Raven Run Nature Center

As most were out and about looking for those Black Friday deals, I decided to get in a hike at Raven Run Nature Sanctuary.  Raven Run Nature Sanctuary is a 734 acre nature sanctuary located near Nicholasville, KY.  Raven Run offers multiple programs not just for individuals but also for schools as well.  Information can be found at Raven Run’s website.

The sanctuary offers over 10 miles of trails that all are family friendly.  I decided that I would hit the red trail today which is the longest of the trails and has connectors to most of the popular view including Evans Mill and the Outlook.  So we will start from the parking lot which has plenty of spots and on most days needs them, as this is a very popular spot.  The lot was about half empty this morning with what I could figure to be people avoiding the Black Friday hustle and bustle.  As you start out it’s a short paved walk to the nature center which provides loads of information on the sanctuary as well as trail maps.

Clicking on this link will bring up the trail map for those who would like to check it out prior to heading out but if not then you can pick one up at the nature center or when you sign in.  After leaving the nature center continue on until you come to a meeting with the red trail.  You can clearly see the outlook sign leading to the right but I decided to go to the left, I like to shake things up a bit:).  I would rate this trail easy to moderate with an elevation change change of about 300 feet through the 5 miles I completed.  You begin with a gentle downhill that takes you to the first stream crossing, again elevation change for the whole trail was only about 300 ft so there were no real uphill challenges.  Between mile 2 and 2.5 was a very cool stream crossing with a nice bridge over it.  Click on highlighted part to see a short video.

Some of the other highlights of this trip were checking out the Evans Mill and Outlook over the Kentucky River.  The first I came to was Evans Mill, to actually get down to where it was located that I did have to leave the red trail just for a bit and it was definitely worth it.  At the meeting of two streams that were bulging due the recent rain made for a very nice picture of the falls of both streams coming together.  The next time I would leave the red trail would be to check out the Outlook.  Breathtaking views from high above the Kentucky River, the only problem is that there is very limited space to get a great view and there were several others there at the same time.

Finishing (or starting depending on your choice of direction at the beginning) you come to several plots highlighting different methods of dealing with the invasive species of bush honeysuckle  (Lonicera maackii). This plant species is invasive or nonnative plant that presents somewhat of a threat to out native plants in Kentucky because of it’s ability to grow rapidly.   This means that it crowds and shades out native species causing them to die out.  Always a plus when hiking trails are accompanied by good information on the natural areas we enjoy.

I would say that this is a very good hike to take the family on and I’m already planning another trip with my family.  Now if you are looking solitude this might not be the place for you as it usually can get a little crowded and you will meet several people on the trails, I met about 20-25.  I think that with almost anything it’s what your looking for and wanting out of your hike.  So if your wanting a gentle hike with beautiful scenery and don’t mind sharing with others than this is definitely a place that I recommend.  So check it out yourself, leave a comment letting me know your thoughts and as always happy hiking.

First time Whitney Hiker and Trip Reporter here…so take it easy!

My brother and I hit the trail at 5:30 am on Sunday the 24th. This was a first time for both of us so despite looking tired, we were really excited about this! We got a late start because of an evening of bear encounters http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthreads.php/topics/16791#Post16791 ,but now we were ready to roll!

We were both surprised at how hot it got so quickly. Shedding layers very shortly after we took off, we had a couple of goals heading up to trail camp. The first was to GO SLOW! No matter how many people passed us, we didn’t care, by resisting the urge to fly up that mountain from the get go, I believe you are really investing in how you are going feel those last couple miles when you really need to dig deep!

The second goal was to drink and eat often whether we wanted to or not. Lots and lots of water, stinger bars, peanuts, pop tarts, cliff blocks, jerkey, etc going up. Next time around, I would pack more of this smaller/quicker stuff and less “larger meals” like mountain house, etc. My brother using a steri pen to sterilize the water.

The last weather report that we had seen called for a slight chance of thunderstorms the following day so we decided that if we felt well at trail camp, we would set up camp, drop some weight and push on up to take that slight chance out of play. That’s what we did and turned out to be the perfect call for us. We reached trail camp at 11:00am, took an hour break. We ate, rested, drank and then took off at noon. We both left with 3L in our hydration packs (as advised here on WZ), food and a packed jacket and extra layers and took off. We figured we could hopefully make summit in 4 hours and be back down in 3 hours putting us back at trail camp way before dark around 7:00pm.

The switchbacks were the hardest part of this whole thing for both of us, not so much physically, but mentally. The really are endless…The snow crossing before the cable section was definitely tricky because of the steep grade, on the return trip we noticed you could scramble down there and bypass this area by dropping down to a lower switchback. The cable section was really a non issue. There was a clear dry pathway. The 3rd snow crossing was a little trickier but still not bad…hand over hand works well here. It was the next snowy area on top of the chute that was the toughest for me. Go slow here, watch your steps, don’t look down and you will be fine. Take advantage of whatever equipment makes you most comfortable here. We were fine with trekking poles and trailrunners.

Cable Section

2nd Snow Section on switchbacks

Snow crossing at the chute

We made trail crest at 2pm and I think many hikers were worried about us thinking that we might be day hikers and most likely would never make it back in daylight heading up this late. We assured everyone that we were only heading back to trail camp that day and pushed forward.

From trail crest to the summit was a haul…The trail is very technical, loose rocks, etc. Never felt I was going to fall off or anything but it definitely slows you up. We were still on pace to summit by 4:00pm so we kept pushing, getting a second wind of sorts after taking in the spectacular views of Sequoia NP and breathtaking views through the 4 windows.

We finally reached the last snowfield, it was a fairly simple pass. It looks worse than it is. The last couple hundred feet ascending to the top was torture. You want to be there so bad and waiting for the Smithsonian hut to appear, but we just kept seeing more rocks!

Finally we arrived…we made it and just a couple minutes passed 4:00pm. We were all alone up there, just me and my brother. Perfect Clear skies, warm day…it was perfect! We took some pics, looked around, signed the registry, refueled and headed back. All the message boards I had read, all the research I had done, all the training hikes made had finally paid off…we had done it!

No problems on the way down, the slush was now ice, but in many ways easier to deal with because despite being more slick, it was easier for poles to anchor into.

Returned to trail camp at 7:12 pm…right on schedule.

Some smoke rolled in trail camp that evening from a nearby fire, but all in all…it was great night’s sleep and we were literally on top of the world from the experience!

Hiked out the next morning…not worried about food, hydration, schedule, altitude sickness,or any other variables, just me and my brother laughing and hiking in the woods like kids again!

Had a amazing trip and met many really great fellow hikers…

Final Thoughts

Absolutely a trip of a lifetime!

Educate yourself about your trip: read these boards (the good people know their stuff here on WZ), look what has worked and hasn’t worked for people on their trips. Stay up to date on weather/trail conditions. I literally spent hours and hours looking at pics, reading posts and questioning those who had went before me, not saying it’s necessary, but it worked for me.

Acclimate: We stayed one night at Horseshoe Meadows and then one night at the Portal. We also both used Diamox…just in case.

I hope that this report could be a help to someone planning a trip. That is really my motivation in writing it…I know that I literally burnt up my refresh button as I looked for any new trip report or any tidbit of information the weeks leading up to my trip. Hopefully this well help someone in some small way. Good Luck… and THANK YOU – Whitney Zoners for all your contributions that helped me so much!

Along with the lake Maywoods serves as an  excellent place for field trips, meetings, or for EKU to hold classes in the lodge that is located next to the lake.  The lodge has a large meeting room with food services and housing for up to 40 people.  The overall purpose of Maywoods is to educate and it is obvious by the trails around the property.  Each trail is identified by the type of ecosystem that is showcased along the trail with signs posted along the way that provide information concerning the specific type of ecosystem.  Here are the trails that can be found at Maywoods:

• Lake Ecosystem Trail
• Forest Ecosystem Trail
• Oak-History Forest Trail
• Lake Side Path
• Stream Side Path

The first trail that I wanted to try is the longest of the trails that are currently marked at Maywoods.  This is the Forest Ecosystem trail which is about 1.4 miles long and can be reached by using the lake ecosystem trail to connect.  I would say this is a moderate trail at times becoming quite steep but nothing that should keep anyone away.  This trail offered good views of the lake along with many stream crossings some with bridges some without.  The trail begins on the south side of Lake Edmiston across the dam and ends near the lodge on the North side.  You will have to finish on the Oak-Hickory Forest trail as the FET does not lead all the way back to the lodge.

The Lake ecosystem trail is a 735 yard trail that leads you along the side of Lake Edmiston in a lollipop loop format.  This trail provides information about food webs found in lakes talks about the types of animals that can be found there.  After finishing that trail I went to the stream side path which is about 250 yards and leads right into the stream that you see just past the gate as you drive up to the lodge.  For me Maywoods is an excellent for my family and I to hike, it’s close to home and allows us to see many wonderful natural things and still be back home soon.

For more information visit www.naturalareas.eku.edu.  Be sure and share your hiking moments with us at our Facebook page, and as always happy hiking:)

With my growing family I am continually looking for close to home quick hikes that can be completed in a couple of hours just to get that nature fix that we all need.  So while searching for nearby geocaches I found the Jim Beam Nature Preserve, having never heard of this place before I was eager to see what it had to offer.  This is a 115 acre preserve bordering Jessamine and Garrard Counties that was formed by The Nature Conservancy in 1995 along with the Jim Beam Brand celebrating it’s 200 year anniversary.  Having hiked near the Palisades before I know this area is very beautiful with moderate elevation changes that usually reward with a very good view of the Kentucky River.  There is parking available and is located towards the end of Hall Rd. just off of 27 on the Nicholasville side of the river.

The trail starts just off the parking area and is a 1.5 mile lollipop loop around the preserve.  We started on the trail just planning to find the two caches along the trail and head back to the car.  Shortly after starting you come to the fork towards the loop portion of the trail to left is probably a little easier on the climb back but we chose to go to the right having not hiked here before.  After finding the two we decided to finish the loop to see the rest of the area.  With no leaves on the trees we got a great view of the river from elevation, one that I believe come April won’t be nearly as visible.

As we continued on the trail we found several moss covered rocks and other exposed rocks that made good places to sit and take in the scenery.  I am eager to return to the trail later in Spring to see all of the plant life that will be thriving by that time.  Some of the plants that the preserve boasts are Starry Cleft Phlox ( Phlox bifida ssp. stellaria) and Mountain Lover (Pachistima canbyi).  As far as wildlife the preserve also houses two endangered bat species: Gray Bat (Myotis grisescens) and Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalis).  Even though squirrels were the only wildlife we saw this morning knowing that there are protected areas for endangered species offers some peace of mind.

The whole trip took a little over an hour so I definitely recommend this area for a quick hike or a hike with children.  As with most of our nature preserves they survive base on the kindness and donations of those that benefit from them so if you have enjoyed this trail or just want to contribute click Donate to The Nature Conservancy.  As always enjoy the outdoors and look after them, encourage others to get out and enjoy as well.  Happy Hiking.

On this wonderful Christmas Eve morning I wanted to take a trip to a place that I have visited many times before as I used to mountain bike there often.  This place is Logan Hubble Park between Stanford and Lancaster off of Highway 27.  Typically this place offers more for horse riding enthusiast but has some designated walking/hiking trails.  Some basic info on the park, roughly 200 acres of land with a lake, also has basketball courts, volleyball, disc golf, along with multiple playgrounds.  Fishing is allowed on the lake along with a boat ramp, there is also access to Dix River in the park as well.

As you come into the park the road forks, the left leads to the majority of the park (lake, picnic facilities, etc.) and the right leads to the ramp to Dix River.  Parking is plentiful so I parked just inside the entrance on the left.  Today’s trip was more than just the normal hiking trails offered as I ventured into the equestrian trails as well.  The distance is however much you want, as little as half a mile, as many as 5.  I did about 5 miles today in a little over 2 hours.I began on the normal hiking trails starting beside the painted trail map which really doesn’t offer much in helping  you find your way once your on the trail.  I searched online beforehand and was able to find nothing other than basic information about the park.   The first trail takes you down by the Dix River ramp after about a quarter of a mile.  From there you will follow a creek down and back to the river.  Although this trail was easy to moderate there were three pretty steep hills in my path today, and here was the first.  At the top you have a nice view of the river down below and farmland beyond the far bank.  That trail led out towards the outdoor classroom where normally people hiking would turn left and head back into the open area of the park I decided to to turn right and hit the equestrian trails.

As I ventured towards the horse trails I ran into a couple who were Geocaching.  Now for those of you who don’t know what geocaching is watch this video Geocaching.  Now this is something that I had been interested in but never really tried it, this couple very kindly allowed me to walk with them to their next destination.  As we walked they explained more about geocaching showing me the GPS units they were using and even letting me take over for the last 25 feet or so to try and find it.  After finding it and them writing in the log book they left me wanting to start geocaching and enough information to do so.  So I’ll say a special thanks to Ground Fox for getting me starting, oh and my geocaching username is hikeky.com (I’m not creative).  After that I climbed the third and final hill that led to an open field where 5 deer took off before I could turn the camera on them.

The trail was rough and muddy as expected, anytime your hiking on horse trails there will be ruts and hoof marks that you will have to deal with, this part of the trail was a lot of ups and downs with several creek crossings.  Eventually the trail ends near where the horse riders park their trucks and trailors, so it’s a quick walk on the road back to where I parked.  Unfortunately I don’t have a website with any more information so if you have any questions please leave a comment or email me.  There will also be a discussion board on this place on our Facebook page.  As always happy hiking and have a very Merry Christmas.

The first trail that we took is called the Outcroppings trail and is the alternate route to the top.  The other route is the 26 story elevator ride but taking the outcropping trail is rewarding in the fact that it has great views on the way to top and gives a great workout as it is called by the website as the ultimate StairMaster!  Once you’ve reached the top you will be at Chimney Rock which is about 2,280 ft above sea level and offers great views of Lake Lure in the valley below.  This trail is rated moderate to strenuous but definitely seemed more to the strenuous side as the trail was mostly stairs.  After that we took the  Skyline trail which lead to the Exclamation point which is the highest point in the park at 2,480 feet above sea level and again offers some amazing views of the valley below.  Both of these trails were about 1.2 miles round trip but definitely offer a physical challenge.

The next trail was the Hickory Nut Falls trail which is a moderate 1.5 mile round trip to the base of the falls.  This trail was a nice walk to the base with several places to stop and take pictures or rest along the way.  At the base of the falls we were able to climb out and play around in the water at the base but that was only because the area had been so dry recently.  A guide at the base told us that they also offer private hikes (if you’re willing to pay $25-$100) that take you places in the park that is off limits to the public.

This park offered some great views and great experiences that will last in memory for a long time.  I believe that this park is a can’t miss for anyone that enjoys that outdoors and is in the Asheville area.  Please post any pictures of the park or comments about experiences or questions you have and as always happy hiking:)

So my dog Oz and I set out on a cold but beautiful morning to check out the refuge and get a little exercise.  There are several trails that you can go on all with different features and for different ability levels.  The trails that I used are Bluebird Trail, Yellow or Waterfall trail, Circle Trail, and the Green Heron Trail.  This place was very well marked and at no moment did I have any doubts as to what trail I was on, every split in the trail came with at least one sign and sometimes multiple signs.  Your day starts at the Cheek Nature Center which at the time I was there was closed but this place would be wonderful for school groups as it offers many educational experiences that are aligned with Kentucky Core Content.We started on the Bluebird trail which took us beside Island Pond which is just one of many ponds that you will find on this preserve.  After the pond you come to a clearing that makes a great place to see deer.  We followed this until it met up with the Circle Trail.  We weren’t on the Circle Trail for more the a couple of yards when I saw signs for the Yellow or Waterfall Trail, the Yellow trail takes you down to what would normally be a small waterfall but since it was about 25 degrees when I was there it was mostly ice.  As I was walking back I noticed two deer about 25 yards through the trees, I watched them for a little while and they watched me until I bored them and they went back to grazing, and since Oz is deaf he had no idea there was anything else around and lay down for a little rest:).  Finishing the Yellow trail takes you back up to the Circle trail which is rated moderate and based on the first 200 yards really earns that rating.

Circle trail takes you up and over a ridge which definitely had my blood pumping and then mellowed out as you went down the other side of the ridge.  I am eager to see what this trail offers in the spring as this was my first time on it because it seemed to have great habitat for many forms of plant life.   This trail meets back up with the Green Heron Trail or at least that is what the map off the internet will tell you, the signs at the refuge referred to it as the Brooks Hollow Trail.  Either way it was a great way to end the day as it was a easy walk through forest and fields which allowed me to see about 6 more deer in a clearing.  The trail finished by taking me beside Green Heron Pond (again a place I can’t wait to see in the spring), Woodland Pond, and a return to Island Pond to return back to the Nature Center.

It was about 4-5 miles(not exactly sure because my GPS was acting up) and took about an hour and a half.  Again they allow dogs if leashed and are open from dawn to dusk.  This is a great trip for school groups but they also offer events every so often so check out the website at www.ckwr.org.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself on this hike as did Oz and I am really excited about finding a place like this so close to home.  So go check it out and as always happy hiking.

The trail begins just down from the visitor’s center which is a good start because it allows for one to pick up a trail map at the visitor’s center, and it also allows for you to begin and end with the Cumberland Falls.  When you come to the official trailhead one thing that you will notice is that there are several names for the same section of trail: Moonbow trail, Park Trail 1, Sheltowee Trail 100.  From here on I’ll introduce the trail with all names used then I will refer to it by the park’s numbering system.  Let’s go.For the first two miles of the trip you will be on trail 1, this trail offers good views as well as spots to walk down to the sandy beaches of the river for some great picture opportunities.  During this part of the trail you will also notice huge boulders lining the trail in areas that provide for some mild climbing if that’s what your into.  We hiked for about 30 minutes before I found a boulder on the edge of the river that needed to be climbed on, so I hopped down there and started to take a picture of the river when a huge splash came from the water directly in front of me.  I don’t know what I expected it to be but I didn’t expect to see a young whitetail frantically swimming across the river.  Apparently he had snuck down to the water’s edge to get a drink and I unknowingly trapped him in from behind.  I will post a picture of him making his big escape.

At the two mile marker you come to a split in the trail, trail 1 continues in the same direction while trail 2 (Cumberland River Trail) breaks off to the right.  Eventually we will be taking this trail on the way back after completing the one mile out and back to Dog Slaughter Falls.  The one mile to the falls seemed to fly by as we made our way beside the river and climbing over boulders along the way.  In a different season this area of the trail would be thick with vegetation but not so much now.  We made it to the falls and climbed around a bit to find better pictures and then headed back to trail 2 thinking that most of the trip was already over.  We were wrong.

Even though distance wise we had almost come to the halfway point having already completed 4 miles but the 4 miles we had finished had very little elevation gain and would be considered by most to be fairly easy.  You start trail 2 zig zagging your way up to the top of the ridge.  After climbing roughly 500 feet (that’s a guestamation based on a poor topo map of the area) in the first 3 quarters of a mile this section was already proving to be more difficult the previous 4 miles.  Before turning off of trail 2 we noticed the Pinnacle Knob fire tower above, we didn’t have time to explore around it but my map indicates that if you stay on trail 2 you would have a chance to explore around the area.

At this point you see a sign where the trail splits again saying the way back to Cumberland Falls is to take 11 to 7 to 12 to 1.  We started on 1 so we figured this would be our quickest way out since we had already completed 5 miles and after that climb could use a break.  So we take trail 11 (Anvil Branch Trail) and come to quickly realize that our climbing had just begun.  Now we didn’t gain anymore elevation from where we were but there was very little flat ground on this trail, we were constantly going down and coming back up the ridges surrounding the river which made for a tiring 2.5 miles.  Trail 8 also branches off of trail 11 and connects with Kentucky Highway 90 if someone is needed to reach the highway.

We finally make our way to Trail 7 (Rock House Trail) which is a shorter connector trail between 12 and 11.  We were only on this trail for about a quarter of a mile until we joined up with Trail 12 (Wildflower Loop Trail).  Trail 12 earned this name because during the spring and early summer this is an area that is full of some of the most beautiful wildflower scenery the state has to offer.  Again not so much in late November but it was still a nice walk that led us beside the wonderful water treatment plant in the park.  Follow Trail 12 until it runs back into trail 1 and familiar sights and then you are only about 200 yards from the great Cumberland Falls.

To the best of my guessing ability I would say this loop was about 8.5 miles long which took us about 3 hours and 45 minutes.  It has become my favorite trail in this park system because it really does seem to have everything whether you like being beside the river, rocky outcroppings,   or dense forest with moss covered everything and ferns that when seeing it makes you fully expect to see ewoks around the next turn:)  It was a great day and a great hike that I would recommend to anyone, but remember, without our state parks none of this would be possible.  So support your state parks in any way you can and as always happy hiking.

We enjoyed the company all the way to the Sheltowee portion of the blue bend which is my personal favorite for all the rocky areas and ledges to play around on.  We climbed onto a ledge about 12 feet off the ground only to realize that the dog was trying to follow us up the rocks, which eventually led to the dog being stuck about 6 feet up and us having to rescue it. 

As we began the Eagle Falls portion of the trip (us and the dog)  we began to ask if anyone has reported a lost dog since this trail is heavily traveled.  No one knows anyone missing a dog.  We hike down to the falls which was beautiful, then we hop rock to rock to get a picture of the falls from downstream.  The we have climb our way out which my dad informed me was atleast 120 steps to get back to bench which we put to good use,  after a rest we headed back to the car.

Now let me say something about the majority of people you meet while hiking, we ran into a group that informed us that dogs were dropped in that area often and that we should take the dog with us.  They were very nice and hiking with a Jack Russell.  After a rather lengthy period of going back and forth over whether or not to take the dog, dad and I decided to check with the visitor’s center to see if they knew anything about a lost dog.  They didn’t and told us to keep it before the pound got it because they say dogs were dropped out there all the time.  We decide to return to the trail and get the dog but he is nowhere to be found, we give up and head home.

We change our minds and go back to find the dog that kept us company on those trails all afternoon and after another mile of hiking find those extremely nice people with the Jack Russell I mentioned earlier, and with them was the dog.  And like any good story just when things are looking up they turn, or better yet we turned around and the dog was gone.  So here I am whistling for this dog a long with complete strangers who are trying to help me find it.  Eventually after changing their plans to help us those wonderful people find the dog.

But going back to the people you meet while hiking.  These people became a shining example of people will do for others they don’t know on the trail.  The trail is the one thing that gives us common ground and for that reason we treat other hikers with respect and kindness.  So if these people (and they know who I’m talking about) happen to read this, thank you for all of your help.

Not my typical post I know but sometimes things happen that just need to be shared with others.  So if you have any stories or pics to share post them here or email me at jsmith@hikeky.com.  And as always, happy hiking.

On Sunday morning my father (Eddie Smith) and I traveled down to Berea for an early morning hike.  Dad had never been to the pinnacles before so I was eager to show him around and introduce him to Tillie.  Unfortunately there was no Tillie to be found this time, there was one car in the parking lot when we arrived so I assumed she was already on the trail.

So we started our trip making first for the east Pinnacle and since Dad have never been there before my one warning was that the first climb can be a bit rough.  As we made it to the first split in the trail we made use of the bench provided and then took off to the right for East Pinnacle.  One of the most interesting things about hiking here is seeing the natural succession that is taking place after the wildfires that burned most of the area in the late 1980’s.  The fire burned 657 acres of forest and still seeing burned tree stumps after so many years reminds us of our responsibilities whenever we enter a natural area to be safe because the  lasting effects of what we do will most likely continue on even after we are no longer here.

When we reached the East Pinnacle the early morning sun extremely bright which made the view down into the valley even more amazing.  Once there we took sometime for a few pictures (which you can find in the gallery below)  and continued our hike.  This time was a bit different than being here during the summer because I could see so much more with the falling of the leaves, it allowed for better pictures as well as giving clear lines of sight to your next destination.

Not often to discuss products to make trips easier but in this case I felt I needed to say something.   The North Face has a line of shoes called Hedgehogs, these shoes can range between $80-120 but I will say that they are one of the better hiking shoes around.  So if you are looking for a pair of extremely comfortable shoes to hike, check out what North Face has to offer.  Ok I don’t want this to sound like a commercial so let’s get back to our trip.

We decided then to head for the West Pinnacle which also provided some amazing views which with a clear morning the visibility of the surrounding areas helped out a lot.  On our way back through we stopped and climbed around on the rocks  whenever we found a chance and also took some great pics that will definitely keep the memories of this wonderful day fresh in our minds and hopefully inspire our reader’s to find a trail and hike.  So keep posting pics of your travels and if there is any place you think I should going, let me know and I will do my best to get there.  You can reach me at jsmith@hikey.com.  So remember to always take care of your environment and as always happy hiking.

On a personal note this day was special to me because  as I have gotten older and find myself busier and busier with careers and life in general, it was a breath of fresh air to be out hiking again with someone I have respected and admired my entire life and hope that we can find time to do this more often.  Thanks Dad.