Hiking With The Bear

December 28th and 29th 2024 As 2024 drew to a close, I knew I had to squeeze in one final adventure before the year ended. Originally, I had planned a simple 3-mile out-and-back to Little Crease in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. But with a late start and a longer-than-expected drive (it was already past noon), I made the decision to head to Shenandoah National Park—a place I know well and love. I opted for the Jeremy’s Run Trail starting at the Elkwallow Wayside Trailhead. What was supposed to be a straightforward hike turned into one of the most memorable trips of the year. An Unexpected Adventure: What began as a short, easy hike quickly became a challenging 11-mile journey. The Jeremy’s Run Trail took me through dense woods, past waterfalls, and across 13 stream crossings. Each stream crossing was different: some required navigating slippery rocks, others had me wading through the cool, fast-moving waters. Both days of hiking were 5.5 miles each,...

  Welcome back to the blog! It’s been six years since my last post, and I’m excited to reconnect and share my journey with you. Right now, I’m just one week into my training regimen for an adventure I’ve been dreaming about: climbing Mount Kilimanjaro next June. This past week has been both exhilarating and challenging. I hiked three trails, covering a total of 17 miles. One of these hikes took me up the George Washington Monument trail, where I gained over 1000 feet of elevation. I also added a yoga session to my routine. It’s interesting to see how yoga will benefit me, helping with flexibility and overall body strength. In future posts, I’ll delve into the last six years—what’s happened, what I’ve learned, and how I got to this point. For now, I’m focused on the climb ahead and excited to take you along on this journey. Stay tuned for more updates as I prepare for Kilimanjaro!