Eastern shore

This past weekend I went camping with some friends out on Assateague, a barrier island off the coast of Maryland. It's a beautiful place with a unique ecosystem - the centerpiece of which is the herd of feral ponies that roam the island. It was a beautiful, sunny weekend (as my sunburned shoulders and feet (of all places!) will readily attest).

Sunset colors over Sinepuxent Bay

The beach illuminated by the very bright Blue Moon

Some of the ponies roaming the beach

Sandcastle time

The marsh on the bay side of the Island

Sunset on night two

Storms over the bay on the second night

Purple mountain majesties

Two weekends ago I went hiking with two friends in the mountains of Virginia. Our itinerary of three days brought us to the peaks of several mountains, along a portion of the Appalachian Trail, and many fine views of the mountains of the George Washington National Forest. A few photos follow, in no particular order:

Though I've had a backpacking pack for a year and a half, this was the first time I've used it for anything apart from a carry-on. REI separated me from a good chunk of my first paycheck, but I'm happy to now have the rudiments for future backpacking trips. My friend who planned the trip is very experienced in backpacking, so it was good to learn from her as well. Hopefully there will be more adventures of this type ahead!