countdown

First hike of 26 B.C.

Wednesday, January Eleventh 26 B.C.

I've been trying to find a nice day both Ce and I had off so we could be outside but every time our schedules synched up the damn weather would tell us to go inside and watch an episode of Dexter, Breaking Bad, or How I Met Your Mother. After a few failed attempts and several episodes of HIMYM a beautiful sunny day surprised us and we both had the afternoon free!

The Massanutten Ridge Trail is pretty rocky but fairly easy to manage. Ce prefers loop hikes so she doesn't have to see the same things twice but this hike was a 'there and back' hike. from our parking spot it was a little over two and a half miles to the end-point.

The end of the hike is at the peak of Massanutten mountain, close to the top of the 'Diamond Jim' and 'Paradise' ski trails. Right past the cell phone towers and a little farther up some rocks there is a suicide dock, it is just like a normal dock you would see on a lake but this one hangs over the edge of the mountain and is intended for those who want to end their lives in the noble fashion of plummeting down the side of a mountain to their certain death.

"Awesome hiking poles Ben" - Anonymous

Instead of jumping like we had planned, we decided to take the service road from the cell phone towers down to the villages of Massanutten. The road wouldn't take us back to the parking lot so while we were up at the cell phone towers I called my mom who lives nearby to meet us when we got to the bottom of the mountain. 

Interesting note: While my phone has a max of four bars when in service, standing next to the Verizon cell phone tower while making the call gave me an extra fifth bar that was bigger and orange instead of blue like all the others.

Closer to the bottom of the service road we found a slip and slide that had frozen. Ce decided it would suit her better to stand at the bottom and record me going down.

View this shit larger YOUTUBE (opens in a new window)

I used RunKeeper on my phone to track our progress, you can see the activity report here.

<3en

update 1: Turns out the suicide dock was actually put there as a hang gliding dock, same difference if you ask me.

update 2: The extra orange service signal bar turned out to be a cheeto.

26 B.C.

I hope everyone had a good holiday; a merry Christmas, a happy Gregorian new year, and a happy new year. Of course January fifth brought in the new year, 26 B.C. and I was lucky enough to celebrate it with my family.

Clean shaven face before the company christmas party

I miss my beard. Cutting it off seemed like such a good idea at the time but clean shaven Ben is just not as confident as homeless, deserted island Ben. So good news: I'm growing it back!









Christmas morning I was at my moms house with Ce, Erin and Mike where we opened presents and ate apple pancakes. I got a new tent, a Marmot Limelight. Ce and I are planning to hike for six days in May and as excited as I am about it, the thought of figuring out what to bring, how to pack, what to do about food and water has been festering in the back of my mind. I have camped for a week before but that was always at a site with a car. The longest hiking trip I have been on was just one night and that was easy enough but six days is a different game all together. Doug has more experience backpacking and has expressed some interest in coming so that would be great.

On Gregorian New Years eve, Ce and I triple dated with Erin and Mike, and Scott and Ginny at Kyoto Japanese Steak House. After dinner we went to Mikes parents house to play games and ring in the new Gregorian year.

On January Fifth, New Years day, I had to work early but was able to get off in time to go to lunch with Ce, Erin, Mike, and Dad at A Bowl of Good. We were on the hunt for the best ginger brew I have ever had Maine Root Ginger Brew. ABoG is the only place I have ever seen it and they were sold out! bummer.

Later that night my wonderful mother took us out for Ethiopian. Such good food and so fun to eat.

<3en