Mulberry Street

A quaint civil war town that sits at the junction of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers.  The kids had a good time, despite the cold, exploring this old town, watching trains and enjoying hot cocoa.

I hiked "Old Rag" the highest peak in Shenandoah National Park with three friends.  While I hiked I found myself wondering why, having lived in VA for so many years, I haven't hiked this mountain before.  It was fantastic.  The drive to the trail head was stunning and full of picturesque farms lining the base of the mountains.  Heidi, Shelly, Brooke and myself put on our support braces, taped up problem areas on our legs and took some pain relief before setting out on foot.  Hiking in our thirties and forties is very different from hiking in our twenties! The ascent was steep, rocky and full of roots.  We were so focused on the trail that we had to remind ourselves to glance around once in awhile.  The beauty surrounding us was spectacular.  There is about a mile section of the trail called the "rock scramble" which literally means tossing up your pack and scrambling on all fours up and down and around the boulders. ...