FIRST KAYAK IN VIRGINIA! Well first kayak adventure for us since we moved to Virginia anyway. A sprawling park right in our neighborhood, LAKE ACCOTINK provides an excellent venue for short walks, jogging, mountain biking, and yes, kayaking. Spending a few hours exploring the various waterways in the park was very relaxing. Because it is in the heart of Springfield, VA, and only a stone's throw from the Beltway, the wildlife is very limited: birds, turtles, occasional paddleboat, but otherwise a fairly nice afternoon.

SHENANDOAH. Today we made our first trek to Shenandoah National Park. First because I know we will be making many return trips (and because I paid for an annual membership and fully intend to get my money's worth!) We decided we were going to do a short hike up a mountain and hopefully see a bear. I was excited to see a bear in the wild, but ideally, not too close.

We chose a short hike with a moderate climb about 30 minutes from the North end of the park. We spent the early afternoon hiking up South and North Marshall. The trail followed the famous Appalachian Trail (first for us!) for about 2.2 miles in for a round trip of 4.4 miles. The views from South Marshall overlooked the Western side of the ridge across the small town of Browntown. The views from the taller North Marshall looked East. The overlook rested on some rock outcroppings just below the peak and provided an excellent location for lunch. A short but fun hike to whet our appetite and should lead to many more throughout the beautiful park.

KING'S DOMINION. Awesome day at the amusement park with Stacie and the boys. Better yet, was supposed to be at work. Can't say enough about the fun we had (so I won't), but it was a great day of family fun capped by a 10PM dinner at On the Border. Gonna sleep well on Saturday.