Lebodome: Forget The City, Take a Hike!

From Scott Leibowitz. Find Scott on Twitter @Lebodome or email him at [email protected].

Ever get the feeling that a city is just not right? What I mean is that the entire world was once green, brown, blue or whatever it was before someone thought that this land needed places for brunch and individual lanes for people riding bikes.

A small part of me always wishes I would have been born a farmer and enjoyed the fruit of the land instead of waiting in line at Harris Teeter. With these thoughts in mind, last weekend my girlfriend and I decided we had enough urban, and needed to go somewhere with no cell reception.

On Saturday, we packed up our bags, picked up some tasty sandwiches at “So’s Your Moms” (the best down to earth sandwich shop north of Dupont) and drove about an hour south on Route 66 to Front Royal, Virginia, to George Washington National Forest. While I admit it was a major advantages to have a car to be able to make this ride, this was easily one of the best weekends I have had in some time. Sure the directions were a bit all over, but we found the parking lot and had a few different trails to choose from.

We hiked for about four hours total on what seemed to be a long trail upwards around a mountain that included beautiful trees, unique cricket noises and very friendly fellow hikers along the way. What was especially nice was that although I am not Paul Bunyan, I felt quite comfortable out there in the woods and didn’t require digital help thanks to great trail markers.

According to the website I listed earlier, in the middle of this 10-mile hike there is a major view at the top of a mountain, but after about an two hours of bedrock climbing, we called it a day and enjoyed letting gravity make the trek down easier.

To put an exclamation point on an already great day: gas cost $3.15 a gallon out there. I was even pulled over for speeding but the policeman was so friendly that he bought the out-of-towner story and told me to have a nice day (I know, mom, slow down). If you have a car, these types of days are amazing and if you don’t have a car, befriend someone who does (remember being in college?).  Sure D.C. can be pretty, but it never beats what was there before — pure untouched nature.

Thought of the Week

Thought of the Week: So I had an amazing night at Churchkey for DC Beer Week and wondered; why isn’t every week beer week? Shame….

Links! Links! Ice Cold Links!

• New Pixar movies announced. YES!
• Top 50 sports commercials, from another great sports writer. Thanks, Austin.
• The NBA is in a lockout, but that doesn’t mean the stars don’t play. Enjoy some amazing highlights from last weekend’s game right here in D.C.