Midnight New Year's Eve _ Overlooking the Shenandoah Valley

I have ushered in the New Year in many different ways and in many different places over the years, but my hands-down, no-debate-necessary, all-time best way to experience midnight Dec. 31 is sitting on a Skyline Drive overlook with fellow hikers, gazing at the fireworks and city lights in the distance.

This was the second time I participated in the Northern Virginia Hiking Club's New Year's Eve hike. We carpooled to the north end of the Skyline Drive in Front Royal and walked around the barricades and onward along our journey. (The Skyline Drive is closed to cars in winter.)

We hiked roughly 2 miles up the road to the first overlook and waited for midnight, enjoying the stars, eating peanuts and toasting the arrival of 2014 with fizzy juice. The view was grand, the company was grander, and all were full of thoughts about the wonders that lie ahead in the new year.

Afterward, we hiked back to the cars and made the traditional trip to the 7-11 (always open, of course!) for hot chocolate and such. That's where we posed for the obligatory photo, given it wasn't very feasible to take pictures in the dark during hike.

All in all, it's much better than watching a ball drop on TV. You should join us next year.

Also, now that 2014 is here, it's time to get serious about your vacation plans. Sign up for one of our hiking trips at http://myhikingvacations.com. We'll be going to Switzerland, Vermont, Vegas and the Shenandoah this year.

Happy new year. And see you on the trails.

Joseph

Moonlight Hike

The moon makes a brief appearance at the start of its namesake hike.

Ah, the moon. The river. Can't get much better than a night hike along the Potomac.

This was another outing of the Capital Hiking Club, a moonlit hike along the C&O Canal to Great Falls Park northwest of Washington, D.C.

The "moonlit" part was a bit of a misnomer. I'm glad I took this photo before we started _ because the clouds quickly hid the orb from view for the rest of the night.

It was an easy, flat, 2-hour trundle with some 50 people. Flashlights weren't needed even without the moon. The trail of crushed white rock was easily visible. The rushing waters of the falls sounded even more powerful in the dark.

Hikers near woods with flashlights. (Not too many photo-ops on this hike.) 

Of course, there are a few extra precautions when hiking at night. Bring a flashlight in case you need it (along with spare batteries). Choose your destination wisely. Always hike in a group. Make sure it's a path with solid footing.

Otherwise, it's a great way to spend an evening. Give it a try sometime.

And, while you're thinking about it, sign up for one of our hiking trips for 2014. We'll be going to Vermont, Switzerland, Vegas and Virginia.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

"Don't Shoot Me _ I'm a Hiker"

It's hunting season, which means hikers and hunters are sharing the woods. Even if you're hiking on protected land where hunting isn't allowed, there's always a chance a hunter will accidentally stray into your area.

How do you protect yourself on the trail? Here are some very good tips from the Green Mountain Club.

Remember: Orange is your favorite color this time of year. And, yes, some stores will even sell you an orange shirt that says "Don't Shoot Me _ I'm a Hiker."

We make sure to avoid hunting season with our hiking vacations. Take a look at our schedule and join us next year.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

Peace and Beauty Behind the Strip Malls

There's a hidden gem in my area. I want to tell you about it, but I want to keep it a secret because I don't want to see it spoiled.

Sunrise over the Potomac River with a roaring campfire

Not that I think it ever will be spoiled. It's a private plot of land on a cliff overlooking the Potomac River, an absolutely gorgeous place to go camping, especially when leaves are changing in the fall.

I was there with a group over the weekend. Our campfire was only a few yards away from the cliff. We saw all sorts of animals. We went orienteering. The stars were brilliant at night. And the sunrise over the river was spectacular in the morning.

The untold story is that the owners of this property have been offered millions many times over by developers who would love to put hotels, restaurants and anything else you can imagine on this prime piece of real estate. The owners keep saying no. They've even put it in their will that the land can never be developed in perpetuity.

Less than a half-mile away, there's a Target, a Home Depot and literally hundreds of other stores as you work your way toward the sprawling area around Leesburg, Virginia. We don't need more of that stuff. We need more people like the family who own this farm, people who can actually say no.

It was a great weekend. I glad they let us camp there. To pay our way, so to speak, we cleared some dead trees and picked up a whole lot of trash that had washed up a stream. I'm sure we'll be back.

Meanwhile, don't forget to sign up for one of our hiking trips in 2014. Click here to visit our website and find out more.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

A Solar Powered Hiking Shelter

It used to be that hiking didn't require electricity, at least not much. All you needed was batteries for your camera and flashlight.

These days, of course, everyone seems to carry a cellphone. And maybe a GPS. And maybe a tablet. And those things have to be charged every now and then. (Think about it _ when someone stays overnight at your house, they look for an outlet to charge their phone, right?)

Full disclosure: I carry a cellphone when I hike, but I usually remove the batteries. It saves power, plus it protects the phone from being permanently damaged in case it gets wet. Cellphones are handy in emergencies, but I sometimes feel we rely on them too much. ("Oh, I can take this dicey trail _ I can always call for help if I get hurt or lost." Yeah, right.)

This leads us to today's hiking news item. Solar panels have been placed atop one of the shelters frequented by hikers on the Appalachian Trail near Waynesboro, Va. The shelter isn't actually on the trail itself, and you've already reached town anyway, so it's hardly in a middle-of-nowhere place. Where you'd really like to see something like this is on a remote stretch of the trail, where there's no civilization around.

Still, it's a start. I'm a big fan of solar energy, so anything that helps the cause is good. Check out the full story in this report from NBC29.

And, of course, you can bring you cellphones when you join us next year for one of our hiking vacations. Hope to have you along as we go to Switzerland, Nevada, Vermont and Virginia. Check out all the details here.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

A 13-year-old Ray of "Sunshine"

She's 13 years old, and her trail name is "Sunshine."

And she's quite a hiker.

Reed Gjonnes of Salem, Oregon, has become the youngest known person to hike the so-called "Triple Crown" _ the three major long-distance trails in the United States. She and her father have conquered the Pacific Coast Trail, Appalachian Trail and Continental Divide Trail.

And let me repeat that she's only 13. And she did part of it with a broken arm. 

I remember reading about Reed in the Washington Post when she and her father were doing the AT. Now that she's finished all three trails, you can read about her adventures in this story from Zach Uruness of the Salem Statesman-Journal.

Well done, Reed.

The hiking trips we have scheduled for next year aren't as demanding as anything that Reed attempted, but they sure are awesome ways to spend a vacation. Check out our schedule and join us in Switzerland, Vermont, Nevada or Virginia. 

See you on the trails.

Joseph

And When October Goes ...

A little fall of rain didn't deter my neighbor. 

But there was one concession to the weather _ a canopy.

I suppose the coolest way to spend Halloween would be a hike to a cozy cabin deep in the woods, but that very idea spawned the "Friday the 13th" movies. Maybe it's just more fun to chill out with the neighbors.

That's what we do where I live. We take over a cul-de-sac, light a fire in the middle of the street, set up tables with homemade goodies and enjoy each other's company while streams of kids and parents drop by to say hello.

My pumpkin whoopie pies (see yesterday's blog) were a big hit. Gotta save that recipe, for sure. Needless to say, we all went home with warm hearts and full bellies.

Today is All Saints Day, when we're supposed to be rid of all the evil spirits of the day before. In my case, it means a longer-than-usual bicycle ride to make up for all that Halloween food!

Back to thinking about hiking. The new year will be here before you know it, so start thinking about those 2014 plans. Check out our website and join us for a hiking trip.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

Ahhh! Lots of homemade treats for all the scary folks.