Bill's Hiking Journal

This was just a short little hike on our first day of camping. The weather sucked, since it was not only really hot, but very cloudy as well. None of the vistas on Skyline Drive were clear, but I figured Stony Man would be ok, and at the least, it would be a little leg stretcher...well, sort of.

After my last (bad) experience trying to make a loop out of Shingletown Gap, I thought I'd give it another try on a trail that is a little better marked. If only my GPS's batteries didn't fail...

After my last (bad) experience trying to make a loop out of Shingletown Gap, I thought I'd give it another try on a trail that is a little better marked. If only my GPS's batteries didn't fail...

I wanted to do something quick, since I had limited time, so I thought about Mount Nittany, which is where I hike when I don't know where to hike. Mount Nittany was getting old, though, so when I saw the antennas on Little Flat, I thought about Shingletown, for some reason.

I was in the Huntingdon area with Erin, and we were looking for a good hike. I figured the original southern terminus of the Mid State Trail was nearby, so I may as well find that. It was more complicated than I thought.

Erin wanted to do a nice hike (or me, I can't remember!) so I figured Mount Nittany was a safe bet. We hiked a double loop, starting up the white trail from the parking area, then around the Mike Lynch Vista to the blue trail. We ate lunch at the hammer, looped back around to the Mike Lynch Vista and did the white loop, then down the blue trail and home. All in all, a nice 8+ mile hike. I noticed a bit more broken glass than on any previous hike, and some jagoffs ruined the stone seat at the Oak Hall overlook. If I ever find out anybody that's vandalized the vistas, there'll be a devil to pay.

The Hillside Nature Trail is a nice little trail that can be hiked in about 10 minutes, or you can take longer if you'd like to smell the roses. It's located within the US Army Corps of Engineers' land at Raystown Lake, in Huntington County, PA. Raystown Lake is a big flood control project, and much of the areas around it are owned by the feds.

Near Seven Points and Susquehannock campgrounds on Raystown Lake, Huntingdon County, PA. This hike was a lot more demanding than I thought it would be.

Here is my virtual hike.

Coming soon...

I love Gettysburg, and it's a favorite spot for me to hike, take photos, and take in history. You'll see this as a recurring theme in this blog. As for this particular hike, it was a little different because I got a hotel in Chambersburg so I could get pictures during "the golden hour" and sunset.

I thought I'd take a hike to explore the side trails around Little Flat. I got more than I bargained for...

Every year, my best friends head out on a bug out for Memorial Day. This year, we decided on Assateague Island, but we couldn't book a spot, hence the date change. While the weekend was mostly loafing on the beach, I was able to take a few smallish hikes among the dunes.

I had some time on my hands, having taken the day off from work, so rather than waste it, I figured I could update a page on my web site that was in sore need of improvement.

I decided to take a quick run up Mount Nittany. It's just so convenient, since I know the trail so well, and I don't have to think about a route, how long it'll take, etc.

The photos I've included come from previous hikes, since I didn't bring my camera on this one. Also, for more information on hiking Mount Nittany, see the Mount Nittany page... Click this link for photos of Mount Nittany.

OK...to the hike!

Since everything was in bloom, I knew I just had to get down to Gettysburg.

There is a shot of the monuments at Gettysburg National Battlefield Park that I've been trying to get for a long time, but the tree only blooms around this time of year. When I saw this weekend's forecast, I ran on down.