Sugarloaf Mountain Hike

It was a chilly and wet (but not soggy) day today. We met up at Sugarloaf Mountain near Comus, MD at 8:30am and set off on a hike up and down and around the mountain. Well, that's what it would have been had we not taken the wrong trail... We inadvertantly took a shortcut, so we doubled back and took another longer way around so that we could get in some decent mileage. As you can see from the photo, the trail was pretty foggy.

We had a fun crew, though, so it was a good time. My friend, Allie, joined us and got to meet some of my hike buddies. We eventually ran into another training group that had taken the correct trail (for the most part).

All in all, it was a pretty good day to be out hiking.

Hiking in the Galapagos Islands

In mid-April I had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a 10-day trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. The trip began in Guayaquil, the largest city in Ecuador. Our tour group of 11 people did a half-day tour of the city. The following day, we flew to Baltra in the Galapagos (about 600 miles of the coast of Ecuador). There we were met by our wonderful Naturalist Guide who took us to the Nemo I, a catamaran that was to be our home-away-from-home for the next week.

Over the course of 7 days, we visited 11 or so different islands, seeing all kinds of wildlife from blue-footed boobies and albatrosses to sea lions, penguins, and tortoises. I didn't do any long training hikes with my backpack and gear, however, we usually went on a couple of 2-hour hikes each day, plus snorkeling or swimming at least once. There was so much to do, I never had time to write in my trip journal. Hopefully this entry plus the photos will suffice.

If you have never thought about going to the Galapagos, think about it. If you've always wanted to go, DO IT. You will be amazed at everything you see and learn. Here a few photos from my "training" hikes south of the equator.

A blue-footed booby:

View from the top of Bartolome Island (where scenes from the movie "Master and Commander" with Russell Crowe were filmed). We had to hike up a flight of wooden steps for nearly an hour to get all the way up here:

Hiking on a trail of crushed coral on Sombrero Chino Island:

To see more of my trip photos, please visit my Flickr.com site.

Training Hike #4 - Buck Ridge/Buck Hollow Loop

We were originally supposed to hike Little Devils Stairs in Shenandoah National Park, but unfortunately, the road to the trail was closed. The park authorities were conducting a search and rescure operation for a local man who was reported missing and whose car was found abandoned in the park, so they shut down access. Our hike leaders chose another trail in Shenandoah instead -- Buck Ridge/Buck Hollow Loop, a 5.8-mile loop starting on Skyline Drive.

The weather called for steady rain, but we lucked out yet again. It was overcast and breezy at the trailhead, but got warmer as we descended the steep trail. The first half of the trail led us down and down for almost 3 miles. It was so steep that in some parts, log stairs were added.

We reached the bottom and turned to go up the second half of the trail, which was just as steep as the one on the way down. This trail, however, criss-crossed over Buck Hollow, a peaceful stream, several times so we could heard the water rippling for most of the ascent. I had missed the last two training hikes because I had injured my lower back, so I was pretty out of shape. Fortunately, my 3 teammates were extremely patient and waited with me as I stopped periodically to catch my breath (and snap some photos). Here's a picture of them (Kathy, Amy and Darcie):

Click here to view the rest of my hike training photo album.

Why I Hike

I didn't make it to this week's training hike at Harper's Ferry. I re-injured my lower back the previous week (doing pilates, no less!). Upon advice from my chiropractor, I decided not to venture out on any uneven trails until my back feels better. Instead, I used the time to jump start my fundraising efforts.

Within 2 days of sending my initial emails, I received over $2,300 in donations. I cannot tell you how amazing it feels to see these generous contributions for such a worthy cause. This is the fourth year I have attempted a major fundraising effort (of $3,000+), and each time I am deeply touched by the outpouring of generosity and goodwill.

I know everyone has their own reasons for donating. Some of you have a direct connection to the cause - knowing a friend or loved one who has or had cancer. Maybe you are a survivor yourself. Some of you, luckily, have not had first-hand experience with the disease, but just want to help make the world better, or you simply want to support me as a friend.

Regardless of the reasons why, or how much you donate, I appreciate every penny you contribute because it means we are that much closer to finding a cure. So thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Together we are saving lives!

Training Hike #2 - Billy Goat Trail

I have probably hiked the Billy Goat Trail in Maryland's C&O Canal National Historic Park at least 10 times, but it is still my favorite local trail. The landscape changes each time, depending on the time of year, recent rains, and how high or low the Potomac waters are. For this week's hike, the river was higher than I've ever seen it. When we reached the "beach" area halfway through the trail, there was hardly any dry beach at all!

My hike group consisted of 8 people, half of whom had never hiked this trail before. I love taking people on this trail for the first time. I especially love seeing their reaction upon seeing the daunting sheer wall about 1/3 of the way in -- usually "oh my god, we're going up there?!?" or something to that effect. But the sense of accomplishment they feel once they get to the top is priceless.

We lucked out weather-wise. The forecast called for rain, but we got 60-degrees and sunny. I snapped a couple of good photos of the river and canal, as well as some local wildlife (turtles and a great blue heron). Click to see my online album.

Here's a picture of me that my friend Patrick took on the trail:

Training Hike #1 - Rock Creek Park

I have lived in the DC area for over 10 years, and I had no idea there were actually hiking trails in Rock Creek Park. Our first training hike for the Rocky Mountains took place on a rainy Saturday, but over 20 hikers showed up and braved the weather. We started out near Pierce Mill (not far from the National Zoo) and trekked around for about 2 hours, criss-crossing Rock Creek a couple of times. We also learned one of the primary rules for our hikes -- no hiking in groups smaller than 4 people. For safety reasons, you want at least 3 other people with you at all times. If one person is injured on the trail and can't walk, one person stays with them while the other two go for help. Never hike alone in the woods, not even Rock Creek Park (known in 2001 news as the site where Chandra Levy's remains were discovered).

Because of the rain, the pictures didn't come out particularly well, but here is a link to my online photo album.

And here's a picture of a soggy me in my rain gear that one of my fellow hikers took.

It's Official!

I have signed up to be a Hike Mentor for the next Hike for Discovery season -- Rocky Mountain National Park in June 2008! I am looking forward to this event, as well as the fundraising and meeting new, adventurous people.

Stay tuned for more info...