We’ve had some beautiful, cold weather since the rain finally stopped. It felt good to see the sun again, so we celebrated by going out to Woody Gap and taking a little hike on the Appalachian Trail. There was a killer wind chill up there Sunday morning, so we took the trail to the south, which is mostly out of the wind. That’s also the less traveled direction, so we had a good hike with minimal company. It was a beautiful drive down Highway 60 through the valleys, with the pastures bright with melting frost and sun. As always, it led to a resolution to get out there more often, and not just sit around the fire all winter.
There still isn’t much wild excitement in town. The next big event is the Fire and Ice Festival, February 16. I haven’t seen the details of this year’s event yet, but I’m assuming that it will include the chili cookoff that’s been so popular in the past two years, along with some ice sculptures and ice skating.