What is GoodPursuitsTech?
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GoodPursuitsTech
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Category: Hike
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Prior to today, only my wonderful mother had ever climbed Old Rag with me. Today that all changed as Kelsey hiked with me to both summits. Old Rag is such a wonderful hike that I’m happy another family member is in on it. Her choice was to climb the front to both peaks and then return down the front: six miles and climbing from 600 ft to 3,300 ft. We did it and it was great fun.
Here are a few pictures we took along the way…
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Today I climbed Old Rag again. It was supposed to be sunny. It was not!
Took my hiking GPS and here are a few insights:
- Initial Elevation: 600 ft
- First Peak Elevation: 2800 ft
- Second Peak Elevation: 3300 ft
- Total Hiking Distance 7.8 miles
- Temperature Range: 36 – 43 degrees
Oh, and look at what I found in the middle of nowhere …
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Reston Blue Trail
I’ll be blatant: there are few places which offer better living than Reston, VA. Since its inception Reston has been well planned and well managed and, as one of the first modern planned communities, it’s an historic place. Today I took a walk down the Blue Trail, a 3.5 mile stretch walking path.
What a day!
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Courtney needed a ride back to UVA so I was volunteered. Actually, when I learned that I was drafted I was happy since I’d get to spend some time with her. Little did I know that I’d have so much fun!
Not only did I take Courtney but I took her friend Peter as well. We had lots to talk about: Apple announcements, Facebook, digital photography, the iPhone and its poor substitute,the LG Instinct, the SlingMedia box, Netflix, Roku, yadda yadda. Before we knew it we had arrived. Easy drive. Pleasant.
My next stop was Big Meadows Camp Site along Skyline Drive. My goal was to make camp before sun down. I failed but that’s fine since I’m now an old hand at setting up my site with only the aid of a flashlight. Too often I’ve camped in the winter when evening comes early and long before I’m ready to stop driving. Yes, practice in this case makes perfect.
The night was beautiful with cool crisp air and a full moon. After an OK night’s sleep (who really sleeps “well” on the dirt ground?) I packed and continued driving down Skyline Drive. My goals were to find food, get a little time on the Internet, and arrive at Luray by late morning to see the caves. This too went well and by 10:00 I was buying my entrance ticket.
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Here is a detailed map of my 12 mile hike: Avalon Back Country.
Curious to see more of what I saw?
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There are other places to hike but I keep being drawn back to Old Rag. If I leave at 7:30 AM then I can be back by 3:00 PM after having climbed a mountain, scrambled over rocky terrain, and taken-in stunning views. Total distance is 7.5 miles. Total elevation is 3,200 feet.
Climbing the front is a vigorous effort but your reward is the first peak where a rocky plateau greets you. The views are spectacular and it’s a good place to catch your breath. Soon again you lose your breath as you climb to the second peak across, between and under lots of rock. The descent is 4.5 miles of the total hike and three of those miles are a long fire road, uninteresting but for the three rivers you cross. At that point in the hike though, boring is good.
This hike is recommended, recommended, recommended.
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National Parks are national treasures to be visited and enjoyed at every opportunity. Why is it then that I don’t get excited about our local parks? Simple, we learn to take nearby sites for granted. Thankfully though on this glorious Labor Day I broke through and got out.
Great Falls is an unnavigable stretch of the Potomac River which flows between Maryland and Virginia, past Washington D.C. and in to the Chesapeake Bay. The rocks and falls are treacherous but George Washington believed that boat traffic was critical along the Potomac to connect the Ohio Valley with the East. He felt the bonds of trade would strengthen the fractured colonies and help the union succeed. Consequently he initiated what later became a series of lochs for boats to move goods from Cincinnati to Washington D.C. to countries in Europe.
Very little exists of the original lochs and the town of Matildaville but there’s much to see and do! The entire area has been set aside as a National Park.
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I’m about to embark on my latest good pursuits which will be accomplished by rail in England and by foot in Paris. Using a 22-day BritRail Pass and a book entitled “Britain by BritRail” I plan to visit 30-40 towns and get to know their stations and nearby sights. In Paris I’ll be using my box of 50 walking tour cards over the course of a week to familiarize myself with one of the world’s grandest old cities. If all goes well, I’ll be one tiny step closer to becoming a cosmopolitan man!
You can follow my adventures here.
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I did it again.
I hiked Old Rag Mountain.
Why?
Simple. The top third of the climb is a fun rock scramble that never seems to get old. When I saw the forecast for today I had no doubt what I’d do. I was going to hike to this rock playground-for-adults named Old Rag Mountain.
Curious about my favorite 8.8 mile circuit hike? Learn more here.
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