2018 Hocking Hills

This is our third of three mini/weekend trips for the summer. This time, Lady Adventurer and I traveled with daughter and son-in-law Veronica and Barry Dancer, and of course their kids, Malcolm and Vincent. Just like last year, we stayed in a cabin in the Hocking Hills area of southern Ohio.

It was a beautiful cabin called, 'Outside Inn.' The kids loved it, and we celebrated Malcolm's eighth birthday. Mostly, we went for the hiking and the sights. For hiking, there was:

Clear Creek Metropark: Lady A and I arrived early, so we hiked the Fern trail there. It was more difficult than anticipated, but a nice walk in the woods.

Hiking Clear Creek

Hiking Clear Creek

Cantwell Cliffs: This was a fairly spectacular hike in and around some steep rock cliffs, which included two amphitheater formations, complete with waterfalls. The hiking was extremely difficult, but everyone, including the kidlets did fine.

Cantwell Cliffs Hike

Cantwell Cliffs Hike

Cantwell Cliffs Hike

Rockbridge: This park was also close to our cabin. Veronica, Debbie and I were the only ones to brave the two-mile trail. The rock bridge itself was pretty cool. Yes, you could walk above it, but although we could go nearby, we weren't able to walk completely underneath.

Rockbridge

Rockbridge

The campfire was a highlight, as always.

We had hoped to see some stars, and possibly even experience the new John Glenn Astronomy park, but it rained Friday night, and it was cloudy most of the remaining time. It finally became clear as we were getting ready to go. Debbie saw a shooting star!

2018 Wild Wonderful West Virginia

This is the second of three mini-vacations for the year. The primary reason for this one? Hiking!

We had to plan around the expected rain and thunderstorms, and for once, it worked out. We drove straight down to Canaan Valley State Park, encountering awful traffic on the way, and did that hike first. We stayed closer to our home base of Morgantown on Saturday, the second day. That second bit of hiking was in nearby Coopers Rock State Forest. Here's the rundown. Or walkdown, if you will.

We stumbled out of the car after that awful five and a half hour drive through terrible traffic. Got right on the ski-lift and rode to the top of the mountain. Our two and a half mile hike would be back down to the car via the Bald Knob Trail.

Chair Lift

When we emerged from the chairlift, I thought we'd be at the top of Bald Knob. But although we were high up - it had been a long ride - we had to hike further to get to 'the knob.'

Hiking to Bald Knob

Hiking up to Bald Knob

On the Bald Knob trail

It turned out to be about halfway 'down' the trail, and that first part wasn't bad at all. The second half was. It was a steep, knee-buckling and quad-killing hike. Yet it was spectacular at the mountain-top lookouts, as well as all the way down. Even though our legs, and Lady Adventurer's feet, were killing us, we absolutely loved this hike.

Dinner at the Canaan Valley Park Lodge was tasty, and a nice treat for our hard work.

Saturday would be our easy day, I said. I think that I lost some credibility with the Lady Adventurer and Hiker Extraordinaire after about five miles on the trails. But like Canaan Valley, Coopers Rock park was spectacularly scenic. We hiked the Raven's Rock Trail (there was a great lookout), the Rock City Trail (this is a lot like our ledges trail), and also a few shorter ones.

Ravens Rock

Ravens Rock

The woods were great, and the lookouts on the Cheat River Gorge were, well, gorgeous.

We loved this little hiking trip. We will be back.

Also, see my running blog post about this trip.

2018 Whitefish Point and Paradise, Michigan

Lady Adventurer and I spent the weekend in Wonderful Whitefish Point, Michigan. It's also known as Paradise, and for good reason. The trip was for the purpose of running the Whitefish Point Marathon. The report is therefore located in my running blog. Check it out!

Whitefish Point Marathon Race Report

2018 Panama City Beach

Our friends Iris and Mike Zielinski and Linda and Bob Rafalski would be staying for the entire month of February. Would that Lady Adventurer and I could do the same. Alas. I have to save my vacation days for next year's long trip. Our consolation prize is to spend only three days in PCB, after a two-day drive down, and followed by a two-day trip back. It would have to do.

The fourteen to fifteen-hour drive is arduous when you're in a hurry. And when it's dark. And raining. But our plan was to get there fast so we could take it slow. (That's where we want to go, way down to PCB.)

We went to St. Andrews State Park, Historic St. Andrews (it's within Panama City), ate some good seafood and relaxed. But mostly, we spent time with our friends. Mike and Iris' friends Jerrol and Vicki also visited, and the eight of us had a lot of fun. Among the most memorable moments were Iris borrowing duct tape, and then the next thing we see is a mirror attached to a stick reaching over from the next door balcony. Of course we made faces at it. And then there was the towel incident. Debbie told me the towel I hung to dry on the balcony railing would fall. When she did see it appear to fly away, she immediately sent me downstairs by the pool to retrieve it. I looked up when I couldn't find it down there, only to see Iris holding it on her balcony. For some reason, everyone (except the towel retrieval person) found this hilarious.

Their place is called Beachside Resort, and the Rafalskis and Zielinskis got the monthly 'Snowbird' rate. Lady Adventurer and I stayed at a Fairfield Inn, because, I'm Gold for Life (with Marriott), you know. The Fairfield was fine, although not on a beach, whereas their place is built for the beach and the pool.

Beachside Resort is really neat. Our friends' rooms each had two bedrooms and a tiny kitchen: just what you need for a month. The pool is heated, so just bobbing the day away is an attractive option. We also walked the beach, because the beach must be walked. The lanais face the ocean and pool, and also afford great views of the sunsets. Spending a month here, in my opinion, is the best way to be a snowbird.

Lady Adventurer and I had a blast during this whirlwind trip. We will return.