we ended up going with the hiking trail along the ridge instead of the river path because the forecast showed rain and the ridge has better tree cover for shelter if it comes down hard.
everyone agreed it was the right call since we got about twenty minutes of light drizzle but nothing heavy enough to turn the trail muddy.
i packed extra sandwiches and snacks this time because last trip we ran out and had to cut things short.
the view from the top was really something else with the fog lifting just as we reached the summit.
we took plenty of photos but honestly none of them do it justice.
next time we should plan for an overnight stay because there is a campground about two miles from the peak that has fire pits and picnic tables.
mark said he knows a guy who can get us a group rate if we book ahead so that might be worth looking into.
we should start planning early because weekends fill up fast once the weather warms up.
HARBOR FREIGHT
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i tried that pasta recipe you sent me last week and it turned out really well even though i had to make a few substitutions because the store was out of some ingredients.
the sauce was a bit thinner than i expected but i think that is because i used crushed tomatoes instead of the diced ones you recommended.
i added some fresh basil from the garden and it really brought everything together nicely.
next time i will probably add a bit more garlic because we like things on the savory side.
the kids ate every bite which is always a good sign in this house.
i am thinking about trying the chicken version next weekend since we have some chicken thighs that need to be used up.
let me know if you have any tips for that variation because i know chicken can dry out if it is cooked too long in the sauce.
i will send you a photo of how it turned out once i find it on my phone.