All Hallow's Eve

Pumpkin whoopie pies. Easy to make. Let's hope they taste OK. 

It takes longer to clean up the kitchen than it does to make the treats.

It's a busy day, so this will be a short blog. I was up late last night making pumpkin whoopie pies for All Hallow's Eve, which we know today as Halloween.

I discovered pumpkin whoopie pies at a shop in Harper's Ferry, Maryland, and had to try to make some for myself. I pureed one of the pumpkins on my front stoop and made them into little cakes stuffed with cream cheese filling.

I'll hand these out when I gather with friends around our small fire tonight in the middle of the neighborhood cul-de-sac. For me, that's what Halloween has become _ a chance to sit with friends, interact with all the neighbors and their kids and enjoy their company. I might even throw on my "Trashman" costume. (We'll have photos tomorrow in my "All Saints Day" blog.)

Here's hoping you, too, have a neighborly Halloween.

And, yes, don't forget to visit our
hiking website.

See you on the trails. And around the fire.

Joseph

Racing Through the Woods With a Map

My map and my final time sheet.

It's a sport that has a long, intimidating name, but don't let that put you off. If you enjoy the outdoors and have any sense of direction whatsoever, you really ought to give orienteering a try.

You're given a map, a compass and a computer chip to wear on your finger. You dash through the woods (some people run, some people walk) trying to complete the course.

Anyone can do it. Even a 6-year-old could finish the very simple White course, while the experts go for the Green, Red or Blue. In between, there's Orange and Brown. I'd call it a rainbow of choices _ but not all of those colors are in the rainbow.

I'm fortunate to live in an area where there are many orienteering events sponsored by the good people at the Quantico Orienteering Club. They have something going on nearly every weekend in the spring and fall in the parks near Washington, D.C.

On Sunday, the fun was held at Prince William Park in Virginia. About 300 people turned out. I opted for the Brown course (intermediate level) because I had been on a 14-mile hike the day before. As you can see if you click on the photo, I had a bit of a struggle finding No. 6. (I kept looking in the wrong ditch.) Nevertheless, I finished fifth. In fact, if you're really a stat geek, you can see the breakdown of my times and how they compared with others on the QOC website here, here, and here.

You can also check out their schedule of upcoming events. Give it a try _ I'm sure you'll have fun.

If you'd rather hike instead of orienteer, don't forget our our hiking trips next year. We're going to Switzerland, Nevada, Vermont and Virginia in 2014.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

Hiking a Roller Coaster

A sign meant to strike fear into hearts of weary backpackers

Roller coasters are supposed to make you scream, right? Well, certainly, there have been more than a few hikers on the Appalachian Trail who have wanted to scream when encountering this sign.

The "Roller Coaster" section of the AT run through the northern part of Virginia. Up and down. Up and down. Up and down. A challenging change of pace from the walks along the relatively flat ridges that one encounters on some other parts of the AT.

On Saturday, we hiked a portion of the Roller Coaster with the Capital Hiking Club, based in Washington, D.C. It was 14 miles from Route 50 to Route 7 _ with an elevation gain of more than 4,000 when you add up all the "ups."

It's a great hike, but you need to be prepared with plenty of water and food. The nice reward comes near the end, when you get a spectacular view of the Shenandoah Valley from the overlook near Bear's Den cabin.

It was also a great time of year to be outdoors. The leaves were colorful, and the sun warmed us up quickly. A fabulous day to be in the woods. There are more photos below, plus lots more on the club's website.

The Shenandoah region is one of our destinations for 2014. Take a look and sign up for a hiking trip to Switzerland, Vermont, Nevada or Virginia.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

Gathering place at the Clarke County line

It was a little chilly when we started ...

... but soon the sun took over, and the view from Bear's Den was stunning as usual.

Let's Go Hiking in, uh, Kansas?

No, I am not planning a hiking trip to Kansas. Not that I have anything against Kansas. As the son of a farmer, I'd love to visit that fine state one day and bask in the wheat fields and meet lots of friendly people.

But as I was thinking about potential blog topics today, I thought: "What state would you least associated with hiking?"

Well, consider this about Kansas:
_ It doesn't have mountains. Its highest point is optimistically called Mount Sunflower, which is in the middle of a field somewhere and is only slightly higher than the rest of the field.
_ It doesn't have a coastline.
_ It doesn't have a National Park. (It does have the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, but that hardly rolls off the tongue like Yosemite or Yellowstone.)

So, just for the fun of it, I Googled "hiking in Kansas" to see what I could find. The Every Trail website offered some options and made one thing perfectly clear right away: Hiking in Kansas involves walking around scenic lakes.

And that's not a bad thing at all. You can, for example, stroll a 12-mile circuit of Wyandotte County Lake, taking lots of nice photos while not having to worry about getting winded on a steep slope or wearing out your knees coming down the other side.

So here's a mighty hello to all the hikers in Topeka and elsewhere. Maybe we'll come visit you soon, and you can show up your lakes.

Of course, if you're interested in Vermont, Virginia, Nevada or Switzerland, you can come with us. Check out our itineraries for 2014.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

When You're 15, And You Say You've Hike the AT, They're Gonna Believe You

After spending all last week blogging about myself and my various personal adventures and misadventures, it's time to return to more fascinating topics _ like, say, the 15-year-old Florida girl who is about to become the youngest person to do a solo hike of the Appalachian Trial.

How about that? Neva Warren (trail name "Chipmunk") should be finishing up in Maine any day now. You can read about her _ and see a video interview _ in this article by outdoors writer Aislinn Sarnacki of the Bangor Daily News.

I've encountered hikers of all ages during my time on the AT. In Vermont, I met a man in his 80s _ Mike Caetano ("Cimmaron") _ who was attempting to become the oldest person to thru-hike the trail.

But it's a special challenge for women hiking solo on the trail. They basically have to endure six months of pick-up lines from male solo hikers, which is no fun at all. I even met one hiker who stopped signing her name in the log books at the shelters just to throw off her "stalkers."

So it's not surprising that 15-year-old Neva has taken extra precautions. She carries mace. She has a GPS so that her parents can track her. They don't hike with her, but they follow along on nearby roads with a camper, where she usually spends the night.

Still, hiking 2,000-plus miles is a fabulous accomplishment. Wish I could've done it when I was 15. Well done, "Chipmunk."

By the way, we'll hike on a small portion of the AT during one of our hiking trips next year. Visit our website to learn more about our vacations to Virginia, Vermont, Nevada and Switzerland.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

The Adventurous Weekend, Part III: 3 States of Mind

Harper's Ferry feels the brunt of politics.

Well, it's time to wrap up the tale of my whirlwind weekend, which began with a 6-hour wait for any of 5 various tow trucks near D.C. on Friday night and continued with a 100-mile bike ride on Maryland's Eastern Shore on Saturday.

Then came Sunday. My friend Malcolm and his son were in town, and they wanted to go for a hike and then do some camping. I suggested various options, and they went for Harper's Ferry, the historic town nestled at the junction of two rivers (Potomac and Shenandoah) and three states (Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland.)

But the government can't shut down a nice view.

 However, Harper's Ferry is so historic that much of it is a National Park, so therefore much of  it was closed because of the federal government shutdown. Even the parking lots were barricaded, which meant the most popular sport in Harper's Ferry these days is the eternal search for a place to plop the car.

We found a space near the train depot and went off on our adventure, walking around town and then across the Potomac River bridge to do one of the most famous hikes in the area _ Maryland Heights. It's steep but relatively short, and extremely popular. Hiking Upward gives it a "5" for views (excellent!) and a "0" for solitude (tourists are everywhere!).

It was unseasonably hot for October, but nevertheless a great day to be outdoors. We hiked, then found a campground next to the Potomac and spent the night. The stars were particularly brilliant.

Onward to Maryland Heights ...

 I don't get to see the Milky Way where I live in suburban Virginia. Nice to see it's still there.

So it was a great weekend after all. Who knows _ I might even get my Prius back soon. And, yes, I'm still working on getting compensation from the insurance company for the tow truck bill.

In case you're wondering, Harper's Ferry isn't on the itinerary for any of our hiking vacations for next year, but we do have a trip that takes you into the nearby Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Take a look at the schedule and be sure to sign up.

... but first, a close look at tadpoles in the Potomac.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

Crowded overlook. (It's a very popular hike.)

Your three intrepid hikers.

Quite the Weekend _ Part II

Yesterday, I described Part I of a whirlwind weekend, one that began with a 6-hour roadside vigil while I waited for any of five tow trucks to come whisk me and my car away. One of your posted on my Facebook page: "Tough luck, Joe. Maybe your luck will change for the better."

Atop the Verrazano Bridge

Today, it's Part II, and I'm happy to report it's a sunnier tale _ figuratively and literally. 

Having arrived at my home in Virginia at midnight from my various tow truck calamities, I had to decide whether I still had the energy to take part in the Sea Gull Century, an extremely popular 100-mile bike ride on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Thousands and thousands ride the Sea Gull every year, in part because it's scenic (leaves are changing in October) and because it's an attainable goal for even a casual bike-rider (the land is very flat in those parts, and there are four rest stops that serve everything from peanut butter sandwiches to Gatorade to apple pie with ice cream). You have to book your place well in advance, and this happened to be the 25th anniversary of the event _ a quarter-century of centuries. 

I had ridden the Seagull once before with my friends Mike and Lou Ann and was looking forward to doing it again, this time with Lou Ann and her friend Amy (pictured above at the 63-mile mark, atop the bridge that leads to Assateague Island and the Atlantic Ocean), but we were supposed to meet at the starting point in Salisbury, Maryland, at 7 a.m. Saturday _ yet here I was still in Virginia and wide awake Friday at midnight.

My original plan was to drive to Delaware on Friday night _ that's where I was headed when my car broke down. I now decided I would sleep in my own bed and set the alarm for 4:30 a.m. If I woke up and felt OK, I would drive down to Salisbury and ride with my friends.

I overslept. Woke at 5 a.m. Nevertheless, I was determined to ride the ride. I'd been looking forward to it. I had paid the money to sign up. Lou Ann and Amy had been expecting me. It would be the only century ride I could do this year because of hiking trips and other adventures. I got dressed and hopped in my old pickup truck (car is in the shop, remember?) and made the drive. My truck doesn't have SmartTag and I hadn't been to an ATM recently, so I paid the $6 toll to cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge with 24 quarters I had scrounged up from a soup mug I keep at home. 

Lou Ann and Amy had already started by the time I got there, but I caught up with them at the first rest stop about 23 miles into the ride.  From there, we had a nice ride the rest of the way. I thought the lack of sleep would take its toll, but the good weather and good companionship and the desire to fulfill my goal of completing the ride combined to overcome my weariness. 

But, yes, in case you're wondering: I slept very well Saturday night. I had to, because there were more adventures to come on Sunday. That's a story for tomorrow.

Meanwhile, be sure to visit our website and check out our hiking trips for 2014.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

An Adventurous Weekend ... to Say the Least

Well, everyone, what a weekend. I hit the full gamut of calamity and adventure. There was hiking, camping, biking and tow truck drama _ not necessarily in that order. Suffice it to say that I have enough material for three blog posts.

The photo at the right is my Prius, which has faithfully registered more than 240,000 miles (all the way to the moon) with very little trouble, but it's getting to the age where something inevitably is going to break down once in a while. In this case, a cooling pump went haywire and left me stranded on the busy U.S. Route 50 between Washington, D.C., and Bowie, Maryland.

I was on my way to Maryland's Eastern Shore to take part in the popular Sea Gull Century 100-mile bike ride. My plan was to arrive at my friend's house Friday night in time to have a nice pasta dinner and a good night's sleep before the long ride. Instead, the car went kaput at about 4:30 p.m.

What a bummer, I thought, but nothing serious, right? After all, my insurance company said a tow truck would arrive in an hour. I would get my car towed to my mechanic and then drive my pickup truck to the Eastern Shore.

The tow truck never arrived. Computer glitch, I was told. A second one was ordered. It also never arrived. It was mistakenly sent to Winchester, Virginia _ some 100 miles away and in the WRONG STATE!! A third tow truck was dispatched. This one was in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia _ more than 100 miles away and ALSO IN THE WRONG STATE!!

By this time, it was dark. I had been waiting for about 4 hours. I had run out of flares. It was getting a bit dangerous hanging out on that busy highway. A fourth tow truck was dispatched by my insurance company, but I decided to take matters into my own hands. I called a local tow truck service to come get me. When it arrived, it successfully towed me for a few miles _ and then it broke down.

That's right, my tow truck broke down. On the Capital Beltway. Pulled off to the side of the left lane. An even more hazardous spot than the one that I had left.

Fortunately, the insurance company tow truck hadn't given up on me. Even though I had canceled it, that tow truck showed up on Route 50 wondering where I was. The driver called me on my cellphone, and I told him I was with another tow truck that had broken down. He found us, made a daring maneuver on the Beltway to position himself in front of my car and towed me to my mechanic. I got home at midnight, having given up on getting to the Eastern Shore to sleep.

Yeah,  it was frustrating, and I'm still dealing with paperwork and trying to get reimbursements, etc. By the way, I still managed to ride in the Century the next day _ on 5 hours' sleep. I'll tell that tale tomorrow.

Of course, after reading all this, you're supposed to be sympathetic enough to sign up for one of my hiking trips, right? Well, as is customary, here's the link to get you started. No tow trucks needed.

See you on the trails. And hopefully not beside the busy road.

Joseph

What Do I Pack for a Hiking Trip?

Recently we did a blog post on the 10 Essentials that you should take on every hike.

Making sure we have everything on the list before a hike in the Alps

But what if you're going on an hiking vacation? You need more than 10 items, obviously, but what else do you pack?

On our website we have a complete list of everything you should take if you sign up for one of our USA hiking trips, as well as another comprehensive list for our trip to Switzerland. Those are two of the most popular pages on our website.

While we like to think we've thought of everything, we're always open to suggestions. Also, while this list is a good starting point for just about any hiking trip, there are certain things you'll need to add for different types of trips. For instance, if you're camping, you'll need a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc.

So take a look at the lists and let us know what you think. And be sure to join us for one of our hikes next year.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

The Extremes of Nevada

Nevada. It's where you gamble and get married quickly.

At least that's the reputation.

It's actually a beautiful state. If you ever fly into Las Vegas, look at the scenery as you approach the airport. Awe-inspiring. Mountains. Canyons. Rivers.
Nature-lovers like to say: "Nevada's a great place _ too bad it's got Vegas in it."

Truly it's a place for both worlds. You can spend a week in Vegas and never leave the casino, betting on blackjack and watching shows. Or you can spend a week exploring outside the city, places like Red Rock Canyon and the Valley of Fire.

Or you can do both. Spend some time in the casinos. Spend some time in the mountains.

That's one reason we're offering a Nevada hiking trip next year. It's a chance to get out of Vegas and explore the natural world, yet you can also spend your evenings soaking up the neon of the city, if that's your thing.

Click here to see the schedule. We're going in the spring _ before the weather gets too hot. Book your spot now.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

Shutdown Blues

Google is paying tribute to a park that's closed.

Today's Google doodle celebrates the 123rd anniversary of Yosemite National Park, which as of midnight became a casualty of the government shutdown.

It's obviously sad when the fallout of dysfunctional party politics is the shuttering of outdoor places we love. One could argue that our national parks and monuments are more "essential" to our well-being than many of the other government-related entities that remain open.

Of course, there are other places to explore if you want to get outdoors, but I feel sad for the families who might spent a good chunk of money on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to a place like Yosemite _ only to show up and find the place closed because of events in faraway Washington.

If you want to keep up with the latest on the shutdown's effect on the national parks, I recommend you follow National Parks News on Twitter. Needless to say, those folks aren't very happy right now.

In case you're wondering, our hiking trips next year aren't specifically tied to national parks _ they will go on, even if there's another shutdown. Visit our website for info about our 2014 journeys to Vermont, Switzerland, Nevada and Virginia.

See you on the trails. And let's hope those parks reopen soon.

Joseph