We are ready for our next Road Scholar Adventure!

On Sunday, my husband, David, and I will be off to Sharpsburg, Maryland, to start our Road Scholar trip, Hiking the Appalachian Trail in Four States.  The trip will be based at the Shepherd’s Spring Outdoor Center, and the group will be bused to a different section of the Appalachian Trail for each of four days of energetic hiking.  The trip is rated by RS as “Challenging” with hikes of at least 7 miles on rocky and steep trails each day.  We are hoping that the remnants of Isaac do not keep us from the planned hikes.  And we hope that we have done enough local hiking to get us sufficiently in shape for the program’s challenging itinerary.
       This will my 17th Elderhostel/Road Scholar trip.  I began traveling with the organization when I retired in 2005 and have taken part in 2 or 3 programs each year.  On some I have traveled by myself, on others I have joined with a friend, and on many my husband and I have taken part together.  Most of my trips have involved either hiking or bicycling.  Our favorites so far have been hiking with Road Scholar to Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and bicycling on the Great Allegheny Passage in Pennsylvania.  All the trips have been amazing adventures, with excellent guides, great fellow participants, and a very good mix of education and adventure.  The accompanying picture is of David and Ellie as we arrived at the rim of the Grand Canyon after our hike up from Phantom Ranch.