Melissa, Oh?

Who needs drugs? When you can go out for an early-morning stroll and see this: 
 And when you get to the top you’re surrounded by rolling hills like this: 

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We hit the Appalachian Trail this past weekend for some exercise and some R&R. A few in the group are doing a South Beyond 6000 challenge, which involves [...]

I used to *love* snow. I mean, what kid doesn’t? A free pass from school and something fun and new to play with … can’t beat that …
Then I got a job at a newspaper. And they had a lovely rule in which we had to drive into work even in inclement weather. Understandable, I [...]

Chris B. asked me last week to write a gear list regarding what I took, should have taken, and shouldn’t have taken on my recent trip to Mount Mitchell for winter camping. So, without further adieu, here it is:
Head to toe
Here’s what I wore on my trip:
Balaclava – I fought against one of these. I [...]

Things I learned on this camping trip:
- I burned more calories backpacking last weekend than I did running the marathon last month.
- Chris is terrified of clowns.
- Bears do come out in the winter, and when there is snow on the ground they leave the tracks to prove it.
- The guys all knew exactly what type of [...]

Gear I would not do this trip again without:
In addition to the usual stuff, of course …
- Yaktrax - attaches to your hiking boots to make them easy to walk in snow/ice
- Toe Warmers - I used to think they were a luxury. In this weather, they were a necessity. Next time, I will have enough for [...]

Quotes from the trip:
Me: We saw some tracks that looked like a cat. Would that be a bear? A mountain lion?
Andrew: No, that’d be a cat.
Chris: I’m gonna get one of those at some point (spoken every time someone showed him a piece of gear. Any gear.)
Chadd: I hate rabbits (spoken every time the smoke got in [...]

Destination: Mount Mitchell
Elevation: 6,684 feet to summit
Total miles I hiked: 10.5
Number of hikers in our group: 8 9 (apparently I can’t count)
Number of female hikers in our group: 1
Degrees (low) that we saw on our thermometer: 4
Feet of snow on the ground: About 2
Number of animals seen: 2
Number of animal tracks seen: a lot (I [...]

… about my hiking trip this weekend. I was going to photograph all my new gear and tell you all about it.
However, I packed my gear in my pack last night and hell if I’m going to pull it back out now!
So, I’ll show it to you when I get back.
It’s time again for the [...]

So, I’m a little late on the the whole “look back/look ahead” post that comes at the end of the year, but I was too busy celebrating the holidays to take the time to sit down and think about it! So, better late than never, right?
Last year I wrote about some thoughts on 2008, and [...]

Previously I brought you Day 1 and Day 2 of our hiking trip to Mount Mitchell. Today I bring you Day 3, sadly, the final day this round.
Day 3, Sunday: Do we have to go back to reality?
After leaving the warm campfire Saturday night, I finally fall asleep, warm in my sleeping bag, when Chris [...]