The 52 Hikes Project chugs along, almost under its own steam – I’ve slowed up a bit because of unexpected family stuff, but getting out into nature is always healing for me, and so I’m still hitting the trail whenever possible.

Hike 21: Theodore Roosevelt Island (Washington, D.C.), June 24, 2018.  This was possibly the muddiest hike I have ever done.

Hike 22: Huntley Meadows Park (Alexandria, Virginia), July 4, 2018.  We desperately needed some trail time on Independence Day, so we re-visited Huntley Meadows.  The last time we were there was in March, and it sure has changed with the seasons.  Lots of animals spotted on this one.

Hike 23: Bash Bish Falls State Park (Mount Washington, Massachusetts), July 7, 2018.  Still needing that nature release, we checked out one of my parents’ favorite hikes near their home, and it was just beautiful.

Hike 24: George Washington’s Mount Vernon (Alexandria, Virginia), July 22, 2018.  We saw a hawk!  The hike was a bit curtailed as a result – we turned back rather than hike the whole nature trail, in order to give the hawk space.  But well worth it.

Hike 25: Turkey Run Park (McLean, Virginia), August 4, 2018.  Holy switchbacks, Batgirl!  This was a new park for us and definitely a good one.  Last Thanksgiving I was thinking this would be a good Friday-after-Thanksgiving hike, just because of the name, but we didn’t get to it then.  Maybe this year!

Hike 26: Mason Neck State Park (Lorton, Virginia), August 5, 2018.  We were planning to kayak on this day, but after seeing how high and fast the Potomac was at Turkey Run the day before, we scrapped that plan (sob) and decided to knock off another hike instead (yay!).  My favorite Virginia state park was clearly the perfect spot to celebrate being halfway through the challenge – wahoo!

Hike 27: Brewster Peninsula Nature Trails (Lake Placid, New York), August 20, 2018 – Starting off our Adirondack vacation right, with expansive views over Lake Placid.  Also, Nugget set up a camp kitchen in a tree stump, and I ate wild raspberries directly off the bush.

Hike 28: Owl’s Head Mountain (Keene, New York), August 21, 2018 – There’s no more epic way to celebrate a sixth (!!!) birthday than by climbing a mountain, right?  We hiked this fun mountain as a family with Nana and Grandad, and gave our birthday girl some summit kisses.

Hike 29: Big Slide Mountain (Keene, New York), August 23, 2018 – Fourth Adirondack high peak in the books!  Big Slide was kind of a big slog for me, but I gutted it out and made it to the summit, and the views were 100% worth it.

Hike 30: Heaven Hill Trail (Lake Placid, New York), August 24, 2018 – This hike was beautiful but unlucky.  First, we were shut out of the hike we had intended to do (Heart Lake) by a full parking lot – oof.  Then Nugget face-planted on the wooded connector trail leading to the field.  Then, no sooner had we started taking in the views of the wildflowers and the mountains, but Peanut was stung by a bee – ouch!  She’s a tough cookie, though.  She gutted it out on the way back to the car and was fine almost immediately.  But we called a stop to the hike and took her out for ice cream instead, obviously.

Well, I’m still WAY behind on the 52 hike challenge, thanks to this weird summer we’ve been having.  But this last stretch of hikes has been pretty great.  It’s taken us rambling on trails in four different states/jurisdictions – Massachusetts, the District of Columbia, Virginia and New York – past waterfalls and up mountains, and even up close to a hawk.  I can’t wait to see what the next few months, and the next batch of hikes, has in store.