Old Rag Water... I mean, Mountain

Panorama of the Mountainside.

My friend Travis, who is an avid outdoorsman, took me hiking on Old Rag Mountain, a hike he did several years prior, which lies in the Shenandoah mountain range. This is an easy hike that involves a little bit of rock climbing, some incredible views, and the potential to see some awesome Wildlife. It is also historic, as a lot of settlers pass through this mountain range and bygone days. As such, I had it down to my friends house in Westminster Maryland directly after the end of school one day, so that we could be up at Daybreak to take the 3-hour drive down to the mountain.

For those of you that have been following along with my blog, this is where I fervently mention to you that I am not a morning person. Whatsoever. Since starting a full-time job at the age of 23, I've gotten much better at being a morning person, but not by choice. By necessity only. That being said, getting me out of bed at 6 in the morning wasn't the easiest task, but considering is it hell we have taken a plethora of trips together by now, it wasn't too difficult to get me stirring either. We stopped at Dunkin Donuts for a sandwich wrap and coffee, and embarked on a drive to the mountain.

The crest of the mountain what's to come somewhere around 3000 ft. When we parked, it was very chilly, and I remember being bundled up in a layer or two upon paying the park ranger for our parking Fair. The heck wooden compas a decent bit of elevation gain over the next few miles and the next three hours, with the hike itself taking about four and a half hours total. The last hour of the hike was mostly climbing rocks and scrambling over rocks, and it was there that I met a lot of very sweet individuals who I communicated with while we were waiting. This Mountainside was actually very populated on this day.

The views were wonderful!

The views that I got from the mountain side as well as the crest of the mountain itself in the peak where all inspiring. Considering is the hell this hike was the first real hike I've taken in several years, it was completely exhilarating, leaving me breathless and feeling on top of the world. It was incredible view from the top, and we could see you for at least the next 100 miles and in a given Direction. I ran into a couple with a backpacking stove, who came down from Massachusetts to hike the entire Shenandoah over the next week. I also met a family of four, who are the 12 Ox trembling and helping their 7 year old son 2 complete the hike. He actually was hiking at a smoother Pace than I was, too.

On a scale of 1 to 10, the difficulty of this hike is about a two and a half. It's not an easy walk on a flat Trail, and there will be some switchbacks, but it is a very comfortable hike that most anybody can complete. I actually encountered a set of nuns that came from a Convent in Ohio and we're on an Eco Dharma trip to hike as much as possible, and although approaching their 50s, they reach the summit well before I did after passing us. I also encountered an individual who ran up the mountain and ran the trail back down before we were even 2/3 of the way to the summit.

All the aforementioned is outstanding and withstanding proof that you will meet many kinds of individuals and acquire stories to tell for years to come. All of this because you decided to step outside of your comfort zone and outside of your house. Old Rag Mountain is amongst the highest peaks in the Shenandoah mountain range, and not located but 15 miles from the nearest Big City. It is absolutely worth the visit if you can budget the time to do so.

Mountain Man Peters

Peters Mountain is a mountain just above Painesville, which lies just above Duncannon in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The trail that we took started in Inglenook, and cross the railroad track and intersected with the Appalachian Trail. the entire Loop, if it were to be Heights, to get to the summit, what have taken about 2 and 1/2 hours and spans over 3 miles. The entire loop around the mountain is 15 miles, and intersects with a Wilderness portion of the Appalachian Trail.

For my difficulty scale, I would give it about a 3.5 out of 10. If you go hiking often enough, it isn't a hard hike at all. However, if new are even slightly out of shape, the steepness and incline of some of the hills can be killer. I brought two friends with me, one who is a hiker and one who is severely asthmatic, and the asthmatic did not have the greatest go of it. We hiked for a total of 2 miles and still didn't reach the shelter, as the trails are deceptively long, and very challenging.

the other complaint the only other complaint that I had about this Trail was that it was so close to the interstate, but until you got further into the trail, you would hear rushing cars going by. Once you get past that however, the scenery is stunning and beautiful, with clear shots of the small towns nearby and the rivers that intersect them. it's not too far from Harrisburg or York, so it is definitely a location I will be going back to at some point in time for trail running exercises.

I already know that I intend to hike bigger and badder mountains, so this one will really help me get into shape for the trails ahead. It is an excellent exercise Trail if you are learning to Sprint trails with all of your gear on, which is something I plan on doing at some point in time. I also didn't see too much of the trail since it was a rainy day, and because I had the constraints of both of my friends needing to go to work, I didn't get to hike as much of it as I wanted to.

A view from the top.

The trail is right next to a large portion that intersect with the Appalachian mountain range, so it is definitely worth a visit if you have the time and resources to do so.

Apex of the Earth

Ever dream of a magical land where the sunsets seems to be swallowed by the Earth? Well, if you go to Holtwood, Pennsylvania, you can experience just that. One of my friends from undergrad and I were hanging out one day, and she decided to take a road trip. And I were hanging out one day and she decided to take a road trip, and Pinnacle Overlook is where we ended up Landing. She was originally from Pequea, which is about 5 miles away from the area. There was half a foot of snow on the ground when we arrived, but two to Avid adventurers, that didn't seem to matter.

Getting to the Overlook at self wasn't the easiest of Adventures, as we needed to drive through winding Backwoods for about a half hour before arriving at a metal gate. When we stepped out of the car, we quickly realized that to get to the Overlook, we would have to tread through the snow for about a half mile. And so, we did. We scurried along down a little dirt bike path to get to The Overlook at self, and when we arrived, it was quite unlike any magical site I've ever seen before.

The Overlook sits directly on the Susquehanna River, overlooking a rock formation and small wind farm on the other side of the Susquehanna. When the sun sets here, the sun either sinks into the mountain or drops directly into the Susquehanna River. It is an absolutely magical site, with one of the nicest panoramic views I have ever seen. It doesn't close too much of anything, but with the Tequan Glen Nature Reserve being there by which I will detail in another post, it is definitely worth an adventure for one day.

The Overlook on a Misty Afternoon.

So, there you have it. If you ever find yourself in southern Pennsylvania, go to the southern part of Susquehanna River and go to the Overlook. You won't regret it.

Crabs, Birbs, and Starz

Baltimore is another wonderful city that lies close to my hometown of York. Although most people don't realize this as such, Baltimore is home to many small but important items. And, some of them are listed in the title of this post. I will now systematically review some of the things that makes Baltimore what it is.

First and foremost, it is a cultural Hub. Throughout the years, the demographic has severely shifted away from Germanic and Irish descent and become more mixed in ethnicity. There are several restaurants around owned by Indian people, African American people, Hispanic people, are there Asiatic call Sarah, and so much more. On nearly every single block, you can find a hub for a different culture or group of people.

The one downside to this, however, is that there is a lot of disputes between people, and a lot of poverty and crime in certain parts of the city. As such, if you are going to Baltimore at night, it is advisable to take at least one other comrade with you. It is the sad unfortunate truth that I must warn others about, pertaining to big cities with high population density.

Baltimore is also home to Inner Harbor, and Metropolitan epicenter of Commerce and Industry. Not only are there attractions like the Baltimore Science Museum, the Baltimore aquarium, the Baltimore Zoo, Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum, and several excellent concert venues, but it is also home to the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is home to most of the East Coast domestic crab imports, and home to several difference indigenous species of wildlife. As such, there are many environmentalist initiatives to support the Chesapeake Watershed and to preserve the surrounding area by reducing carbon emissions and waste output. The bay itself is beautiful, and there are ferries that serve the greater Baltimore Maryland area allow one to be on the water.

Aside from all of these wonderful attractions, Baltimore is also home to the Baltimore Orioles and the Baltimore Ravens, to sporting’s most prominent sports teams. Both of these teams have amassed many awards and accolades throughout the years, and their stadiums are within a 15-minute commute of one another. Many major sporting events and charity events happen if both of these stadiums every single year.

Probably one of the most important things about Baltimore is its government and American history. Many government workers and Space Engineers are employed in Baltimore because it is halfway between Washington DC and Harrisburg, which are two major areas of government work. This was able to be initiated because Baltimore is home to Fort McHenry. When the British Invasion happened in the 1800's, Francis Scott Key was on a boat in the harbor witnessing the bombardments on Fort McHenry, which inspired him to write the poetic piece that would later become America's national anthem. The Fort is still open and accessible for visitors to this day, and small tours around the surrounding area and Proving Grounds are often lead.

So this being said, if you are ever in northern Maryland, check out Baltimore and the surrounding area. There are lots of things to see and do, is this entire area and several square miles have been industrialized quite efficiently.

More Contemplations

I find myself thinking a great deal when I am in the car. Especially when I am on road trips, there is always something going on inside my head.

Why are there so many trees on the side of the road on my commute to work? And what would they think of this Earth as we see it now?

Where can I go next for the least amount of money and still have a good time?

What will I be doing a year from now? Two years from now? Where will I be in life?

And most importantly, when will this traffic jam ever seem to end? If everybody just drove normally, maybe we could accomplish something...

But alas, as much as I do think and contemplate, I still have no viable conclusions. Life can be quite messy, and although there are so many things to try doing, it takes a very special individual to conquer all of them and be good at all of them. It takes a strong mind and a cold heart to not be phased by all of life's complexities.

On the other hand, I'm the kind of individual that gets anxious on snow days when I can't go anywhere or do anything or see anyone. It's like I don't really know how to sit still, and I don't really care to either.

I am sure that either way around there will be resolve one day. And either way around, I will find myself. I can't help but to think about these things from time to time.

How did we get this far as a species? With all of this technology?

Why is there so much suffering in the world?

When will things be made right under the sun and stars?

For most of these things, only time will tell. As for others, there are some solutions that I might see in my lifetime. But either way around, these are just a few things that I think about on a frequent basis. 

So tell me, readers. What contemplations do you have stirring in your heart and swelling in your soul? Have you found any answers?