What is the GET season?

One question I get asked a lot by prospective GET thru-hikers is, "What time of the year should I start a GET thru-hike?"

My answer: Great question.

There are dozens of considerations when choosing between a northbound and southbound hike, but the biggest consideration of all, the weather window, is still untested.

Northbound:
Bart and I began the hike on January 10th, 2013. We had no idea how lucky we were.  We had three or four snowstorms for a couple weeks total of snow-hiking.  We had only five days of what I would consider dangerous weather conditions.  We also had five zero days (at least) due to snow/dangerous conditions.  All in all, that wasn't too bad -- but only because 2013's winter wasn't like 2015's.  If 2013's winter had been like 2015's, I don't think we would have made it.  Despite our dedication, I really think we would have had to bail.

Stuart and Taylor started February 1, 2014 and still ran into rough conditions - Kentucky in particular.  Kentucky seems to be the Smokies of the GET - with high elevations and being relatively far north, you can't hit Kentucky too early or it will be miserable.  (Will this assessment hold true, or was it just the four of us who ran into extreme weather in Kentucky?  Time will tell.)  Their start date was way smarter than ours, but still might be too early for most hikers.

The danger of waiting too long to start a northbound hike is that you're in the south for a longer time than, for example, on the AT, so it might become hard to out-hike the heat and stay in spring.

Southbound:

I was not amused with 102 degrees.
Mainly because it wasn't using Celsius.

There has been no southbound attempt so far, but this should be the year.  It will be interesting to see how the weather is!

When Bart and I hiked the western route of the GET (PA - MD) in June-July 2014, it was ridiculously hot, so an early summer southbound attempt is not for those skittish of heat.

I'd recommend a fall southbound attempt.  Assuming a four-month thruhike (your mileage may vary), it likely means an August start.  August in New York and Pennsylvania might be pretty hot.  So what's the magic date?  What date strikes a good balance?

Great question.

GET website

The Great Eastern Trail's official website has been redesigned, and it is fantastic!  Check it out: http://www.greateasterntrail.net/

East Route vs. West Route

Between Hancock, MD and Detweiler Junction near State College, PA there are two official routes that the Great Eastern Trail aligns with.  Either route is legitimate for a thru-hike.

Assuming a northbound hike, the decision happens in Hancock, where you turn either right or left onto the C&O Towpath.  Turning right takes the hiker to the west route.  Turning left joins the east route.  (Does this seem backwards?  Yeah it does, but it isn't.)

East and West Routes - C&O Towpath

The east route utilizes the C&O for about 8 miles. 

This view is super awesome for, like, 2 hours.

The west route follows the C&O for 30+ miles.

The towpath is almost completely flat, and while it's possible to knock out 20+ miles per day on the trail with decent camping spots and potable (although highly iodined) water, it presents numerous issues such as bike traffic, monotonous bugs, monotonous pounding of the feet, and, well, general monotony.


 East Route - Tuscarora Trail
On the east route, the GET continues on the Tuscarora Trail through Maryland before entering Pennsylvania.  The GET briefly continues on the Tuscarora to Cowan's Gap State Park where the Tuscarora and GET separate.  Highlights of this short section include:

• Crossing the Maryland/Pennsylvania border at a nice wooded location
• Two shelters, one with a pond
• Hang glider ramp (don't get any ideas)
• A biker bar atop Tuscarora Mountain
• Potential resupply in McConnellsburg, off trail
• Cowan's Gap State Park

East Route - Standing Stone Trail
The east route next veers onto the Standing Stone Trail.  The GET follows this trail for its entire length, meaning an eastern hike includes an automatic end-to-end of the Standing Stone Trail.  The SST leads to Greenwood Furnace State Park.  Highlights of the Standing Stone Trail include:

• A giant stone monolith
• Potential limited resupply in Three Springs
• Potential limited resupply near Mapleton
• The Thousand Steps
• Hall of the Mountain King
• Throne Room
• Butler Knob Shelter
• Rocky Ridge Natural Area

East Route - Greenwood Spur
From the northern terminus of the Standing Stone Trail, the GET follows the Greenwood Spur Trail to meet up with the Mid State Trail.  Highlights of this short trail are:

• Greenwood Furnace State Park with some amenities
• Alan Seeger Natural Area, a ridiculously lush and gorgeous section of trail

West Route - Green Ridge State Forest
Green Ridge State Forest is a beautiful and challenging section of the Great Eastern Trail.  Northbound hikers will get to make up for the long flat walk to get there.  Highlights include:

• Access to official campsites and shelters - some with porta-potties!
• Breathtaking views
• A more thorough representation of Maryland 
• Potential resupply in Flintstone, Maryland

West Route - Mid State Trail

The western route hiker will complete the entire Mid State Trail, starting at the Mason-Dixon Line/PA-MD border, continuing to Detweiler Junction where both routes come together, and heading to the NY line.  Highlights of the MST from Maryland to Detweiler Junction include:

• A superb and amusing guidebook
• Frequent register boxes or mailboxes
• A GET diamond at the border
• Martin Hill area
• Sweet Root Natural Area
• Fantastic resupply in Everett
• Tenley Park's free camping
• New Frontier Restaurant just off trail at Loysburg
• Maple Run Valley, a fairy wonderland
• More fantastic resupply in Williamsburg
• Jo Hays Vista among others
• A gorgeous walk through Rothrock State Forest

Okay, okay, whatever -- which one is best?

Both of 'em.  I cannot recommend one route over the other; it depends on your strengths and weaknesses and what you want to get out of your hike and what kinds of challenges you appreciate.

In terms of overall difficulty, the western route is moderately more challenging due to being longer and also the rockiness of MST Sections 7, 3, and 2 in particular.  The western route has significant water issues and also lacks legal camping locations along some sections of the MST, leading to long days.

BUT...The western route is easier in that there is only one guide/map set needed (other than printing the free Green Ridge State Forest maps) and it is fantastic. The western route is also much easier for quality resupply.  Also, there are many stretches of the southern route that I would rate as very easy, terrain-wise.


The eastern route's difficulties are that it requires no fewer than three guides/map sets of varying updatedness.  There are frequent rocky sections (particularly the Stone Mountain section of the SST).  It is also very challenging to resupply on this stretch and a maildrop would not be a bad idea.

BUT... The eastern route holds perhaps more iconic locations.  Overall, its water situation is sufficient - while there are dry (and rocky) sections, they are not nearly as long or arduous as the western route's.  The east route also spends less time on the C&O, which for me is a plus but might not be for you.

Choose your own adventure! 
-jo

Testing.

Testing again

After a solid hour, we got Bart's new phone hooked up to the blog.  Here is a delightful picture of Jo permethrinizing her purple wardrobe.  Now we leave in about 4 hours.

Leaving in 5 hours!

Jo is getting as much Sula time as possible.

We leave on Sunday. Today is Friday.

Bart: Hey, is it okay if we go grocery shopping tomorrow instead of late tonight?  Because I have to go to Beckley tomorrow anyway.

Jo, unenthused: Ehhhh.  It means we'll have a lot of extra work tomorrow.  What do you need to do in Beckley tomorrow?

Bart: Buy some shoes for the trip.

Jo: . . .

Wait, so, what?!

Here is the entire plan for summer 2014:

In a few days we are leaving for State College, Pennsylvania.  In Pennsylvania and Maryland, the Great Eastern Trail has two official routes.  To thruhike the trail, you need only choose one route and last year we took the eastern route, hosted on the Tuscarora Trail, Standing Stone Trail, and Greenwood Spur of the Mid State Trail.  

This year we want to explore the western route of the Great Eastern Trail.  We are returning to Detweiler Junction on the Mid State Trail, then heading south along the MST.  The MST is very proud to use the metric system, so we'll be brushing up on that while we hop over rattlers and sweat our butts off.

At the Maryland border, we will follow the GET through Green Ridge State Forest before our final GET jaunt along the C&O Towpath towards Hancock, Maryland.

From Hancock, Maryland, it is only 90 miles to Bruceton Mills, West Virginia where the northern terminus of the Allegheny Trail lies.  Had we more time we'd walk there, but instead we will be finding a shuttle.

You can read more about the Allegheny Trail by clicking here.  

Map courtesy of Cookerhiker.

The Allegheny Trail ends on the Appalachian Trail, about 16 miles north of Pearisburg, Virginia.  We will hike the newly-relocated section down into town and then flail our arms around until we figure out a way back to Mullens.

Even more info available at WVSTA.

Originally, this 500+ mile trip was planned to be a super-relaxing, no-stress 7-week trip.  We envisioned lots of time to chill out and visit with people.  Then Jo's summer gig needed her a week earlier than she had guessed.  Then Bart's school got extended a week in June due to snow days.  So our 7-week trip turned into a 5-week trip.  We are still looking forward to visiting with friends along the way -- we might just make you hike with us rather than relaxing with you. :)

How to (not) train for a long hike

Training Avoidance Level: Expert

Both of us are hard at work avoiding training for the hike this summer.  I just finished reading A History of the Green Ridge State Forest by Champ Zumbrun.  We will hike through Green Ridge State Forest for a couple of days on our way from the Mid State Trail to the C&O.  I really enjoyed learning more about the land we will soon explore.  Thank you Champ for writing such an informative and engrossing book!  I highly recommend it.

Training marginally harder than Jo.

Meanwhile in West Virginia, Bart has been making Adirondack chairs.  I fully expect him to use this skill to maximize our comfort on the trail this summer.

Finished product

.  . .yeah, that first mountain is going to kick our butts.  One week to go!

Gear: Water

Water is the most important thing on a hike.  They say you can go for three days without water -- but I wouldn't want to try.  Here is the water-related gear that we have carried and/or will carry:

First of all, you gotta carry water.  I find a water bladder to be well worth its weight.  I can carry just as much water in bottles, but the major perk of the water bladder is that I can sip on the go.  The hose is a reminder to keep drinking.  I can drink while I walk without slowing down.  Bottles have weight too, so for me the weight of a bladder is a non-issue.

There are two most popular brands of water bladders, Platypus and Camelbak.  The ideal water bladder has yet to be invented.

Platypus Pro: VERY easy to fill and clean

Platypus Con: Less durable material and developed many holes over the course of 1600 miles

Camelbak Pro: More durable, yet mine is an ounce or two lighter than the Platypus

Camelbak Con: More difficult to clean, more difficult to open and close

No matter which you choose, you will eventually have to swap out the bite valve because it will get really gross.  Either that or you have to clean it diligently, and on the trail, that just isn't gonna happen.  Bite valves cost a few bucks.

Water purification

There are many ways to ensure your water is safe for you to drink.  There are so many options that I can't go into them all, but I will show you what we have used.

I have been relying on Steripen since 2008 or earlier.  They use UV light to break down the DNA of any bad stuff that would make you sick.  The Steripen comes in a nice padded case to keep it safe.

Steripen Pros:
*Safe water is available in only 90 seconds
*No chemicals are entering your body
*You feel like a Jedi when you're cleaning the water
*It's ridiculously easy.


Steripen Cons:
*It is battery-operated, and as such, I would never rely exclusively on it.  The batteries are weird and hard to find, so I order them in bulk.  They cost several dollars per pair but they last 10 days in the summer and longer in the winter.
*If the water is silty, you're gonna end up drinking those floaties.  It's possible to eliminate some with a bandanna, but . . . floaties.
*It does not work in freezing cold water.  I mean water at 32 or 33 degrees.  It works great in cold water.  But relying on it in winter. . . eehhhhhh . . . 

I always carry a little bottle of iodine tablets with me.  It costs about $6, can be found at outfitters or even big box stores, and is a great backup.  When water looks particularly sketchy, I Steripen it and use iodine.

Iodine Pros:
*It is the lightest-weight water purification
*It does not rely on batteries or moving parts
*For a short-term trip, it's the cheapest option.

Iodine Cons:
*It's a chemical and it tastes like it
*Floaties are also an issue with iodine
*For a long trip, financially it makes sense to invest in something else
*There is a waiting period of about 30 minutes to let the iodine to its thing.  If you're really thirsty, 30 minutes is a VERY long time.

Another product I once used was AquaMira, which is a liquid that you put into your water to purify it.  There are similar pros and cons with AquaMira.

This summer, Bart and I are trying out the Sawyer Squeeze Mini Filter.  It cost $20 and weighs a couple ounces (!!!) plus the bag.  So you fill the bag with water and squeeze it and it squirts out clean water!  We'll let you know how it goes.

Update: It went well.  We had a couple yucky water sources and the Sawyer cleaned the water and we didn't get sick, so it must have worked.  I still prefer the Steripen, but there are times and places where a Steripen is not a great choice (dry season, desert) so I'm happy to have this as a backup.

A great thing about two people hiking is that we can take more stuff.  We'll be hiking with a Steripen, a Sawyer Mini, and iodine.  We like water.

Finally, no matter what you do, sometime you're probably going to come across a water source that doesn't taste great.  Maybe it's just tannin in the water, maybe it's just a little yucky.  

When that happens, the best thing in the world is to have some tea or juice packets.  The ones in the picture are not the greatest kinds (hence why they have been sitting in my food bag for a year), but even the kinds without extra vitamins are a blessing when you come to a yucky water source.  Juice packets help me stay hydrated by encouraging me to drink more.  And in the summer, that is a very good thing.

The next adventure . . .

For a year, Bart and I have been talking about the next adventure. We didn't always know what that next adventure would be, but somewhere along the way we got the idea of hiking the western leg of the GET.  See how the GET splits in Maryland and Pennsylvania? Lured by the Standing Stone Trail President, we took the eastern route last year.  What better than to now hike the western route and then the Allegheny Trail south for a beautiful 500-mile summer?

(I think it's pretty cool that not only did we not push each other off a cliff, we're willing to hike together again . . . or maybe Bart just wants a second chance at the cliff thing?)

I have all the maps.  Bart and I have the chunk of time carved out in our schedules.  I have a modest but comfortable amount saved up for the inevitable pizza stops.  I even have a train ticket.  Yet the hike has been in jeopardy because of me . . . and I probably want to hike this even more than Bart does.

Getting food poisoning last year made me feel like this.
This seems quaint after all the stuff I've had this year.

I've gotta say that 2014 has been the most challenging year of my life due to being constantly sick.  I've been out sick from work for the past two weeks with ten different medications trying to find a balance in my system, and I just feel like a ghost of a human being.

So, the long process of healing has begun.  After 16 days of being confined to bed, I joined the world of the living.  I have just a couple of weeks to regain my strength.  Today, my humble goal was to actually go to work.  I did it, took a five hour nap, and then went for a walk.

It's a start.

Roadwalking on the Great Eastern Trail

"But aren't there . . . roadwalks?"
I get that a lot when talking about the Great Eastern Trail.  It's a fair question because yes, there are roadwalks.  There are roadwalks in the south, and there are roadwalks in the middle, and there are even roadwalks in the north, although they are rarer up there.

Hikers have a hard time with the R-Word.  I understand, because I used to have a bad attitude towards roadwalking, too.

Having hiked the entire Appalachian Trail, the thought of hiking a trail with roadwalking was very intimidating.  Except, oh wait, the AT has roadwalking too.  And not all of it is pleasant, in-town roadwalking.  Hiking out of New Hampshire into Vermont was not particularly scenic or enjoyable.
But what do the AT (and, for that matter, GET) roadwalks do for the trail?

• They allow for the best possible sections to happen.  
• They make resupply easy.
• The give hikers a break from constantly looking down at the ground
• They let hikers move at least 1MPH faster than they usually do.  
• They help the hiker out with useful bridges.
• They allow for hot meals and cultural tourism.  

The AT is always going to have some roadwalks and hikers like it that way.  No one really bothers to talk about AT roadwalks because they are no big deal.

But people do talk about GET roadwalks because we've got a 1,600 mile trail and about 25% of that is roadwalk.  Is this significant?  Well, let's put it into perspective.  First of all, this % is going down every year.  Since Bart and I hiked last year, I know of at least twenty miles that have been routed onto trail and off road, and there have probably been more. That's fast progress, but even so: this is a young trail.

Earl: Badass and inventor of the thru-hike

Back when Earl Shaffer hiked the young Appalachian Trail in 1948, the AT was nearly half on roads.  Half!
The Appalachian Trail Conference was founded in 1925, so the movement was around 23 years old when Earl hiked.

Compare to the Great Eastern Trail Association, which incorporated in 2007 and is about 7 years old.  The GET movement is much older than that but still, the active plans to link the GET host trails together are relatively new.  Yet it is about 75% finished already.  Pretty impressive, huh?



So yes, there are roadwalks on the GET and there will be for a long time.  Some will be there forever. The AT is still rerouting onto an optimal route; every trail is a work in progress. The Ice Age Trail and Mountains to Sea Trail are still 50% on roads; the Continental Divide Trail is 76% completed yet these all boast thru-hikers and positive hiking experiences despite roadwalks.  That's because roadwalks aren't inherently bad.

 Here are three examples of GET roadwalking.

Guess how many cars we saw on those roads?  The answers: 1, 0, and maybe 2.   Bonus: we got to see the POWERLINES sign.  It makes sense in real life, but I won't spoil the reason why.

Here are some things we saw along roadwalks:

Too bad there's no beauty along roadwalks.

This is without a doubt my favorite tree along the GET.

Nope, no roadwalk views to be found! :)

Roadwalks on the GET supplied all the perks of roadwalks on the AT, only moreso because as the roadwalks are larger, so too are the benefits.

•  Resupply was, on average, easier than the AT despite the GET's lack of hitch-hiker culture. 
•  Our packs were often very light, as some sections only required a day or two of food before resupply.  
• Faster miles were another perk that we could bank on - not only thanks to a lighter pack but also because roads offer fewer obstacles to trip on.  
• But most importantly, the biggest redeeming quality of roadwalks was the people.

We met people on roadwalk sections that we otherwise wouldn't have run into.  Like Ramar and Angie, whose kindness towards us inspires us even today.  So many people made time to talk to us, to help us. . . it was overwhelming.

Don't let the GET's roadwalks scare you away.  Many of the roadwalks are incredibly beautiful, unique, and refreshing -- just like the people you'll encounter.

Northbound vs. Southbound on the GET

On most long-distance north-to-south trails, northbound has been the traditional direction to hike. That does not have to apply to the Great Eastern Trail.  The two biggest considerations are:

1. When is your free time?  
2. Do you want to tackle the most mentally-challenging section (the south) when you are fresh and enthusiastic?  Or do you want to tackle it when you are tired but experienced?  

For me, I really wanted to get the southern gaps out of the way, because I wasn't 100% sure that the trail could be successfully (or enjoyably) connected by foot.  As it turns out, linking the trail by foot is actually pretty easy with a couple small exceptions.  That being said, next time I want to hike southbound so I can experience Pennsylvania in particular when I am fresh and end where it all began.

So, for the next hikers, northbound or southbound?  Here is a summary of what you might consider:

Hiking northbound (presumably beginning in mid-spring)

On the bright side:

• A meaningful mountain (Flagg) to mark your beginning
• A gentle start (with shelters!) on the Alabama Pinhoti Trail
• Relatively easy terrain throughout Georgia makes for faster miles and high morale
• Chattanooga provides a needed rest prior to tackling the challenging Cumberland Trail
• Reaching the halfway point in southern West Virginia and knowing that well over half the mental work is done
• Reaching Pearisburg, Virginia where the rest of the trail (over 700 miles) is dependably blazed and/or (mostly "and") has really great guides
• Greater feeling of trail cohesion as the trail heads north
• Some tricky resupply points in Virginia and Pennsylvania, but at this point you've been hiking long enough so you should be able to figure it out without much of a problem 
• Just a personal preference, but I was glad that I was heading UP the Thousand Steps
• Hiking north, Pennsylvania becomes less rocky
• A quiet finish to the hike with a shelter; a good place to take a day and reflect upon the journey

Challenges:

• Significant road walking/unblazed route in Georgia and on the Alabama incursion which could be mentally challenging so early in the hike
• Great guides available but not for the entire south - challenging gaps to figure out
• The first outfitter on trail is in Chattanooga, a few hundred miles from Flagg Mountain
• Significant roadwalking/linking of trail sections in Tennessee and on either end of Kentucky, still early-on in trip when you're figuring it all out.
• Catoosa WMA may be closed, requiring additional planning
• Potential for late-spring storms that could drop snow on higher elevations in Tennessee or Kentucky
• Spring flooding in Bluestone WMA may make the recommended route impassable.
• Challenging rocky sections of Pennsylvania when you're already exhausted 
• Intense heat on very dry ridges of Pennsylvania 

Hiking southbound (presumably beginning in late summer)

On the bright side:

• Beginning your hike at an intersection connecting 10,000 miles of hiking trails
• Dependable blazing for the first 700ish miles - less thinking involved in the beginning
• Reliable guides available for the first half of the hike
• A gentle, rolling beginning through New York and northern Pennsylvania
• Completing your first state in just a few days, which can be a big morale boost
• Hitting the tough rocky sections of Pennsylvania when you're fresh (and not making big miles each day anyway)
• First outfitter of the trail is in Wellsboro in northern Pennsylvania (about 100 miles into the journey); another is located in State College and there are shoes and socks available in Woolrich.  Pennsylvania has the most outfitters and they are more useful to southbound hikers who encounter troubles with gear they thought would work.
• Challenges of the south (unblazed sections, roadwalks, areas without guides) may be easier to overcome with all the experience accumulated in the northern half of the trail - at any rate, you'll be too stubborn to give up once you've come that far!
• Chattanooga is a welcome rest after one of the longest states on the trail
• Ending your hike at the end of the Appalachians

Challenges:

• Potentially tricky resupply points in Pennsylvania before you really settle into the trail
• Some water sources flowing for northbounders probably would have dried up by late summer
• Hunting season on several stretches of public land would have to be taken into consideration
• Reaching Pearisburg, Virginia and knowing that you have the hardest part ahead of you and that you're not yet halfway done
• Shorter hiking days on very challenging sections (night-hiking not recommended in many areas)
• Potential for autumn storms that could drop snow on higher elevations
• Significant roadwalking/linking of trail sections on either end of Kentucky, in Tennessee, in Georgia and on the Alabama incursion - these could be both physically and mentally challenging at a time when many hikers feel "done" with their journey already

Your mileage may vary, hike your own hike, and have fun no matter which way you go!

AT vs. GET

GET or AT?
(Trick question!)

Many AT hikers have asked me how the GET compares.  Because this is such a common question, I made a whole page comparing the two trails.  If you're trying to decide between the two trails, this may help.  Look up at the tabs and you'll see it listed there.  Or you can click this.

Happy hiking!
-Jo

Guides Page

I've been working on a list of resources that Bart and I used to hike the GET.  This list can now be found on the Guides Page.  It is still a work in progress, but it should help future hikers see what resources are available.  Feel free to contact me with additional links, corrections, etc.  Thanks!

-Jo

Day 1

Bart and I are resting in Alabama after a truly humbling first day. We have received so much support and kindness in the last 24 hours that we feel spoiled (and very well-fed!). From the hospitality and hundreds of miles driven by Brad and Senetha for our hike, to meeting up with Mother Nature's Son and Blister Bob. . . wow! We had a great first mountain despite persistent fog! This picture, if my technology works, is of those two rockin' trail angels. Thank you for the shuttle, hike, guidance, company, water drop, and cookies! Our lunch break at Weogufka 2nd Baptist Church brought us an offer of showers and shelter, but we had plans to go about 7 more miles for a total of 13ish. We were adopted by Mama Dog for a mile but we think she was just escorting us through Weogufka. Part II of Trail Angel Day 1 coming soon.

Off to see the Wizard tomorrow!

Long-distance ups and downs

There are fun things about backpacking long distances and there are hard things - just like dayhiking, except bigger.  Anyone who has been on a dayhike and climbed over a fallen tree knows that it can be a bit annoying.  But that pain is much, much bigger when you're hiking with a big pack on your back, you're 10 miles into a 15-mile day, and all you've eaten for the last three days has been stale bagels.



Sometimes while backpacking, you come across sections like this.   Should you go over or under or around?  Or call the whole thing off and wait for a teleportation device to be invented?

Or what about bocce ball?

 
 There are definitely days like this - days when I wonder why I didn't take up croquet instead, so I could sip lemonade and hang out with lawn gnomes all day long.  Croquet might have been a better option . . .

Fiskars guest-stars in this entry.

 But then there are glorious moments like this!  The joy of backpacking is that every day, no matter how few miles you go, you're still making your way to the finish line.  The only person you're racing is yourself.  Can you do a 20-mile day? What will you see?  When you wake up, you never know what the day will bring.



Sometimes the days bring snow.  Precipitation is challenging.  But even in pouring rain, the world is a beautiful place, although sometimes it's hard to remember that.  I don't look forward to encountering weather like this on the Great Eastern Trail, but when I look back on the Benton MacKaye Trail snow, I realize that these are some of my favorite memories.  Go figure.



I rest better on-trail than in "real life."
Not sleep better - rest better.
You learn to listen to your body.
You know when it's time to relax.
You become quieter inside.
I'm looking forward to that.





There is something tremendous about knowing where you are and how to get where you want to go.

But, hey, anyone wanna play croquet next summer?