Summer 2014 — Summer is over. It won’t be that long before we’re headed toward days defined by more darkness than light. Our clocks are about to flip back to their factory settings as we search for our thick socks and warm sweaters. Cue the fireplace logs.

The dusty roads of summertime were unfortunately just that. Most of our region is behind on rainfall.

Fortunately tropical storm Debby dropped a bucket or two of rain that recharged the springs in Shenandoah National Park. Former ridgerunner Wendy Willis volunteered for a day of trail work that included repairing the piped spring on my AT section.

The cats are aging. Sophie has arthritic hips and Mustache is exhibiting neurological problems. It’s sad that pets’ lives are so short.

Made it to the ballgame on the Fourth. The park eventually filled up.

Ridgerunners find weird stuff along the trails. Death march to a dance party?

My co-trail maintainer Caroline married her fiance Kevin in Glacier National Park at the end of July. His last name was LaBelle and hers was Egli. Now they’re Caroline and Kevin LaBegli. Well played.

My wrist recovered enough to return to chainsawing after eight months off.

Marie learned how to split firewood at the Hoodlums’ workshop.

The workshop accomplished a lot.

Got to see Kaitlin Clark on the Fever’s last game of the regular season. The Iowa club of Washington showed up in huge numbers. Iowa fans outnumbered Mystics fans by about 2:1. The game set a new WNBA and arena attendance record 20,707. They beat the NBA men!

Sisu