I hope you enjoyed the great weather as much as we did this past weekend.  Will it get cold again before it stays warm?  Not according to the groundhog but you and I just have to wait and see.  In the mean time, it’s been amazing to go hiking and see barely any ice to slip on while still in winter.  Below for your late winter enjoyment include an Appalachian Trail Hike in Northern Virginia, some upcoming outdoor events, and a few indoor activities for the remaining winter weeks and spring rain:

• An AT Hike just off 66 in Virginia:  This weekend we headed up to the Appalachian Trail  for the first time since the ground’s been frozen.  With barely a trace of ice it could have been late fall or early, early spring, and for hiking’s sake, we’re hopeful we get to keep hitting the trails in the weeks ahead.  Though we
  

  A nice shelter on the AT with a deck, a fire pit and Adirondack Chair-style loveseat.

  didn’t partake, wineries in the area are abundant, judging by the signage imploring us to visit them each turn we took driving toward the hike.  Directions to the spot we parked are here.  Last time we parked in this spot we slowly sipped a delicious Avery White Rascal at the end of the hike at the picnic table beside the stream.  More on the  hike: We walked a total of 6.5 miles South and back on the AT which headed under Highway 66, over a stream, across a rural highway, across some railroad tracks and then up about 700 feet of winding trail up and over a small mountain or big hill before ending at the Jim and Molly Denton Shelter about 3.75 miles in to the hike before turning around.

• Outdoors Indoors:  The Washington Post’s Going Out Guide is great, but with some exceptions most of their activities they write about take place indoors.  This post takes place indoors, but at least they’ve written about some great stuff to do if the weather isn’t cooperating either in winter or through spring rains.   They’ve got archery, mini-golf, indoor climbing, an indoor water park, and indoor beach volleyball, all in the metro-DC area aka the DMV.
  

  A historical plaque near the beginning of the AT hike for northbound hikers.

  Not bad at all!

• Maryland Wildlife Activities:  The Maryland Office of Tourism sends these cool upcoming events that include an Eagle Festival, a celebration of the National Wildlife Refuge System, and the opening of the Catoctin Zoo, near the National Park Service’s Catoctin Park.  Catoctin Park is rumored to be near a certain Presidential retreat, whose location is not known to the public.  I believe the retreat’s name rhymes with Damp Rayvid.

Related Articles

• Hiking Shoes for Spring (onlineshoes.com)
• Cure for the Winter Blues: Getting Outside and Loving It (capitaltrailmix.com)
• Going Wild: Choosing a Light Hiking Shoe (onlineshoes.com)