#52 - Go to a concert

I completed my first goal!!!

On Friday night, I went to a concert with a couple of girlfriends at The Filmore Silver Spring.  

My friend, Lineka, found this awesome band called Blackberry Smoke.  Now, this was the first time I had ever heard this band, but I would say they were somehow a cross between a hairband and Lynyrd Skynyrd and country rock.  It was an intense show.  Just because I had never heard of them before doesn't mean that their followers weren't devoted.  You could tell the crowd really loved the band.  Everyone there was singing along to the lyrics and the line for the merchandise table was extremely long.  

Drake White opened for Blackberry Smoke.  He was pretty awesome.  I'll be buying his album off of iTunes in the very near future.  

Thanks Lineka and Jen for helping me complete my first goal.

100 to go.....988 days!

A Chilly Hike

Yesterday’s hike was one of the most interesting for me!  I’ve only been hiking for about 9 months, but this was the most demanding - and not because the trail itself was (too) difficult.

Pack and I made the trip to the Gambrill State Park in northwestern Maryland.  We hiked the Catoctin Trail for about 6 miles.  (I accidentally hit the wrong button on my new, fancy GPS watch so I’m not sure about actual milage.  OOPS!)

Not only was it 18 degrees, but there were some challenging obstacles I was forced to deal with.  In preparation for my Mt. Washington climb, I knew that going on yesterday’s hike was important to acclimating.  We have had unusually wonderful weather this winter, but I need to get ready for my winter hike.

I did not, however, anticipate my camelback’s hose freezing.  (I’m such an amateur!!!) A frozen hose means NO water for the entirety of my hike.

We came across about a half-dozen streams on this trail.  They were so beautiful.  I love the sound of a creek in the distance as I hike through a snowy forest.  

Yep, I had to cross both of these streams!!!

One thing I don’t love about streams, though, is how easy it is to slip and submerge your left foot into the ice cold water.  Of course....that happened to me!  And yes, it happen pretty early on in the hike.

Pack and I are really starting to get along.  This was our second time out together.  I stuffed him full of boots, clothes, and books to make him heavy.  I put him on the scale and he weighed about 20 pounds.  Let me tell you, it is MUCH different (read: exhausting) hiking with a day pack and hiking with a huge, heavy pack.  After Mt. Washington, Pack is going on a diet.

And mayyyyybe I could have also used an extra layer of pants.  (I only wore two layers under my hiking pants.)  My bottom half was a little chilly.  But I kept going.  As you can tell from a few of the pictures, I’m almost always the last hiker.  But that’s ok.  I don’t go hiking to race.  I don’t go hiking to be a hike leader.  I hike because it’s serene.  I hike for me.  I hike because it’s wonderful to be outside and to embrace nature.   That’s it.  Who cares if I’m last.....just as long as the bus doesn’t leave me stranded in a random forest!

All-in-all, it was a beautiful snowy day.  So what if things didn’t go perfectly.  Who cares that my foot was wet for a few miles.  And I was able to fully hydrate once I got back on the bus when my camelback (FINALLY!) unfroze.  

It was an amazing day on the trail.