Journey back with me to those thrilling days of yesteryear…

Some visuals from our hike in the Summer of 2005. It was June 24, 25, & 26. We spent Friday night at the Rt. 30 Trail Head in the back of Master Chief’s pickup, with the wind, the stars, and a case of beer. Saturday morning we powdered up, sprayed down with Deet, and headed off for the 271 Shelters, then back again on Sunday morning. Probably 23 or 24 miles in all, and in some of the worst mosquito-laden heat of the summer. I just barely made it.

Pics are HERE.

Movies are HERE.

—Warthog

The Warthog family hike. We parked at 653, hiked north about four miles toward Grindle Ridge, stopping at mile marker 22, then back to the 653 shelters. In all, about 10 miles of walking. Four-year-old Badger did an amazing job, quite the trooper. That’s a lot of rocky ground for little legs to cover.

See pics HERE.

Vids HERE.

—wart

Another love has taken my fancy. Master Chief, who of course was responsible for getting me hooked on the trail, decided that wasn’t good enough. He decided I was spending far too much money on stuff like, y’know, bills and food, and so introduced me to the form of crack known as PAINTBALL.

After one game, we’d formed a team named, appropriately enough, the Highlanders, and I put up a website and it’s been my all-encompassing-borderline-unhealthy obsession ever since. Therefore, it is now late October and the Chief and I haven’t hit the trail since this time last year, and we’re coming dangerously close to not hiking together for the first time in four years. We’ve got tentative plans for a Winter venture, though November is looking doubtful. A December hike on the LHHT would be exceedingly cool, if we can fit it in.

Still, the Chief has gotten out variously on his own and with Reaper, on the LHHT and in New Hampshire. I’d post his pics here if he’d allow me to, but I guess his hikes are strictly need-to-know.

Today I returned from an overnight on the LHHT with the family: Hoot, Longhorn, four-year-old Badger, and the wife, Meoquanee. Pictures and video to follow…

View the 70th LHHT HIGHLANDS BRIGADE.