Hiking the A.T.
Luke, and I, and the boys in his troop, hiked a rather challenging stretch of the Appalachian Trail this weekend. Temperatures were in the 40's, with strong winds on the windward sides of the mountains. It was a challenging hike also because the 6.5 mile (about 10 km) stretch of trail from Mount Weather to Bear's Den is lovingly called "the Rollercoaster". Up and down, up and down, four times before the hike was through. We forded streams, wound around high rocky vistas, and through peaceful wooded glens. It was a great hike, and we made it in just about four hours.
Also just as nice, at the end of the hike, we got to relax for the night in the Bear's Den Lodge, which is a 1933 historic stone building housing three separate rooms of bunks, sleeping about 30 people total. We had spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, lots of good time by the fireplace, all in all, a great ending to a wonderful day in the woods.