Yeah the trail was much longer than expected but the view from the top was incredible. We packed way too much food though. Next time I will just bring sandwiches and extra water. The weather ended up being perfect for it. We saw a family of deer on the way down which was a nice surprise. The parking situation was a bit chaotic but we got there early enough. I think we left around 6 AM which made a huge difference. By the time we finished the hike the lot was completely full. Definitely recommend going on a weekday if you can manage it. The fresh air and exercise was exactly what I needed after being stuck inside all week. I have been trying to get out more often lately and this was a great start. Already planning the next one for next month hopefully somewhere with a lake or a river. The sound of running water is so relaxing after a long walk. Anyway let me know if you want to join next time.

I finally tried making that pasta dish you sent me. It turned out pretty good even though I forgot to add the basil at the end. The sauce was rich enough that it probably did not matter much anyway. I used penne because that is all I had in the pantry and it worked great. The whole thing took about forty minutes from start to finish which feels reasonable for a weeknight dinner. I am getting more confident in the kitchen slowly but surely. The trickiest part was getting the timing right on the vegetables so they were tender but not mushy. I think next time I will add some mushrooms for extra texture. Let me know if you have any other easy recipes. I am trying to cook at home more often instead of ordering out. It is healthier and honestly pretty satisfying once you get the hang of it. The cleanup is the worst part though. I need to get better at cleaning as I go instead of leaving everything for the end. Anyway thanks for the suggestion it was a hit. I might double the recipe next time so we have leftovers for lunch the next day.