DT on the AT: Virginia

Spontaneity has made me a more well rounded person...

There are 544 miles (roughly one quarter) of the Appalachian Trail in Virginia. About one hundred of these miles are in Shenandoah National Park. Further south, the Trail generally parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway, eventually going through the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area and then coming into the town of Damascus.

I stared outside my window in disdain for the wintry mix that had been falling from the sky all afternoon. As quickly as it arrived, fall had now disappeared. The reds, yellows and oranges of autumn had been replaced by white.

This time last year I was enjoying an unseasonably warm weekend in Shenandoah National Park. After speaking to a friend who had visited the park this week, I decided to take a last minute trip in an attempt to catch one last glimpse of fall. I packed up Saturday night and headed down to Front Royal, VA.

The hike to Mary’s Rock follows a 3.4 mile stretch along the Appalachian Trail (for a total hike of 6.8 miles), starting out from the Jewell Hollow Overlook on Skyline Drive.


I laced up my boots and hit the trail shortly before 10am. The first mile was a bit rough as there were several loose rocks. Once I hit the Pinnacle (viewpoint) things leveled out and the remainder of the hike was easy.


When I reached Mary’s Rock it was cold and windy. I only stayed there long enough to find a benchmark and my first virtual geocache.


Only a few others seemed to have been sharing the trail with me. The dusting of snow must have kept many people from venturing out. I enjoyed the solitude.

don't get comfortable

One of my co-workers at the ropes course said something to a group over the summer...learning occurs when you step outside of your comfort zone.

Those words resonated with me. I was reminded of it yesterday.

During a Bikram yoga class, the instructor made a reference to the recent earthquake in Turkey. She mentioned that they’re still pulling people, alive, from the rubble. Those people are in an uncomfortable position and they don’t have a choice.

We come to this class by choice. We place ourselves in uncomfortable positions to test our edge, to see how far we can go, how long we can hold a posture. She reminded us that many people are in uncomfortable positions and they don’t have any other choice.

Here’s to stepping outside of our comfort zones and learning from those uncomfortable situations.

geocaching 101

Geocaching is a high-tech outdoor treasure hunting game that's a great way to explore the world around you. Participants use GPS-enabled devices to locate hidden containers called geocaches.

There are over one million geocaches hidden around the world today, waiting for you to find them.

Geo-Vocabulary

TNLNSL: Took Nothing Left Nothing Signed Log

TFTC: Thanks For The Cache



A short video to show you how it's done...




Visit geocaching.com for more information and to search for geocaches near you.

DT on the AT: New Hampshire

There are 161 miles of the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire. The Trail enters New Hampshire in Hanover along the Vermont state line and heads northeast into the White Mountain National Forest and exits at Grafton Notch near Bethel, Maine.

My friend and I planned a trip to the White Mountains for the weekend of October 21st. Her main objective was to go zip lining at Alpine Adventures. Mine was to hike a section of the Appalachian Trail. The hike that was most appealing to me, Franconia Ridge Trail, takes six and a half hours to complete. The fact that I had only four hours to hike was somewhat limiting.

We made our way up the Kancamagus Highway around 2pm toward the Lafayette Place Campground parking lot. On the way, we saw an AT sign for Liberty Springs and stopped off.

That hike would have taken too long, so we continued on to where we thought the Cascade Brook trail head was located. The guide at Alpine Adventures gave us the wrong information, which left us scrambling to find a way to get an AT hike in before sunset. Eventually, we located it on a section not far from Basin.

It wasn’t exactly what I had in mind, but the colors of fall made up for what the hike lacked. It left me longing for a return trip to New Hampshire before winter sets in.

The (Michael) Bolt(on) Bus

Destination: Boston

I’m headed to New Hampshire for the weekend to go zip lining, leaf peeping, and hiking on the Appalachian Trail. The drive to Boston is one of my least favorites. Once you hit the Garden State Parkway, it becomes a free for all through the armpit of NJ, then on to NY (where anything goes), CT (where no one knows how to drive) and finally MA (where drivers are referred to as “Mass-Holes”). Six weeks ago I drove to Boston on my way to Maine and I wasn’t eager to do it again. Fortunately, my friend has class at UMass this morning and agreed to pick me up at South Station. From there, we’ll continue on to Woodstock, NH.

This is my first long bus ride and I didn’t know what to expect.

Departure: 6:45AM, 30th Street Station
The sun was coming up along I-95 as we passed through the city. It was quiet and most of the passengers were sleeping.

Layover: 8:30AM, Newark NJ
This is where it gets interesting...

I set my bag on the empty seat, closed my eyes and kept my fingers crossed that no one would sit next to me.

Loud people began making their way down the aisle, then it smelled like the cosmetics counter at Macy’s, but I kept my eyes shut. I heard a man speaking in another language and thought that my reprieve had ended, but he chose another seat. We departed from Penn Station and I was in the clear.

The Bolt Bus smells like (in no particular order) fried chicken, a ham sandwich, bad perfume, bubble gum, oranges, Doritos and nasty hand sanitizer every time someone uses the bathroom (as a side note, peeing while riding on the bus is not an easy task).

I can’t say that I am necessarily looking forward to my return trip, but $56 is a bargain to let someone else deal with shitty drivers. And, as an added bonus,I heard a half hour long story about natural child birth under the care of a midwife.

I am writing this on the Bolt Bus, which has, at no additional charge, insanely slow Wi-Fi. Three more hours until South Station, hopefully this posts before then.


Photo courtesy of NBH Design

almost whole

some of the pieces that have helped to put me back together...

I had no choice but to listen to that

You’ve heard them in various places...songs you wish you didn’t have to listen to...songs that are now stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Thanks.

Bring me a higher love by Steve Windwood (Staples)

Wishing Well by Terrence Trent D’arby (The Burrito Place)

I’ve been thinking about you by London Beat (Grocery Store)

So emotional by Whitney Houston (Doctor’s office)

Conga by Gloria Estefan (Gym)

now weighing in at 23.6 pounds...

DT on the AT: Maryland

There are 41 miles of the Appalachian Trail in Maryland. The Trail follows the crest of South Mountain until it comes down and briefly joins the C&O Canal for a couple of miles before crossing the Potomac River, and entering Harpers Ferry.


The weather forecast for the day included a wind advisory, but plenty of sunshine. I had been trying to do this hike with my buddy for almost three months. Prior opportunities were spoiled by rain, so “what’s a little wind?” I thought to myself.

The hike to Annapolis Rock was 2.2 miles one way. We continued on another mile to Black Rock. Shortly before reaching Annapolis Rock, I fired up my Garmin Colorado and noticed that we were less than a quarter mile away from one of two geocaches on this section of the trail. We bushwhacked our way down the hill and located it without a problem.


I signed the log, deposited my Appalachian Trail Travel Bug into the cache, and we continued on to Annapolis Rock.


It’s amazing how protected you are from the elements while in the woods. Once on the rock bluff, we immediately felt the wind, which was gusting strong enough to make standing a difficult task. After a quick snack and a couple of photos, we continued on to Black Rock. There was another cache here (in a cave) about 40 feet below the rock bluff. Taking the 50mph winds into consideration, we decided that it wasn’t a good idea to go for it and started our return trip.


This is a nice day hike. The trail is definitely more forgiving than any sections that I’ve done in NJ, PA and VA. It felt good to hike on dirt instead of rocks, rocks and more rocks.

the road twice traveled

Two and a half years ago, I lost someone who had a profound impact on my life. During the months preceding her passing, a great deal of my time involved things pertaining to her. When she was gone, there was emptiness, not only because of the loss, but because there was now an abundance of free time.

It was the first time in years that I had felt this freedom and, I thrived in this undefined, uncharted space. I began exploring the city, taking pictures (not good ones by any stretch of the imagination) and writing. Soon, my path crossed with some good people, who ultimately became close friends and provided me with a social network unlike any I’ve had before. Life was good.

And then I came to a crossroad...and a decision was made.

Lately, I feel as though the road I chose was merely a loop, one that sent me back to the same intersection and well, this time I am going to make a better decision.

fall is for...

pumpkin patches, pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin ale, pumpkin pancakes...


apple orchards, apple cider donuts...


random road trips, leaf peeping, bug free hiking...

Otto

Say hello to Otto...

chances are...

Chances are that when one door closes, it won’t be long until another one opens...at least that’s the way I’ve been trying to see things lately.

As a child, I was overweight and not particularly athletic. The summer before my freshman year in college, I began running with my high school cross-country team and the pounds shed. I joined the novice crew team at St. Joseph’s University, where running was incorporated into training. I continued to run after college. It is something I love, but lately, it hasn’t loved me.

Over the past few years, the doctors have suggested that I cut back my miles. The impact of running is taking a toll on (the inside of) my body. I struggled with this for a while. I was stubborn, not wanting to give up something that’s defined who I am for so long. Now, I don't have much of a choice.

So, here’s to focusing more on the things that I can do instead of the things that I can’t.

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” - Marcel Proust

these rocks in my pocket

Putting rocks on gravestones is most often described as a Jewish custom. In former days one did not mark a grave with marble or granite with a fancy inscription, but one made a cairn of stones over it. Each mourner coming and adding a stone was effectively taking part in the Mitzvah of Matzevah ("setting a stone") as well as or instead of Levayat ha-Meyt ("accompany the dead").

There are many "Ask a Rabbi" columns out there, but I did not find one that knew for sure where the custom originated. They all agreed, however, that a rock symbolized a visitor and when put on a tombstone said, "I remember you."

I have made a practice of picking up a rock whenever I hike somewhere new. These rocks sit in a special place and I take one with me when I visit the cemetery. My mom-mom never had the opportunity to travel, but always took an interest in the places I had visited. The rocks are my way of sharing with her, the places I’ve been.

There was only one person who I wanted to accompany me to the diner on my birthday this year. And, since that wasn’t possible, I got my breakfast for dinner and a root beer float to go. I drove to the cemetery and set out a blanket. I ate and drank and left a rock from my recent trip to Mount Katahdin.