Autumn Hike

Saturday was my father's 70th birthday party.  As it was a surprise party, my sister and I were tasked with keeping him out of the house while the caterers set up.  We decided to take him to lunch at Family Meal (the fried chicken is well worth the trip to Frederick) then go for a hike at Sugarloaf Mountain.

After nervously eyeing the weather forecast all week we were pleasantly surprised by a cloudy day in the mid-70s.  The weather was perfect for hiking.  As we only had an hour and a half, we decided to take the white trail, a 2.5 mile loop around the summit.

My dad is notorious in my family for taking a while to stretch and get going.  My sister and I decided to take that time to stretch and take some photos.

Once he was ready, we set off.  The sun came out, but the trees kept us shaded and cool.  The trail was pretty rocky and hilly, but I liked the varying terrain.  We didn't pass too many other hikers, which made our hike quiet and peaceful.  Everyone we passed seemed as happy to be on the trail as we were.

One of my favorite things about hiking Sugarloaf is the view.  We took a few photos at different vistas throughout the hike.

It was a wonderful afternoon with my family, and a great chance to relax before the madness that occurred Saturday night.

On the way to the party, our car was hit by a drunk driver.  Everyone is ok, but a bit shaken up.  The woman who hit us didn't "seem" drunk (my father and I didn't suspect she was driving under the influence), but her BAC was twice the legal limit.  Please let this serve as a reminder to put away your keys if you've had a couple of drinks.  Taking a cab home and coming to get your car the next day may seem inconvenient, but it's a lot more convenient than spending the night in jail.