It is Christmas Eve. And it just happens to be my birthday, made it to 69! I wish I could give you something profound to contemplate but, it comes down to realizing it is simply: Good to Be Alive! I am always reminded throughout the year that we are living in a fabulous time in…
Car-Camping Damascus, VA – Day 2 “Find Your Way – Take A Hike” Biking the lower half of the Creeper Trail and the Barter Theater The Virginia Creeper Trail is 34 miles of indescribable beauty and a remarkable trail for year-round hiking, biking or riding your horse. The Creeper is an old railroad bed which…
Car-Camping Damascus, VA – Day 1 Getting into nature takes many forms, one of which is car camping. There is virtue in taking very many conveniences to a designated camp site and setting up shop with a cooler of food, folding chairs and a walk-in tent. (Beartree Campground: www.nps.gov). What a great introduction to this…
Stage 2: Ennerdale Bridge to Borrowdale (Rosthwaite)1 We are treated to Ennerdale Water (lake) which is one of the famous lakes in the lake region. The conversation always turns to the Loch Ness monster. If any body of water could produce Nessy, Ennerdale is the perfect place for the monster. The trail is sometimes shear…
Stage 1: St. Bees to Ennerdale Bridge1 The inaugural 14 miles seemed tough because it was. And we had to get used to the dead-reckoning, folksy narrative of the Steadman guide book: “Don’t enter forest, but turn left and go through gate-keeping forest and fence to your right” (page 74, route to Cleator). What gate—this…
I like self-deprecating stories. Especially when I’m the topic of conversation. Naturally, when reading this, one would assume that I’m pretty conceited and self-centered, au contraire. I’m simply just a huge proponent of being able to laugh at your own follies and mistakes, and hopefully learn and adapt. The Honest Backpacker suggested I could blog…