Well, okay, not quite all of it. About six miles of it. Well, okay, not exactly six miles of it. Three miles out and back, so six miles total. But we did hike on it and it was awesome. The A.T., as we experienced hikers call it, is the 2,200-mile footpath that runs through 14 states from Springer Mountain in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Georgia to the summit of Mount Katahdin in Maine’s Baxter State Park. Donna and I, taking advantage of perfect fall weather, made the one-hour drive to Washington Monument State Park near Boonsboro, Maryland on a recent morning. The park had three lures for us: interest in seeing the beautiful vistas from Washington Monument, a 40-foot stone tower erected by residents in 1827 to honor the first U.S. president; proximity to quaint Boonsboro, which we had visited before; and access to the A.T. The location of the tower, a half-mile or less from the parking lot, does indeed provide terrific views from atop South Mountain. Two histori...
Each day should begin with a hug, a kiss, a caress, and a coffee. So said the front of our breakfast menu in Florence during our recent trip to Tuscany. This sage advice seems to work well for the Italians and we strongly endorse it. We found the people to be warm and friendly, with a sense of humor and a carefree willingness to modify and adapt. Perhaps drinking copious amounts of wine contributes to those traits, or perhaps our drinking copious amounts of wine made us perceive these characteristics in the Italians we encountered. Either way, we got along famously in this beautiful, romantic country and we’re already dreaming of going back. Highlights: The concentration of incredible ancient architecture and Renaissance art in cities such as Florence, Siena, and San Gimignano. Spectacular untouched landscapes of rolling hills, centuries-old villas surrounded by vineyards, olive trees, and statuesque cypress and cork oak trees. Medieval (and earlier) villages that remain lar...