Waiting for the Poe Toaster

If the three people in this photograph appear cold and stiff, it's because we were, well, cold and stiff. The temperature was about 17 degrees and there was a persistent breeze through downtown Baltimore on Saturday night, but that didn't deter some 20 or so Edgar Allan Poe fans from turning up for the annual Poe birthday vigil at his gravesite.

For decades, a mysterious visitor would leave three roses and a half-bottle of cognac at Poe's grave in the wee hours of Jan. 19. The visitor's identity has never been revealed _ it's a legitimate great American mystery.

Unhappily, the visitor hasn't returned since 2009, much to the disappointment of Poe fans and adding even more mystery to the quest to learn the identity of the "Poe toaster."

I am a Poe fan, but I must confess that I attend the vigil because I share a birthday with the great writer of the macabre. It's a fun way to celebrate my annual trip around the sun. We renew acquaintances, swap stories, read Poe poetry and _ as you can tell from the photo below _ have started giving Olympic-judge-like scores to the "Faux Toasters" who have showed up in recent years to imitate the original.

Sure, this doesn't have much to do with hiking, but it's an adventure! Just like a hiking trip! And since you'd have to wait a full year to take part in the Poe vigil, you might as well as good ahead and sign up for one of our hiking trips in 2014. Start planning your trip now.

See you on the trails,
Joseph