Friday evening, a line of severe thunderstorms rolled through the Cincinnati area setting off some pretty spectacular fireworks. I grabbed my trusty digital camera and a tripod and set it up on top of my Jeep.
On a 15 second exposure, and after about 20 tries, I was able to capture the image to the left. All danger aside, it has to be the best storm picture I've ever taken. This time I was happy not to be hanging between two trees.
It's been over a year since we last hit the trails -- our annual hiking/canoeing trip never materialized through the haze of busy schedules and a hot, humid Summer.
I've been playing soccer pick-up games on the weekends to get back in shape. (Too much time in front on the green glow of a computer monitor.) Hopefully I'll see a difference by the time I have to strap on my pack and walk for 4 hours. Granted, it's a a lot different than sprinting up and down the soccer field in the cold rain but it's got to help a little.
Red and I have been throwing around the idea of going to a Camp Jeep outing or something similar. It looks pretty sweet, but the cost is steep and the closest are usually 8 or more hours away. There's just something appealing about 4x4 camping. Patience patience...
Today, temps in Cincinnati soared into the 80's. Time to drag out the gear, take inventory, and plan this year's first hike. I'm thinking a nice relaxing (short) hike to start with. I'm not sure I'm ready for another big one.
We're planning another trip to Shawnee Forest. This time, we're either going to hike from the main trailhead to Camp 1 or hike to Camp 5 via a parking area near Camp 4 (I think?). This time, we're a lot more prepared than we were on our first trip!
Found a nifty site that has a webcam overlooking the Green River in Mammoth Cave National Park.
I just finished reading a trail journal, titled Then The Hail Came, written by George Steffanos who hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1983. It's an excellent story of personal growth and the challenges that a thru hiker faces on the 2100 mile trail.