First Family Backpacking Trip

[Veto 65]

Wow there wasen' one picture without a smile from ear to ear. that is a great trip report and I'm sure that everyone will remember that for the rest of their lives.

Thank you very much for sharing.

[Yosef]

Awesome trip report! Thanks for sharing. I am going to take my wife on her first backpacking trip some day and venture out from her day hikes, thanks for the motivation.

[Bearpaw]

Just curious if you were hiking Sunday through Tuesday of this past week. The weather seems to match up with what I experienced in the same area.

Grayson Highlands is always a great place to walk, but doing it with family seems so much more special.

[Ashman]

Yup we were there same time! I guess we were in different places but you got it! I enjoyed your report BTW

[Bearpaw]

Yup we were there same time! I guess we were in different places but you got it! I enjoyed your report BTW

Same here. I was in the Thomas Knob area on Saturday. I've never seen so many dayhikers roll through, well over a hundred in several small groups heading for the summit. Perhaps a quarter that number of backpackers in the vicinity of the shelter as well. Just packed on that section of trail.

I had reached the Virginia Creeper Trail by the end of your first day and got rained on that night. During your storms of the second day, I was sitting them out in Quincy's in Damascus. But yes, I was within 30 or so miles of you throughout that time.

[Ashman]

I love the look on the faces of day hikers when you tell them to top of Mount Rogers is wooded and there isn't a view, just a plaque saying you are at the top, its kinda like, "Really? Well I'm not climbing it then!"

[sir_n0thing]

Awesome trip report! I really enjoyed it.

[Sailor]

Great story and looks like greater family.

When I first read the thread title, the thought crossed that the Obama's were becoming hammockers!

[JayS]

Thanks for sharing an obviously fantastic trip! Kudos to you, and to Mommy Long Legs, for taking the girls out for such a good time. I cherish the times I spend with my family in the woods.

[Hooch]

Great trip report, Ashman. Memories like this will be carried on forever by you and your family. You can't replace experiences like that at all. Glad you all enjoyed and thanks for sharing with us.

BTW, the Maryland section of the AT is a great hike! You'll love it. Be prepared for plenty of climbing and plenty of rocks, but you'll also have a good bit of nice ridge walking as well. If you're doing it SOBO, wrap up the trip at the Secret Six in Harpers Ferry with an ice cold Potomac Ale on tap and a basket of fries! Yum!