?) and a trio of backpackers in this area - didn’t chat. After the Deep Gap Shelter, the trail climbed up another 1,000 feet to the summit of Kelly Knob (duplicate name for an AT landmark in VA). And, after I’d plodded up there (more good views), I headed right down again. Talk about PUDs! The next few miles after that were mini roller coaster hills that bottomed out at large campsites. When I reached Sassafras Gap (my intended backtrack point) I decided that I wanted to get some extra distance - I felt good and thought I could shorten my planned hike for the following day. Using my pedometer, I continued for another mile until I encountered terrain/trees that I could use for a turnaround point. Then I headed back towards my car. I didn't stop very often but, when I did, I noticed how quiet it was (nice!)... The temps rose into the high 50s and I still had energy - it made for a good afternoon. The two huge climbs I had left seemed daunting but I trudged up carefully and steadily until they were done. When I started my descent to US-76, my brain was wiped and my body was full of endorphins! Actually, it seemed like I was hiking brand new trail (I thought “did I really climb this hill?”). I was done by 1545 after around 14.5 miles (some of this was retread from 2014).  I didn't have a long drive to get back to town and I decided to clean up quickly before heading out to try the one restaurant I'd heard was serving meals and/or the grocery store.  Despite my haste, I must have taken too long getting ready and almost every single thing had already closed (Ghost Town!).  Luckily, the Ingles crew was working, as they'd promised.  After looking around inside for a bit, I discovered that they had a Thanksgiving Dinner spread set up behind the glass in the deli.  I ordered some delicious turkey and some good sides (including a huge slice of Southern cornbread) - the employees seemed glad that someone (anyone) had come by to try this meal (and justify their being open from 0700 to 2300 all day).  I think they were very generous on the portions!  Also picked up a Lazy Hiker six pack (Wesser Evil Porter) and headed back to my room (1655).  I set up in my room on the bedside table (plastic fork and spoon) and watched football.  Mollie and I talked in the evening about her own holiday experience (it sounded great).  Spent the evening resting and reading (until bed time at around 2300).  Felt really good to have taken this bite out of the trail today - will climb some more peaks in the area tomorrow! AT Today = 6.90 miles / G.T. AT = 1505.46 miles

Suches, GA (USA)

It rained all night so I stayed in town until it looked like things were drying out.  I watched some TV, read and ate a nice breakfast at the hotel (1015).  As a result, I didn’t leave Dahlonega until around 1030. I didn’t have far to drive (US-19 to GA-60) to reach the AT Trailhead and was actually hiking (NOBO) by 1100 from Woody Gap. What a difference a day made in the weather! There was fog below me and the trail was muddy - but the temps started out in the mid 50s, allowing me to wear a short sleeved shirt. The initial stages of the hike included a steep climb up to the Preaching Rock, an aptly named vista point above the Gap. I passed a young couple on a day stroll but didn’t see anyone else during the ascent. After passing this landmark, however, I encountered five backpackers - the last two (a pair of guys) were speaking a foreign language (Eastern European?) that seemed familiar but I couldn’t place it. The section ended up featuring a series of annoying PUDs and I stubbed my toes enough with buried rocks and routes that I started looking for an escape to use during the backtrack. After about five roller coaster hills, I finally arrived at my turnaround point, Jerrard Gap and reversed course immediately. I passed another hiker during one of the hills but we didn’t talk - I kept going for about two miles until I found a faint trace of a trail in the area I presumed to he Henry Gap (unmarked) - an internet AT parking site said a paved road was only about 70 yards away and, pleasantly, I discovered it was true. I wandered through many pretty vacation homes (I assume) until I reached GA-180 at a point about three miles from the town of Suches. I walked west for a few miles - the “hike” on the pavement was actually pleasant, not just for my feet but because I saw slices of North Georgia living that I’d missed when driving: four wheelers, cows, horses and chickens in the yard; Confederate Battle Flags and Uga statues; fishing ponds; and hunting dogs of various temperaments. I used a cutoff route around town (Glen Elliott Road) that took me to GA-60 less than a mile from my car. By then, the clouds had disappeared and I was treated to spectacular views of the mountains in all directions - it was so pretty! Even better, the gentle grade of the highway made it an easy climb to Woody Gap - I arrived after hiking nearly 12 miles by 1600. Before leaving the parking area, I ended up seeing the pair of Eastern Europeans, Andre and his friend from Eastern Ukraine, come out of the woods. They didn’t recognize me at first (because I’d gone around them with my backtrack) but then got really friendly (aren’t all hikers the same?). Andre told me they’d been speaking Russian and were waiting for his girlfriend to arrive from Charlotte four hours later (! “we finished too soon”). I was fascinated by their geopolitical perspective - they joked that “real Ukrainians” (from the west) made fun of them because they didn’t speak their native language “properly”. I offered water to help them cook but they declined (it occurred to me later that Rep. Adam Schiff might now call me as an impeachment witness...). I ate one of my delicious oranges (I need to bring these more often!) and then called Mollie to chat.  She told me that she and her sisters were going to have Thanksgiving dinner with Austin’s family.  We talked briefly about the University of Georgia Mountain Research Center I passed and she said she would check it out online.  I drove through the mountains and “Brasstown Valley” to Hiawassee and then looked around briefly for a place to make my new "headquarters" for the next few days.  When I checked at the Hiawassee Budget Inn (1800), it looked like a good place to stop - I paid for three nights up front so I had a shot at finishing almost the entire AT section of Georgia!  The hotel manager did give me a funny look when I told him I was hiking through the holiday - he actually asked why on earth I would want to be alone in the woods on Thanksgiving.  Isn't that a rhetorical question?  After getting settled, I drove a short distance to the Taco Bell (I'd visited this place several times before) and ate dinner (1840).  I also checked at several restaurants and stores to see if they would be open on Thanksgiving - almost universally, they planned to close by noon.  Fortunately, the employees at the one grocery store in town (Ingles) said they were open for their normal hours.  Back in my room, I watched some TV and read some more before going to bed (2230).  AT Today = 5.70 miles / G.T. AT = 1498.56 miles

Dahlonega, GA (USA)

There was frost all over the car when I went outside this morning... I didn't hurry, hoping it would warm up, and got breakfast at McDonalds in Franklin (0800). Counting on the forecast being correct (50s), I left Franklin via US-64 and headed to the southwest. For once, there was no fog at Winding Stair Gap and I made good time crossing the mountains. Down in the Hiawassee Valley, however, the fog was as thick as pea soup! Followed NC-69 into Georgia and then used US-76, US-19, GA-180 and GA-60 to reach the hiking zone. I also had to drive on a gravel road (Cooper Gap) to reach the desired trailhead at Hightower Gap. I arrived at the AT by 1030 but didn’t get started for 15 minutes because there was a guy parked there who worked for the Army and helped maintained the gravel roads in the vicinity. He gave me some tips on getting back into town after I was finished. Armed with this new knowledge, I headed into the woods (SOBO). The temps *might* have reached 45 by this point and I was comfortable in just a long sleeved shirt with a light jacket in reserve. I was a bit concerned about the lateness of my start time because rain was predicted in the evening (in town). However, it started out sunny and I felt very energized. I climbed up to the ridge (Hawk Mountain) and encountered a huge crowd of Asian backpackers. They smiled pleasantly but didn’t saw much to me (for the rest of the day, I wondered if it was this group that had spray painted big white arrows on the trail). The next people I saw appeared to be a family of three generations, with a very determined grandpa leading the way. Shortly after that, I passed a mellow, bearded Millennial who seemed to be just walking along with no goal in mind. I chatted with him briefly but his mind seemed to be elsewhere. After that I didn’t see anyone (or animals) until I reached the VERY crowded Long Creek Falls area. This attraction, which I bypassed, was located only one mile from the Three Forks area and the gravel road (USFS-58) was packed with cars. I must have passed close to 50 people in a two mile stretch. Previously, I’d been up on a ridge but then had to descend close to a 1,000 feet. After leaving the busy area, I had to climb back up to another ridge to get to the turnaround point. I didn’t see anyone for a while during my ascent of the base of Springer Mountain. By this point in the day, I’d become frustrated by the sporadic use of white blazes by the trail maintainers - most of the time, I couldn’t even tell I was on rye AT... I eventually reached the southernmost sign for the Benton MacKaye Trail (I crossed it three times), which my mileage tracker indicated was my stopping point in 2014. Unfortunately, I started to have doubts about whether it was actually the same place. Usually, I have a sort of deja vu when I return to a trail milestone but I felt nothing this time. I had cell signal and checked my blog notes (no help) and a photo I’d taken the last time - the latter clue *looked* similar but it was hard to tell (angle of the sign)... Decided to hike a bit further, just to be sure, and eventually headed back towards my car. The inbound hike was almost a carbon copy of the outbound, with crowds at Three Forks but almost no one anywhere else. I encountered the three generation family (on their backtrack) and the grandpa quizzed me about my day and experiences in North GA on the AT. After that, I soloed the rest of the way. It started to get overcast and the setting sun behind me was partially blocked by clouds. It didn’t matter, though, because I was done at 1615 after almost 13 miles. Drove out of the woods, following the advice from the Army guy, and arrived in Dahlonega (my overnight waypoint) at 1700, just in time to hand my mail to the postal clerk as she closed up for the day (lucky!).  I got some dinner at a nearby Taco Bell (1715) and made an online reservation at the Quality Inn (I stayed there in 2014), checking in at 1815.  Soaked, rested and vegged for the rest of the evening (bed just after 2200).  It’s supposed to rain tomorrow but I’m hoping to get another section completed before heading back to Hiawassee... AT Today = 6.50 miles / G.T. AT = 1492.86 miles

Franklin, NC (USA)

With no cell signal along the TN/NC border, I had to rely on my memory of the road names to get to I-40. I was not completely successful in following the most efficient route but I eventually made it back to civilization and drove (via US-74) all the way to Bryson City. Took NC-28 to NC-143 and found myself at Stecoah Gap (~3,100 feet) and the AT Trailhead by 1445. The temps had improved dramatically (low 50s), allowing me to go with only a long sleeved shirt (winter jacket in reserve). As I was getting ready, a dad and his little boy came out of the woods and wanted to talk about all the things to see and do nearby. The guy said the family had a cabin nearby that they were using for the week and I tried to direct them to fun things I knew. Got started (NOBO) by 1500 and immediately remembered why I’d aborted the section after half a mile when I tried it in 2014: VERY STEEP! The first part was ok but it got much harder before I reached the top (~4,000 feet). The guide called the climb “Jacob’s Ladder” but I didn’t reach heaven or even a view! Instead, I had the pleasure of descending back down (equally steep) to my turnaround point, Brown Fork Gap Shelter. I’ll admit that I did some grumbling as I traversed this portion... Eventually, though, I found myself on the high ridge again and was able to enjoy the descent (avoiding falls and butt-slides to the bottom). I could see all kinds of scenery (some blocked by trees but there wasn’t a cloud in the sky): Fontana Lake, the series of mountains the AT uses to cross Great Smoky Mountain National Park, blue ridges everywhere! I didn’t see any people or animals but I could clearly hear many motorcycles transiting the mountains and valleys via the Cherohala Skyway. Years ago, our family drove that route from Tellico Plains in Tennessee (very pretty). There was some ice on the ground, especially in the shade, but I was relieved not to see any snow for miles in all directions. Reached my car by 1700 after almost 5 miles (could only count part). It wasn’t quite dark yet (gotta love the late sunsets!) and I was about to leave for Franklin when a section hiker approached me, asking where the advertised spring was. I told him I didn’t know and asked if he was short on water (he was). Luckily, I was able to pay back some of the trail magic I got a few months ago.  Made good time to my overnight rest stop in Franklin, North Carolina, and checked into Budget Inn (1810).  Thought about going over to the Lazy Hiker but decided to stay close to my room.  Instead, I rested in my room and got dinner at McDonalds (2000).  Was tired, so went to bed early (2145).  Tomorrow: Georgia! AT Today = 1.90 miles / G.T. AT = 1486.36 miles

Hot Springs, NC (USA)

Waking up in Marion, I found myself in a good position this morning - left by 0700 and was on I-26 in Tennessee by 0800. There was a ton of fog throughout the drive and I saw lots of snow on the ridges above Erwin, when the AT went. Got gas fillup in Erwin, TN (0830).  Decided to try the trail farther to the south and took TN-352 into North Carolina. Temps stayed in the low 30s until I reached Hot Springs and then creeped up towards 40. Decided to head for Garenflo Gap (off NC-209) and finish a rather short (but very remote) section. After driving up a muddy gravel road, I found the AT Trailhead and left my car (NOBO) by 1000. I only wore two layers (and one was a short sleeved shirt) because the forecast said we’d get 60s eventually. Regretted this after the first mile, which was entirely in the shade. I had another layer in my bag but didn’t end up using it because the trail looked back into the sun. From there, I was relatively comfortable. The ground was wet, almost as if it had just rained, but I didn’t see any snow. The ridge I was following had minor climbs and descents and I made very good time to my turnaround, Deer Park Mountain Shelter. Didn’t stop and started my backtrack immediately. Never saw a single person and didn’t encounter wildlife. By 1230, I was back at my car after almost 7 miles. Felt really good and decided to make an attempt to hike in another location to the southwest. Just before leaving, though, a dad and his two boys (from Florida) showed up in the parking lot and asked me a lot of questions about the conditions and terrain. They seemed so excited and driven - I envied the hiking camaraderie they had (and told them so) but still wished them luck as I departed for another AT section... AT Today = 3.40 miles / Grand Total AT = 1484.46 miles

Marion, VA (USA)

I managed to escape DC (AKA “The Death Star”) today and headed south towards the my hideout in the Smokies (“Yavin 4”). Mollie had spent the weekend with me and was supposed to get a ride home before I left for my hiking trip,  Things looked good at about 1700, when Nicky arrived for the pickup, but Mollie wasn’t ready.  About 15 minutes later, she departed and I finished packing - as a result, I left Alexandria at 1730.  This was a bit later than I'd wanted, but I drove to the southwest (I-495, I-66, I-81) through the expected traffic (almost all of it near DC) without complaining ("the mountains are calling...").  It was mostly a good drive - I spent some of it playing with the features (e.g., voice texting) of my new car.  Arrived in Marion by 2250 (whew!) and got a room at the Travel Inn.  Went to bed almost immediately so I could get an early start in the morning!

Alexandria, VA (USA)

[knowing the kids would be home (for Thanksgiving Break), I set up a brunch event with the Twins - I arrived at the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant at 1330 and got us a table - Brenna, Erin and Austin arrived about 10 minutes later and we enjoyed a great meal together - before saying goodbye to them (at about 1530), we made plans to get together soon for Zoo Lights - after I reached my car, I realized I'd forgotten my umbrella - made it back just in time before they closed for the afternoon]

McLean, VA (USA)

[left house at 0600 and arrived in McLean by 0700 - walked around the grounds of MITRE (and at Safeway, nearby) for over an hour - inside the building (0745) - meetings most of the morning - had to take a break to run a telcon before lunch - then met everyone at the MITRE cafe for lunch - meetings all afternoon - done in McLean at 1450 - drove home and immediately encountered closed Beltway (ugh) - tried to find a way around the traffic (back roads near Little River Turnpike) but wasn't successful - home by 1600 - teleworked at my apartment]

McLean, VA (USA)

[left house at 0615 and arrived in McLean by 0625 - walked around the grounds of MITRE (and at Safeway, nearby) for about 45 minutes - inside the building (0800), met all my co-workers and took a long walk to our meeting room - meetings/demos for the whole morning - lunch at MITRE cafe - more meetings after lunch - done in McLean at 1500 - drove home (pretty easy drive) - teleworked at my apartment]

Arlington, VA (USA)

[work - at 1615, took Metro to Pentagon City - happy hour (solo) at Sine - also had half price burger - left by 1745 and took Metro back to Huntington]

Washington, DC (USA)

Today, Mollie and I spent the whole day in the District, collecting NPS stamps! After picking her up from Nicky's house (1000), I chauffeured Mollie to the Visitor Centers for the National Mall and the White House.  We’d already been to all the parks in the immediate area but hadn’t got all the stamps for Mollie’s book before. While waiting (about 45 minutes overall for the two locations), I thought about taking Mollie to Ford’s Theater but decided we should get stamps for places that were harder to visit.  So, we drove north (through the city), to visit the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House NHS.  Unfortunately, it was closed.  Undeterred, we drove to the Nature Center for Rock Creek Park. At the latter stop, we found that the Planetarium was closed for maintenance but the horse stables were open. It was brisk and overcast so we only took some short walks in the area before heading south again. We used US-29 and side streets to cross the city (traffic was horrible) but eventually reached the Navy Yard, where we ate a delicious lunch at Gordon Biersch (1245). After about an hour at the restaurant, we crossed the Anacostia and located the Frederick Douglass NHS. We watched an inspiring film about the civil rights icon and then walked the grounds of his historic home. From “Cedar Hill”, we could see for miles, including the major landmarks on the Mall. At 1445, we headed back to Alexandria. Topped off my day by walking Mollie’s dog, Bear. Mollie was quite elated about our day - she’s now collected a stamp for every box in her Passport Book for the National Capital Region!

Woodbridge, VA (USA)

[drove to Woodbridge to meet up with Kelly & John (and their friends) at Matchbox for Kelly's birthday brunch (1000) - I tried many, many plates from among the Brunchbox selections and drank several kinds of brunch drinks - met several other people (all Kelly's happy hour crowd) and stayed until around 1330 - I then drove home]

Annapolis, MD (USA)

[today was a sad day, as I said goodbye to one of my friends (Chris) - Erin had said she wanted to go with me to the funeral in Annapolis, so I picked her up at 0845 and we drove to the Naval Academy - Erin asked me a lot of questions about Chris during the drive - she also helped me find the entrance to the Academy and we located the Chapel by about 1015 - it was rainy and cold but Erin wanted to get something to eat and we walked a short distance to the 1845 Coffee Shop - I got her some hot chocolate and a snack and we talked about the Maryland Statehouse, which we could see just outside the gate - by 1045, we went back to the church and I helped Melissa and her boys to carry things inside - Erin and I paid our respects to the family and then settled into some seats near the front - the service went from 1100 until about noon - I gave one of the eulogies and Erin was very comforting and encouraging - afterwards, we drove to the Columbarium to attend the inurnment - lots of our mutual friends were there, braving the elements - once that was complete, we went to the Officers Club for a reception - I talked to a lot of people and Erin patiently waited with some of my friends - she later joined me in my rounds and met some of the family (including Chris’ daughters) - we left for home by about 1500 and made good time to Alexandria - I thanked Erin for coming and supporting me - we talked about the funeral and the loss of family members - I was very glad she'd come with me today - I dropped her off at Van Dorn Street at about 1615 so she could ride the Metro to attend her evening class]

Dublin, VA (USA)

I was up at around 0700.  Spent some time cleaning up and getting ready before heading to breakfast at Bojangles - I used one of the gift cards (0800).  Since Brenna was not able to meet, I had nowhere I had to be all day.  So, I left Marion at 0830 and drove north on I-81 until I reached the Dublin area.  Decided to visit the Claytor Lake State Park for a few hours.  I’ve been passing this place for years but had never stopped.  Stretched my legs along the lakeside and stayed in the park until about 1030.  After that, I got back on the Interstate and headed towards home.  Spent a bunch of time on the phone with Chris' family, prepping for tomorrow.  Stopped in Daleville/Troutville, where I got gas at Dodge's Store (1115), and made great time for the rest of the drive.  Actually, it was only about three hours before I was in Alexandria again!  I stopped at Mission BBQ (1435) for a free sandwich, ran some errands (drycleaning, groceries and clothes shopping) and then unpacked at home (1630).  I worked on the eulogy some more and then went over to Manchester to try to get a Veterans Day dinner at Chili's.  It was mobbed (no parking available) so I tried the IHoP instead (not as crowded).  I was able to get a great "Red, White and Blue" pancake breakfast (mmmm).  Headed home to get ready for the week.  Glad I could get away for a few days!

Hampton, TN (USA)

Woke up at 0645 in Yadkinville, NC (US-441) much later than I wanted but the temps were still in 30s when I finally got on the road (8:30). I was NOT itching to hike when it was that cold and I was counting on the sun to make things right. Stalled in my room (eating breakfast at the hotel). Fortunately, it warmed up into the 40s, so I decided to continue west to Hampton so I could hike another AT section! On the road by 0850.  Passed through Boone, home of the red hot App State Mountaineers, and used US-321 to get into the hiking zone. Parked at the Trailhead on Dennis Cove Road by 10:45 and was SOBO about 15 minutes later. I was initially layered up (x2) but the steep climb to the first ridge warmed me up nicely - I spent the rest of the day in short sleeves (!!!). It was right on the edge of comfortable - when the wind picked up, I shivered, but the sun warmed up (50?) the side of the mountain where I was. Regardless, my body was not happy with all the climbing, slippery leaves, rocks and roots - realized that it had been more than a month since my last AT day and I paid for the break during my 2000+ foot ascent... In several places, I was blessed with some beautiful views of the Roan Highlands in the distance - I could also see signs of civilization below me (US-19E). About halfway to my turnaround (Moreland Gap Shelter), I encountered two guys who’d spent the weekend on the trail (yikes/brrrr!). They were smiling because of the great hiking weather, so I didn’t mention my struggles. I crossed a gravel dirt bike path and, just after that, I started to hear (and smell!) a rider who was racing up the mountain from the town below. It seemed like it took forever for the nasty smoke to clear... A bit later, I met an older man who was section hiking in celebration of his recent retirement - talked to him and learned that he was basically a hostel connoisseur. He had enjoyed several nights indoors and was planning another - I guess hostel hopping during the off season is a good option for the chatty. Made pretty good time to the shelter (feet hurting, back aching) and backtracked immediately. I had expected the return to be basically downhill after my morning climb but I was wrong - the mountain wanted more of my energy and I paid some more. Passed a young couple that was practically sprinting down while I was going up - I was glad for the break but had to scramble to get out of their way! When I finally did reach the actual downhill for the backtrack, the sun had fallen behind a ridge in the west and it began to get darker and cooler. In my haste to beat the elements, I took a nasty spill - one of my feet stepped on what looked like solid ground but it was actually a leaf covered root on the edge of a steep cliff. It was hard to tell what mattered more: my bruised knees or my heart (it was beating very hard as I tried to stop my slide). No serious injuries but I resumed my hike with a lot more focus on my footfalls! I didn’t see any more people - or any animals, unfortunately. However, I heard a murder of crows loudly harassing someone or something as I neared my car. Finished at 4:35 after around 12 miles and closed up another AT loophole in TN. Decided to head towards home since I’ve got some important things to do near home this week.  Drove back to Hampton and continued west.  Tried to get dinner at Taco Johns in Elizabethton but it was closed.  Instead, settled for a meal at Cookout (1715), where I ate for the first time (it was good).  Thought about staying in Elizabethton but figured I should try to get closer to Brenna in case we were able to get together the following day.  Did some shopping at Walmart and then headed west on US-321.  Got on I-26 and started talking with Brenna - I stayed on the phone with her all the way to I-81 and then getting off the Interstate in Marion.  Checked into the Travel Inn and watched the end of a few NFL games (1900).  Also watched Sunday night Vikings-Cowboys game (good).  Bed by 2300.  Hopefully, I’ll be back in the trail again in a few weeks! AT Today = 6.10 miles / Grand Total AT = 1481.06 miles

Durham, NC (USA)

I've gotten tickets for a Notre Dame football game every year for about six years now.  As usual, I had trouble finding someone who could go (after Mollie canceled on me at the last minute).  Oh well...  I got up early and left home at around 0830.  Drove south via I-95 and I-85, stopping for gas at Love's in South Hill (1100) - I also got some lunch at McDonalds nearby (1110).  After I was back on I-85, I made several phone calls - I talked to Eileen, Kevin H and Greta (she was actually in Raleigh).  The drive went very well and I arrived in Durham by 1230.  It didn't take long for me to locate the Duke Campus but I had to ask for help to find a good (free) place to park.  Eventually, I located a lot with lots of ND Tailgaters - wish I'd brought my portable grill!  I worked on eulogy for a couple of hours and then walked around several parking lots.  I figured out that I was near a small shopping center so I walked over there to get a late lunch at Noodles & Company (1515).  I then took a walk on the Duke University Campus and took pictures of the architecture.  Back at my car (as it was getting dark), I hung out with more tailgaters in the parking lot.  At 1800, I walked to the Stadium with many other ND fans.  One dad (my age) saw my ND Apex jacket and freaked out - he knew when I'd got it (1991) because he had one too!  After exploring the vendor tents outside, I went into the stadium at 1830 and walked all around, looking for beer (there was none).  After giving up, I got some food at Duke Blue Devil Concessions (1830) and ate nearby.  I ended up talking to a young guy from the Richmond area (ND fan and Cop from Binghamton).  Actually, it was a great chat and I met his girlfriend (also a Cop).  By about 1915, I found my seat.  By then, it had gotten REALLY cold.  The good news, though, was that the game was great - there were many exciting plays and I really enjoyed the ND fan atmosphere.  I stayed in my seat until halftime and then started walking around to get warm.  I watched half time festivities (including the parachute team) and then looked for good places to watch the 3rd Quarter.  I found a spot where I could see the end-zone up close and got to witness one more ND touchdown.  With about three minutes until the start of the 4th Quarter, I left the stadium.  Someone handed me some Bojangles gift cards on the way out!  I made my way back to the car (brrrrr!).  Fortunately, it wasn't too hard to get out of the campus but it was after 2200 by the time I reached I-85 again.  At that point, I was in "find lodging" mode but I was also mindful of my opportunity to hike in the morning and wanted to get closer to the AT.  I drove west until reaching I-40 and then continued on to Winston-Salem.  I listened to the ND game until I lost the signal, then switched to the NC State versus Clemson game (boring).  Eventually, I picked up the Appalachian State versus South Carolina game and it was very exciting.  All of this kept me from falling asleep as I drove into the night.  I switched to US-441 and drove all the way to Yadkinville, where I checked out the only hotel (Days Inn) in the area - fortunately, they had reasonable rates and I got a room by about 2345.  After all the excitement and "go, go, go", I found it hard to fall asleep...

Washington, DC (USA)

[work - Metro and walk to Fogo de Chao for lunch (Veterans Day meal) with Sean G and Casey - had a great time (there for almost two hours) - then walked back to L'Enfant to finish my work day]

Washington, DC (USA)

[work - at about 1615, I left work and walked to Penn Quarter - met Stephanie, Joe R and Kelly at Plan B and we had a drink - Joe started pressing us all to go have dinner (Oktoberfest Plate) at Old Ebbitt - remembering my last experience there (in 2018), I warned them that we'd probably need a reservation - Joe didn't believe me and kept pressing - we eventually succumbed to his wishes and walked over to the restaurant - when we got there, we found out there was a 90 minute wait for a table - the bar was so crowded that I sat across the aisle from everyone else because there wasn't enough seating - eventually, Kelly had to leave and I got a seat at the bar - we ordered the special dinner (it turned out to be the last night we could have ordered it in 2019) and it was good - by about 2000, we headed back towards L'Enfant - Joe and Stephanie wanted to get into the Metro ASAP but I wanted to walk - I directed them to Federal Triangle and I walked the rest of the way to L'Enfant - then Metro home]

Arlington, VA (USA)

[work - took Metro with Kelly to Pentagon City (1610) and went to happy hour (and half priced burger!) at Sine - stayed until around 1815 and then took Metro home]

Alexandria, VA (USA)

[work - left for home on Metro at 1630 and stopped to visit Sabrina and Chavez (impromptu Halloween party) at their home in Alexandria - stayed for about three hours and had a fun time - home by 2000]

McLean, VA (USA)

[left my place at 0615 to attend software demos at MITRE in McLean - arrived at around 0645 and spent the next hour walking around the campus, including visiting the nearby Safeway - by 0800, I went inside the building where our meetings were going to be (help from Dan K) - was in the conference room by 0815 and everyone else arrived later - spent the next three plus hours in the demos - very productive and interesting - finished with all meetings and post-demo discussions by 1300 - drove home and teleworked for the rest of the day]

Washington, DC (USA)

[work - at 1715, took Metro to Federal Triangle - walked to National Union Building for MacAllan Manor whiskey tasting event - I had tickets for 1800 but ended up solo - the hosts let me in at around 1735 and I was in the first group of attendees - we started with and informal happy hour (about 20 minutes) and then started climbing stairs to reach the first stop of our tour of the MacAllan whiskey-making process - in the room (decorated with colored lights and "trees"), we learned about the ingredients (smells, flavors, textures) used by the manufacturer - after about 15 minutes there, we moved to the second location (more stairs) - there, a man dressed as a "butcher" took us through a pairing exercise (cheeses, meats, fruits) for each of the three Scotch whiskeys they let us sample: Sherry Oak, Double Cask and Triple Cask - each of the drinks was aged in different ways, sometimes with Sherry seasoned casks made out of different wood and other times with ex-Bourbon barrels - we all wore aprons and had a fun time sampling - after another 15 minutes, we walked up more stairs to a wide open bar area - for the next 10 minutes, we listened to a MacAllen rep talking about ways to enjoy the whiskey with friends and family (and we got more to taste) - the rep made a perfect sphere out of ice for us and talked about other items we could buy to improve the atmosphere - after this point, the demo was over and we were given two wooden chips that could be exchanged for mixed drinks at the bar - I tried each of the cocktails ("The War is Over" and "Scottish Commodore") and enjoyed the live music that was playing for close to 30 minutes - at 1915, I was done with this outstanding event and left for home (walked to L'Enfant and took Yellow Line to Huntington)]

Arlington, VA (USA)

[work - took Metro to Pentagon City and walked to Fashion Centre for happy hour (solo) at Matchbox (drinks and chicken tortilla soup) - left for Alexandria on Metro at 1700 - stopped to pick up Mollie (and take a walk nearby) - then drove home]

Washington, DC (USA)

[work - took Metro to Mount Vernon Square and walked to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center for the ATCA Annual (arrived at around 1530) - registered and then walked the floor - looked for my company booth (found it and said hi to Arnie, Iman, Scott P and Tony T) - walked around to other booths and met up with Charlie, Tim, Luke, Sean G, Arnie, Ray P, Jim R, Kelly, Jim L, Scott A, Tabitha, Greta, Aaron, George B, Mel, Bahar, Anetra, Bob M, etc.) - went to a happy hour, hosted by Frequentis, from 1600-1700 - walked with crowd of friends to the Marriott hotel (about two blocks away) - had drinks at the Dignitary Bar and then met up with another crowd in Lobby Bar - followed Arnie to the SpacialFront Afterparty (1830) and met the CEO - hung out with several engineers, including Tasha - walked down the street (north) to the Baby Wale (for the Thales Afterparty) but the line to get in was too big - walked the opposite direction until I reached Cuba Libre (1930), there the Veracity Afterparty was already humming - inside, I found most of the folks I'd talked to at ATCA - stayed for over an hour, mostly talking with Greta, Tom and Warren - Greta offered me a ride, so I walked with her and Tom to Portals III (via Metro Yellow to L'Enfant) - she drove me back to my apartment (after she learned that Tom didn't actually need a ride to Springfield Metro, he needed one to Burke...) - I was home at around 2130]

Landover, MD (USA)

Greta picked me up at 1100 and we drove to Landover, MD to attend the 49ers vs Redskins game at Fedex Field.  It was raining a lot and the traffic moved very slowly all the way.  Still, we arrived in the parking area by 1145 and went inside the stadium at 1210.  Jan (my boss) was already in the Suite and we found a good seat to watch the pre-game activities.  The food was great and we had nice conversations with several of my co-workers who had also attended (Mark M, Ron, Ronnette, new people).  The game started at 1300 and it turned out to be an error-prone, soggy affair.  The time actually went very quickly but the Redskins couldn't even score one point.  Greta and I departed with about six minutes left in the game.  By the time we reached I-495 (1600), the game was over.  There was lots of traffic all the way back to Virginia but we made it to my place safely.  Greta dropped me off at around 1630.  Another fun day, thanks to the perks of working at my company!

Montross, VA (USA)

Stephanie arrived at my apartment at 0900 and we packed up for our trip to Westmoreland State Park.  We took my car because it had more gas.  There was a lot of traffic on I-95 but we made it to the outskirts of Fredericksburg by 1025.  I filled up on fuel at Wawa (Stephanie also got snacks).  We then drove east on VA-3.  Stephanie was very excited about all of the fleamarkets and antique shops we passed.  We reached the State Park at 1115 - the weather was beautiful - and the gate guard at the park gave us information about finding fossil shark teeth near the picnic area on the west side of the park (a place I'd never been before).  However, when we looked there, we couldn't find anything.  In a vain attempt to reach a promising area down the beach, we walked along the bluff on "sort of" a trail but eventually gave up and went back towards the car.  We asked a local lady where the best searching was and she said it was over at Fossil Beach (where I'd been with Mollie previously).  So Stephanie and I drove there and parked.  There were lots of cars - most of the people had been there early for the low tide fossil searching.  We walked to the beach and started looking.  Stephanie tried to "melt" the thick sandstone rocks along the bluff but it took forever and yielded very little.  Many other people had brought colanders and shovels but the best way to locate the fossils appeared to be by walking the "seaweed line."  The kids called me a few times (to sort out a disagreement) but I was generally able to enjoy the peaceful search.  Eventually, we ended up (along with many other people) in a "danger area" and started to find interesting fossils.  At about 1300, I found a shark tooth - very cool!  The tide started to rise so we left the state park.  I took Stephanie to the restaurant, The Art of Coffee, where Mollie and I had eaten in February.  We got some paninis and enjoyed a meal, finishing just as the place was about to close (1500).  We then drove a short distance to the Montross Brewery and tried a flight (6) of their beers.  We then picked two we liked and drank those.  By 1615, we were on our way west again. Stephanie wanted to visit the Bourbon Distillery but it was too late in the day.  Instead, we stopped (1630) by the Highmark Brewery and tried another flight - this time, it was 16 (!!!) beers.  We stayed at the place for almost three hours.  Stephanie got some fries ("dinner") before we left and then I drove her back to Alexandria (2030).  She left for home from there.  We had a really great day!

Washington, DC (USA)

I woke up early and picked up Mollie (0600) so we could get her DOD ID renewed.  I used I-495 to get to Branch Avenue (so we could take the Metro).  Along the way, Mollie realized she had forgotten her Metro Card...  Fortunately, I had another one and we got on the train at around 0630 and got off again at the Navy Yard station.  Mollie and I got breakfast at Bethesda Bagels and then walked to the entrance of the Navy Base.  We got on post pretty easily and walked across the property, arriving at the ID Card Office at 0730.  Our appointment was for about 30 minutes later but the nice people working there squeezed us in early.  After we got Mollie’s new card, we walked back across the base and then to the Metro Station.  After a quick Metro ride, we arrived back at my car (0815) and I drove Mollie back to Alexandria (0845).  We stopped at Nicky’s so Mollie could pick up some earrings and give me the cookie dough I’d bought during Mollie’s JROTC fundraiser.  I then drove Mollie to Edison and took her inside to check her in late (end of first period).  After I said goodbye to Mollie, I went home to telework.

Washington, DC (USA)

[work - walked to Archives/Navy Memorial at 1615 and met Greta for happy hour at Plan B - we stayed until almost 1930 and then I took the Metro and Fairfax Connector to my apartment (arriving at around 2100)]

Arlington, VA (USA)

[work - at 1600, took Metro to Pentagon City for happy hour at Chevys (solo) - had fun texting with Sabrina, Kelly and Stephanie about a young couple having a blind date at the bar - Stephanie later showed up to watch the shenanigans - we stayed until about 1830 and then I headed home on Metro]

Oxon Hill, MD (USA)

I picked Mollie up at 0900 and we went to have breakfast at La Madeleine.  We then drove over to Beltsville, Maryland, to visit Brother Jim at the LaSalle House in Ammendale.  We arrived at about 1030 and stayed until almost 1300.  During our visit, we learned about Brother Jim’s 89th birthday and his 70th anniversary in the Christian Brothers community.  In addition to some good conversation, we ate a delicious lunch (sausage and egg omelet, vegetable soup and strawberries) there.  Mollie got asked a lot of times about her college plans (by the former teachers who lived at the House) and she handled the questions well.  After saying goodbye, Mollie and I drove back towards Alexandria.  We stopped at the Oxon Hill Farm (NPS Unit) on the way so Mollie could get another Passport Stamp.  Since the weather was pretty nice, we spent time walking around the grounds, including a short detour near the Oxon Cove.  We saw cows, horses, pigs, chickens, goats and sheep and Mollie enjoyed herself a lot.  It eventually started sprinkling and I took Mollie home (1500).

Arlington, VA (USA)

[work - at 1515, took Metro to Pentagon City - solo happy hour at Chevys - very animated (and slightly worrying) woman at the bar - glad she left... - left for home at about 1715 - lots of traffic on Telegraph Road - at my house by 1800]

Marion, VA (USA)

I didn't sleep well and got up very early.  I left the hotel about 0730, picking up breakfast at McDonalds in Marion (0740).  Drove north on VA-16 until I reached Hungry Mother State Park (0800).  I used an REI receipt to get free parking and then took a walk on the Lake Trail Loop for a couple of hours.  By 1000, I headed back into Marion and got on I-81.  Stopped in Salem (1100) for gas - had to leave interstate and drive into town to find a reasonable price.  I was pleasantly surprised that my new car got over 500 miles on one tank!  Got back on I-81 and drove to Harrisonburg.  Brenna called me when church was over and we coordinated a meetup.  I arrived at her apartment at 1235.  We then drove to visit the group house that Brenna planned to rent for her fifth year.  The "Rough House" was an old place located just blocks away from Brenna’s classroom building and the historic downtown.  I learned that there were eight IVCF ladies living there - most of them were going to move out but be replaced by more IVCF girls.  One of the residents gave us a tour and I was surprised to see that Brenna would get a pretty big room.  After we left, Brenna told me that I was being “surprisingly chill” about her moving across town!  I told her it was because she was almost graduated and I was happy she was taking responsibility for her future.  We drove to Walmart and I got some groceries for Brenna (1400).  As we were paying, I realized how tired I was - so I said goodbye to my daughter at around 1415 and headed home (via I-81).  There was a lot of heavy traffic near the I-66 merge - actually, I was in traffic almost all the way (grrr...) and it took about two hours for the drive.  I'd had enough by Centreville, so I used the Fairfax County Parkway to get to my house.  Felt pretty good after my backpacking adventure and started looking forward to more such trips in the future!

Shady Valley, TN (USA)

I was wide awake by about 0500 but the sun didn’t come up for almost two more hours. Mistake 3: should have made breakfast on my stove. Settled for ClifBar and cleaned up the campsite, departing at around 0800. Ran into a NOBO hiker a few minutes later - he confirmed my location on the map (I hiked seven miles last night), meaning that I only had to hike about four miles to my target (Vandeventer Shelter). This part of the hike was harder than the previous day’s - it was windy, cool, foggy and really hilly. I had more energy than I’d expected but was sore from yesterday’s hike and last night’s sleep. Still, I made good time to the shelter and backtracked after only a short break to admire the view below. At this point, I had started being careful of my water - it seemed like I would have enough but I wasn’t sure. And then the sun came out and messed up all my plans/assumptions. When I passed my campsite, I was almost certain that I’d need more water to reach the car. But where to get it? Oh yes, begging for Trail Magic! Someone had to come by in the other direction, though. At mile number nine for the day, I was excited/relieved to see two SOBO Thru hikers (married couple from NY, Snowman and Super-Sport) coming towards me. I tried my best “wet dog” impression and it worked - I got about a liter of water, which seemed like insurance. The “mom” decided that I looked bad enough that she gave me cheese and a huge orange. They stayed with me, talking about their adventures, until the third member of their party, Wanderer, arrived. He was even more friendly, offering me a drag from his Juul. By that point, though, the water had refreshed me and the orange had restored my blood sugar enough that I was “sure” I’d make it to my car. I started plodding through the last six miles, with breaks at the shelter and about 1/2 mile from the end. I hadn’t remembered the number of climbs from the night before (in the dark) and the mountain kicked my ass. I drank every drop of water and all the food I had and felt very lucky when I successfully completed the 22 miles in two days (with 15 miles on Day 2). Kept thinking about the some “For Want of a Nail” but substituted “orange/water”. Fortunately, Trail Magic bailed me out again! Not something I’m proud of, but I learned a bit more about the amount of work and preparation it will take me to finish the AT. Exhausted and sore, decided to go into town for the night.  I left the AT Trailhead on TN-91 (after declining food from Trail Angels having a cookout there) at around 1545.  I used TN-133 to get to Damascus and then continued on VA-91 to I-81.  Drove to Marion, leaving the Interstate a VA-16.  I checked into the Travel Inn (1705) and spent some time soaking in the tub.  I went across the street to Bojangles for dinner (1830).  For the rest of night, I read and watched TV in the room.  Went to bed at around 2200.  Will try another backtracking trip soon! AT Today (RON) = 8.10 miles / Grand Total AT = 1474.96 miles

Shady Valley, TN (USA)

In all my years of hiking the AT, I’ve usually stayed overnight in a hostel, lodge or motel. Based on experience, I’ve found that I get a better night sleep and feel fresher and almost pain free with this paradigm. And this has worked great because of the awesome trail towns and easy accessibility to the trail. But there are sections in the 700 remaining AT miles that can’t be “slack-packed” from town - some are in the Smokies and many more are in NE New England. To get ready for these, I decided to pick a difficult section in Tennessee and do a backpacking trip! This section was “marooned” in 2014 and 2017 - the 22 miles it would take me to finish the eight in the middle seemed like a good candidate for my dry-run (and had cell signal). Before leaving NoVA, I teleworked at my apartment for a few hours.  It took me a long time to get ready to leave: I had some difficulty fitting everything into my Osprey 50L (27 pounds when full) and I had to make the choice to leave behind my water reservoir, reasoning that I could refill water with my Sawyer Squeeze filter along the way.  Didn't get started on the road until almost 1130.  As a result, I was stuck in traffic almost all the way (grrr...).  Used I-81 (no stops) all the way to VA-91.  After getting off the Interstate, I took a break at a truck stop and then drove to Damascus.  Switched to TN-133 and then took TN-91 until reaching the AT Trailhead (1715).  The weather was very nice (temps in high 70s) but I felt a bit rushed/late by the time I started (SOBO) at 1730 (it was about an hour later than I’d wanted). Somehow, the additional weight and size of the backpack seemed OK. Temps were bearable and I had a full stomach. I had to climb up onto the high ridge of Iron Mountain to get back to the place where I’d turned around in 2014: the Nick Grindstaff Monument. From there, it was new trail! I’d seen huge piles of bear scat during the climb, so it wasn’t really surprising to run into a couple of cubs, just off the trail. They were terrified and raced up some trees - they glared at me for a few seconds but I couldn’t get my camera out in time (I was looking for Mama) before they scampered down and ran away. About 100 yards later, I encountered two more bears (older and less afraid). These guys looked at me from their berry-picking spots on the trail and didn’t appear to be planning to move. Thought for sure I’d get a photo this time but one ran away and the other scrambled up a tree and back down again (wow!) faster than I could react. Another 100 yards later, I found two humans (an older weekend hiking couple) “doing their business” right on the trail! They were completely out of water and reported that they planned to walk back to TN-91 (4 miles) to get some. At that point, I should have joined them... Nope - with almost three liters left, I continued.  The fire-red sunset was spectacular and almost made me forget that my dilemmas were increasing...  I met two hikers in the Iron Mountain Shelter who repeated the same message about water: all springs dry until the Watauga Dam (12 miles away). By then, it was dark and I knew the whole plan would collapse if I gave up. So I kept going. Passed three hikers in a campsite nearby but didn’t see anyone else for the rest of the night. Did I mention that I’d attached a bear bell to myself? Using a headlamp to hike the last hour - I was blessed by a bright moon, lights from town and along the lake. Found a campsite (at about 2030) just about where I’d expected it and set up my (one person) tent in the dark before going about 100 yards away to hang my bear bag. This was mistake number two (didn’t cook dinner). Read in my tent until around 2300.  At first, the temps were in the 80s but they soon dropped into the 50s so I layered up and burrowed into my sleeping bag. Somehow, I managed to fall asleep, despite a loud owl nearby and my alertness for bears. A few hours later, however, a heavy wind started and pine cones and twigs fell on my tent for the rest of the night. I dozed through a lot of it but became aware of the tent walls and the fact I’d set up on a slight incline.  Hoping for some luck (weather, water, etc.) in the morning!