Summertime and the living's easy

My last scheduled hike for the summer required a little bit of fortitude.  Roger and I drove out to Red River Gorge from Lexington on Sunday morning and pulled into the Bison Way trailhead around 9:30.  Ten minutes into the hike out to the Indian Staircase, we turned around due to a lightning flash and rumbling thunder and the annoyance of the rain that came with it.  We hung out in the car for about 40 minutes until everything passed by and made our way up to the staircase which presented a fun "scramble".  We got to the top of the staircase and wandered around for a little bit before stumbling upon a really cool bluff and taking lunch underneath it.  We started to make our way back to the staircase and lo and behold, the rain started to pick up before the thunder and lightning started back up.  As we were about to descend an exposed rock face, we decided it would be best to run back to the bluff and wait out the storm there.  We later learned how much better of an idea this was as there was a tornado warning in the area.  We eventually made it back down the trail and back to the car but decided to forego the hike out to double arch due to the weather.

I have officially been bit by the hiking bug.  There was the trip out to Vegas and Utah as well as sidetrips around St. Louis after coming back from Kansas City in addition to this trip out to Kentucky.  I've still got a camping trip out to Mammoth Cave that will surely include some hiking, but nothing big.  I'm headed out to Portland/Bellingham shortly and if possible, I'd like to knock out some hiking out there.  The bigger issue though is all the hikes that I want to do.  Heather and Mary will always tempt me to come out to Denver and I'd definitely do Longs Peak now.  Just as tempting is Megan's invite to come hike Northern Utah with her.  Uncle Bob and Aunt Bev have let me know that I've got everything I could need when I come down to hike New Mexico which I've wanted to do for a couple of years now.  Add on the big trips I'd love to knock out next summer. First, another road trip with Luke, but this one ranging through the National Parks of Southern California which are King's Canyon, Sequoia, Death Valley, and Yosemite, where I'd conquer Half Dome if I could get the permit.  Secondly, I'd love to do an epic hiking trip in the Northeast including some combination of Franconia Ridge, Mt. Mansfield, Mt. Washington, Katahdin, Cadillac Mountain and Acadia's Precipice Trail.  That would also give me a chance to go visit Crystal near Boston and play around on a trapeze.  On top of all that, include the return trips I want to do, such as going back to Gatlinburg to do the Boulevard route up to Mt. Cammerer and trying out the Via Ferrata hiking in Red River Gorge.  This would all be impossible to do next summer assuming I teach in June and July again.  Heck, it might not be doable even if I had the entire summer free and significantly more funds.  I've joked about needing a sugar mama.  What I really need is a sponsor and some better camera equipment.