I'm moving to DC

“Sounds like we need another TT DC meeting. Eat, drink, make merry. Whadda ya say?”

“Nash said he might want to go out second week in April, So where do people wanna go. ideas?”

“i'll go”

“Yeah. My Eastern DC boundary is Eastern Market/RFK.”

“Love to meet. How about the Royale Palace?”

“You may be losing the Smokies but you're gaining the Shenandoahs, and the Massanuttens and Dolly Sods and Prince William and . . .

Lots of good hiking here.

College Park and Hyattsville have lots of tiny old houses, kinda funky, but not bad. Will you be working downtown? Metro is good, though a little slow from the College Park station to center city.”

“Hey nashville, I live and work in Towson and commute on foot.

bearmagnet, I lived on Ontario Road near Kalorama Road.......25 years ago.

Where is Royale Palace?”

“RP is on the corner of Florida & Connecticutt (SP). Rigth across the st. from Buca DiPeppos”

“buca dipeppos is good”

“You like Buccas???? Kind of average for Italian, no? Can't beat the ambience though, aye? After Buccas we could all go across the street and catch a show at RP!”

“i like the atmosphere,.. love the family sized platters. not many restaurants like that.... RP?”

“Royale Palace!”

“oohhhh!!”

“Heard of it?

BTW - you wouldn't believe how difficult it is to locate freakin dough in DC! When I asked at one Safeway the lady showed me Boboli! last time I needed dough I think I went to bertucci's.”

“I am basically going to be living near 24th Ave and University in Hyattesville/College Park. So if its a bad area, oh well, I'm stuck there for atleast 6 mos. No problem.

I am a claims adjuster by trade and I work in the field. My job requires me to drive into the ghetto and go into vacant houses and inspect them and fun stuff like that. When I lived in Towson I was in the Baltimore ghetto all of the time and I can't imagine DC is much worse. (Baltimore is pretty bad). I just go early in the morning when the thugs are a sleep. The scary part is when you go into a house where a squater is living. I may need to buy a gun.”

“I want to go somewhere in Shenandoah NP for a hike. I like the sound of Old Rag. SNP my be great and I am sure I will love it, but, there are no alpine mountains in Shenandoah like in the smokies. There is just something really neat about hiking a mountain that is higher than 6000 feet. Mt. Rogers shouldn't be to far away. I have that Sprucetop Mt. in WVA is alpine and that should be close to DC too.”

“Then you should be fine. Can you carry in MD? And what, in terms of miles, do you consider close?”

“I'll look at some ideas for overnighters tonight... Old Rag's really a dayhike, but if you'd like to do that I'm in any time, Old Rag is awsome.”

“I'm just joking about a gun. I've never touched a gun in my life and I hope I never do. If push comes to shove I'll just put up my dukes.

Bison:

Can why climb to the summit of Old Rag and then bushwak or hike from there to an area where we can camp? It would be cool if we can put Old Rag into our BP. Does the AT go anywhere near Old RAg?

Who all wants in on this hike?”

“yea, bertucci's has really good dough!”

“That's probably the best idea, I'll take a look at a map.”

“Bertucci's has good pizza. I think the best pizza is found in South Philly though. Best Italian food in the US!!”

“AT is near but I believe bushwacking is frowned upon.

Scorch - well then I should be able to try some new I-talian cooking this weekend.”

“Bear: I will be living in that block, 24th Ave and University. Its right near a park and is within walking distance from the University. Hopefully college babes abound.”

“It shouldn't be too far from the summit to the AT. I think bushwaking is frowned on in the smokies too. If we have to back track a tad that is ok too. I think that would make for a cool BP.”

“College babes? Good point. Who cares were you live as long as its near a campus. Although for true Girls Gone Wild there is always LuLu's in DC. I believe GGW was actually there recently.

So y'all are thinking of carrying full packs to the top of Old Rag?”

“I don't think that will be a problem. I enjoy carrying a full pack up to a lofty summit. Besides, the elevation of Old Rag is only like 3300 feet. Watch me eat my words..”

“hmmmmm. Methinks I'm going to have to start working out again.

There are points where you will need to pass packs, push packs, throw packs, as you rock scrammble.”

“There are some real tight spots on the rock scramble - It could get interesting with full packs, but I'm sure it can be handled.”

“This could be done as a point to point or semi loop. Old Rag trail to the saddle trai, to the old rag fire road, then down Whiteoak canyon. I'll try to est. the mileage.”

“"It could get interesting with full packs"

LOL! I believe that's what you said about the ice. :)”

“I love it when a plan comes together.

That should add some fun to the hike. There are some rock scrambles on the Black Mountain Crest trail in NC between Mt Mitchell and Mt. Craig that are fun with a pack on. One in particular was fun because I rolled all the way down it.”

“My mapping software says about 10 miles for the point to point or 14 for the semi-loop... I think it's slightly longer than that... but it should do for an overnighter.”

“What time of year would y'all want to do this? We must remember the lines that can form at Old Rag.”

“Second weekend in April!! I can't wait.”

“True it will be crowded, we'll just have to set off early on Saturday (7 would be good).”

“do they only let a certain amount of hikers in like at Mt. Kattadhin?”

“Yes, when the parking lot is full they stop issuing permits.”

“No. Everyone goes to Old Rag. The trail can get choked.

Bison - whats the weather like in April? Might be too early for my gear, hope to have a 20 degree bag by then. I froze in the ADKs over labor day weekend.”

“Well I am going to Atlanta for the weekend so talk to everyone later... Peace out”

“nh, have a blast in atlanta!

bear, lemme know how the cookin' goes”

“I have a 20 degree bag and I was warm on the summit of LeConte three weeks ago. All accept for my feet which were frozen. It was 4 degrees and the wind was really kick'n though. I not sure what the wind chill was though. I am pretty happy with my 20 degree bag though.

Have a great weekend!!”

“I doubt it'll even be down to freezing at night by then, three season gear should be no problem.”

“OK, then. I'll definitely might be able to make it. Maybe. I'll let you know in a bit.

Scorch - If I fail will you cook it for me?

Goodnight all. I'm outa here!”

“Well i am brand new to this site, infact this is my first post, however i live in DC. I pefer to make the drive to dolly sods roaring plains for my weekend trips.”

“The DC area side of TT is growing rapidly.”

“looks like I'm not going to Atlanta after all.”

“the Trail Talk DC chapter”

“the Nashville chapter is pretty big too”

“Scorch - If I fail will you cook it for me?

you could only be so lucky!”