Non posted hikes

Well, since my last posting I have logged another 15 miles over the course of two hikes. The first hike served the purpose of giving me a decent workout, though the scenery was somewhat boring other than the lake. The hike was at the G Richard Thompson Wildlife Refuge in Paris, Va. The day was pleasant, but the trails, other than the AT sections were very poorly maintained. I also came upon a n area that is being heavily logged. A huge swath of a hillside was cleared. In doing so, the loggers obliterated the path. I had to sit in the middle of the cleared area an figure out my location on the topo to see where I was and the general area of the trail going back into the woods. I succeeded at this only to find the trail so poorly maintained and overgrown, that it was barely an animal trail. I had to stop frequently and look carefully for what seemed the more likely trail. All in all, I came out where I was supposed to and I got to see an area that I had not before. The area is heavily hunted during season, so I don't really feel I'll be back to this one.
The second hike was on familiar ground as I hiked the Maryland Heights trail once again at Harpers Ferry National Park. This was my fourth time to the Heights, and I enjoyed it just as much as the first time. I plan on going again later in the Fall. The hike was a bit of a milestone for me as I hiked with not only another person, but with a group. My neighbors and good friends, Jay and Michelle, joined me along with our new friends from Wisconsin, Debbie and Jon. It was a most enjoyable day, with full sun and no humidity. The views were wonderful with crystal clear skies. The five and 1/2 miles were done in just over four hours with numerous breaks. The return to Harpers Ferry was capped off by a great luncheon on the deck at the Secret Six Tavern. The deck looks up at the Heights. Gorgeous! They serve a wonderful local brew, Shenandoah Lager, which was just the ticket for my traditional post hike brew! The hike was wonderful with my friends. I was pleased to see we all seemed to hike at pretty much the same pace. I felt comfortable that I was not slowing anyone down, nor that I wanted to speed things up. The best thing was having a wonderful conversation with good friends along a beautiful trail. I will be less likely to shy away from hiking with others now. In fact, I am looking to hike with my wife and another friend next month.
For the immediate future, I am planning a hike later this week. Again, I want a longer hike to keep my endurance up. I was pleased to find the Maryland Heights hike left me wanting another five or six miles. I want to keep my pace going as I close in a long awaited hiking trip with Mike from Mid-Atlantic Hikes. The trip will take us to the Southern section of Shenandoah National Park, an area that I have yet the pleasure to visit. The topos of the proposed hikes have been at my bedside for over a month now. I am very much looking forward to getting out to the woods for more than a day or two.
So not my usual critique of hikes completed, but this post will serve to get me up to date. Cooler weather is just around the corner, and I am hoping this will usher in a new burst of hikes for me, time permitting. I would like to see 250 miles logged for the year, but who knows.