It almost didn’t happen! But then it did…it’s a long story but I’ll try not to bore you. The 5th week of “A Year of Hikes: 52 Weeks, 52 Women, Same Trail” was touch and go due to a back injury I sustained while doing deadlifts in my basement. Thank goodness, my hiking buddy for this week, Tammy McCorkle, was super flexible and accommodated my need to push our planned hike back by a couple of days…so grateful Tammy!

It turned out to be a good thing that we waited because today was a little warmer (not much) and the snow wasn’t quite as deep (but still deep enough to be quite tiring!) The trail, which was beautiful, looked completely different covered in snow. Usually, it is possible to walk at a fast pace following the clearly marked trail but today was different…we even managed to get a little off course for a short while. You might think we accidentally got off the trail because of the snow but it really had more to do with the fact that I was totally absorbed in Tammy’s stories of her world-wide travels!

She and her friend, Pogo (the cutest little stuffed dog), have visited all 7 continents, explored more countries than I can even name and Tammy has the most spectacular photos to prove it! I heard about her African safari, her 13 trips to Patagonia (Chile and Argentina) and how she swam with whales!  Although we took time to marvel at the beauty of the woods in Washington County, Maryland, most of the time I was transported in mind and spirit to places I’ve never been but now hope to visit!

If the goal of “A Year of Hikes” is to have a unique experience of the same trail each week…I certainly achieved my goal. Thanks to Tammy, I got to hike a beautiful snow-covered mountain, trudge through some really deep snow and meet a new friend whose adventurous spirit inspired me more than I can say.

As a retired National Park Ranger, Tammy shared her knowledge of the natural world and enriched my life! When I got home, Tammy sent me a Facebook link so I could see photos of her travel adventures! She’s got some real talent!!!

All in all, it was an amazing hike! Question of the Day: What is the best way to end a cold hike in 6 inches of snow? Answer: Go get delicious ice cream at Misty Meadows Creamery, of course! The ice cream was cold, the air temperature colder but our hearts were warm, thanks to the joy of newfound friendship.  So grateful to Tammy for a wonderful day!