A Week on Skyline Drive

Today I need to get back to work with a full agenda for the week, including preparation for an intercompany transfer, a road trip to Las Vegas next week for a speaking engagement, and all those delightful things that justify getting paid. Meanwhile, I also have a queue of blogposts that will be going up about discoveries last week in the Shenandoah Valley - I may not have accomplished everything I set out to do on the "staycation" - but I did get quite a few of them done.



After the preliminary kitchen upgrade work - deliveries and the dishwasher installation - was done on Tuesday, I was able to do five day hikes, averaging about 4 or 5 miles a day and 900 feet of climbing, all in Shenandoah National Park:

• Calf Mountain (Southern District) - photo is from this one
• Powell Gap (Southern District)
• Jones Run Falls (Southern District)
• Fox Hollow (Northern District)
• Compton Peak (Northern District)

Three of these hikes were from the "Easy Day Hikes" book (link http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0762734159?ie=UTF8&tag=hawkscabin-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0762734159 ) and the others were "freelanced," although the Compton Peak hike was the result of a recommendation from Ranger Mike at the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center.

For vacation reading, I completed Colin Fletcher's "The man Who Walked Through Time," (link http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0679723064?ie=UTF8&tag=hawkscabin-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0679723064 )

and "Long Distance Hiking on the Appalachian Trail for the Older Adventurer" (link http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0938631209?ie=UTF8&tag=hawkscabin-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0938631209 ) by David Ryan.

Both made for good recreational reading and a review will follow...

Of course, I had some time for socializing with friends in the Valley, special thanks to Howard on the tip to visit the Speakeasy (this is the pub at the remodeled Mimslyn Inn in Luray) on Thursday night - had a great evening out (and taught the bartender how to make a Ketel One dirty martini, up with two olives - and tested the results on Saturday night)...

Also, the farmers' market, a chat with Sally and Dan, cicadas, praying mantises, Jesse visiting to take a look at the work involved on the kitchen remodel...and a great walk through town with Mary on the Hawksbill Greenway on Sunday.

Of course, there is the sad note that Mary and I lost our beloved Gracie last week. So far, both of us find ourselves thinking about her a couple of times a day. I am still not ready to post on this; we had her for more than 14 years and there is a lot to sort through.

I am really looking forward to getting these hike reviews up, and will do so over the next two weeks. Meanwhile, ciao for now!