Finally had a warm enough day today to go for a nice long hike. It was up and over my favorite local ridge.
I dug out my shorts and tanktop and headed on out to the trail head.
The hike started with a .6 mile walk on the smooth, wide, flat main trail to the 2 mile "strenous hike" side trail.
I started up the side trail,the trail goes up, around a switchback, then up some more, around another switchback then up for a while more to the top of a mountain ridge.
There's an access gate at the top, I stopped, stretched, considered turning around at that point but since it was such a nice warm sunny day, I decided to keep going. I headed on down the other side enjoying the day and watching deer frolic in the woods. All the while knowing that I'll have to hike back up to get back to my truck.
The trail comes back out onto the main trail and I hiked that for a little while then turned around and headed back up.
I hiked back up to the top of the ridge, stretched at the gate then headed back down.
There were a few spots on the trail where people had cut across the switchbacks causing erosion ditches. I did some repair work on them over the last few years and they were holding up well. I headed back to the main trail and walked back to my truck.
A couple of things, the trail seemed steeper and longer than it was last year. Also, my shorts seemed to have shrunk since last year.
Of course they might both have something to do with the 17 pounds I gained over the winter. I know the weight'll come off now that I'm out and hiking again. And I'll enjoy every minute of it.
First hike of the year
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