So today starts the new chapter of my life in DC. Where it takes me I don't know yet, but as I start searching for something that finally fits in my life, at least I start it off with a bang.How about an awesome camping trip to the mountains; along with some of my closest friends (albeit missing a few good peeps). The abridged version for now (since I do have to job search to continue) : 12 of us went to beautiful Morris Cabin in the Shenandoah Mountains. We spent a good night around a roaring fire well into the night enjoying cigars (thanks to Jeff), drink, companionship and Icelandic Black Death. Although it didn't kill us, it might have made us do funny things.
The next morning we headed out on an adventurous hike. It all seemed simple enough with a nicely marked set of blue blazes going down hill, until we stumbled upon a shack at the end of the trail. It's too bad the rest of the group didn't take time to take a short trip up a small beautiful waterfall. Unfortunately I say as they all missed the tranquility of the scene, plus they all left without me!
What a bunch of YAHOOS !! Well luckily good ol' Alexandra and Eric came back down to find my dead carcass on the forest floor, otherwise I would have REALLY missed out on the true adventure. So back up we go along a different trail until we hit a dead end.....
Luckily Jeff decides that he knows the way up (so he says... we don't even have a compass)...and straight up the side of the mountain we go! Thus starts the 3 hour tour, and we all know how Gilligan's Island went... (incidentally we were 7 - the same number as on Gilligan's Island). Thus encouraged, off we go making our own trail straight up 1000 feet up the mountain! Although it was extremely steep and taxing, (how did we get passed those steep rocks, barbed wire, and all those BRAMBLES!!!) we were rewarded by the best view of the Shenandoah Valley I have EVER seen. No picture can do it justice.
We were lucky that we then found a blaze (and the trail) and came out within 1/2 mile of the cabin. That was lucky, quite a few of us came back to the overlook after a well deserved lunch and to relax for the afternoon. Dinner was a wonderful evening with friends especially since I discovered a new type of Brownie Sm'ores - YUMMY!It all seemed to short by the time we woke up on Sunday morning to pancakes, eggs, coffee, etc.
On the ride home AB was decent enough to point out the WAWA - very cool as I had never been to one before!
So this weekend was just what the doctor ordered for this new phase in my life. (Plus thanks to Carmel for supplementing a few pics for this trip!)
click here for more pics
