Old Rag

The Girl volunteers on Old Rag, a mountain in Shenandoah National Park.  Her group hikes the mountain every weekend during peak season (not every member--they set up a schedule and take turns), helping hikers with a range of services from being friendly and giving directions to calling a helicopter for serious rescues.  Somehow, we always missed the rescue weekends.

At least we still get to go hiking, even if we are denied flashy, dramatic rescue efforts.  We went twice this fall since the training weekend when I saw a bear(!), and had a great trip both times.  It was warm and beautiful the first weekend.  At the top, we bouldered a little, I invented a new climbing move (the "jantle") while ruining skin on my hands and chest in the process, and found time for a little quiet reflection.

We also discovered that time travelers like Old Rag.

Our second sojourn was right after Sandy pummeled the East Coast and coated West Virginia in a couple feet of snow.  We were happy to find enough snow was left on top of the mountain to allow us some artistic liberty.

I haven't had a chance to look it up yet, but we also found this very colorful character.  200 Internet Points to anyone who can correctly identify it before I can!