For our first trip back to the states since moving to Nepal, we spent a month visiting friends and family for the holidays.
December 13. Straight from plane to trail. We meet Xtina, Ken, and family to explore a section of Great Falls Park near the River Trail on the Virginia side of the Potomac River.
Hanging out at Reston Town Center.
December 15. Scrambling up the Billy Goat Trail on the Maryland side of the Potomac River.
December 16. Visiting Jessica, Adam, and Catie in their new home in Woodbine, MD.
December 17. The next morning with Minnie.
December 18. Rachel takes us to Great Smoky Mountains National Park when we visit her and Bob in their new home in Maryville, TN.
On the Alum Cave Trail headed to Arch Rock.
December 19. Pitstop at The Funkatorium in Asheville, NC.
December 20. Made it to Davidson, NC for Christmas.
December 21. Our friend at Emerald Hollow Mine, in Hiddenite, NC (where hiddenite was discovered) demonstrates how to carefully break open a geode.
December 22. Walkabout through Fisher Farm on the West Branch Rocky River Greenway Trail.
Fireplace cleanup crew.
December 24. Aunt Cathy helps me discover my love languages. Pretty dead on.
December 25. Christmas Day.
December 26. Exploring around the horse trails behind the house.
December 28. St. Augustine, FL.
December 29. Screwball. Bethune, Park, Wimauma, FL.
December 30. Treasure Island, FL.
3 Daughters Brewing, St. Petersburg, FL.
December 31. Gran takes us to the Anna Maria Island Moose Lodge on Bradenton Beach for New Years Eve.
January 1. Emerson Point Preserve on Snead Island.
January 2. Picking world famous honeybells at Dooley Groves in Ruskin.
Citrus and soccer on the lawn at Gran’s.
January 4. On the Suwanee River across from Stuarts Landing Conservation Area.
January 5. Cornhole with the Patels!
January 10. Hanging with our former neighbors back in Connecticut Gardens.
One last visit with the Jessica, Adam, and Catie at our old favorite Wheaton Regional Park.
January 12. Biking on the Capital Crescent Trail starting in Bethesda and finishing with a run around the National Mall for old times’ sake. After the Capitol riots on January 6, nobody was around as the inauguration of Joe Biden approached.
Saying goodbye to the gang. Thanks for letting us borrow your car (and for the delicious bread Xtina)!