This past Sunday, some of the ANCHOR Outdoor Adventure Group completed The Pulpit Rock and Pinnacle Loop. It was a beautiful day with plenty of laughs. This 10 Mile Hike took us up to the top of the Pinnacle where we hung out a bit, grabbed some warm beverages and lunch and recovered before we headed back down.
The one thing I need to point out is this amazing community and how so many of these members helped me out that day!
On the night before the hike (at 6PM) we (my wife Renee and two kids who are 5 and 2) decided we were ALL going to join this hike (talk about last minute). The hike has been on our list for 10 years now and I finally was like, let's just all do it and figure it out! So, with a little convincing, I got Renee to say yes. Worst case scenario, we would drive 1.5 hours only to have to turn around and come back 30 minutes into the hike. Deciding to have the whole family go for a hike the night before led to a total scramble of clothes and enough food. We arrived at the parking lot and realized that we couldn’t find my 5 year olds extra layer of sweatpants. Panic set in. Fortunately, our very well prepared hike leader (6AM Brian) had an extra layer of pants for our 5 year old! (Problem #1, solved)
Next, we may have over-packed the amount of water! Once again, our 5 year old couldn’t handle the load. So, what happened? Scott volunteered to grab our extra pack and carry it for THE ENTIRE hike! Seriously?! Thank you! (Problem #2, solved)
I carried our 2 year old for the duration of the hike (about 45#). This pack definitely didn’t fit me right and I had a constant strain on my neck (But, my stubborn ass wouldn’t let 6AM Brian help out and carry it like he volunteered over and over again). As we were coming back down and crossing over the water, I miss-stepped onto the log with the kiddo on my back. I don’t know exactly what happened, but somehow 6AM Brian kept me on the log while he ended up in the water. Fortunately, he is always prepared and had to change his socks and was good to go.
All of these actions continuously show me how amazing this ANCHOR community is. The people are what make this place so special. This isn’t the first time I have seen this. Over and over again, there are individuals helping each other out, cheering each other on, and supporting each other with their goals. This community hangs out with each other outside the gym and pumps each other up. It truly is a very special community. So, Brian and Scott… Thank you for helping this crazy family out on the hike. We couldn’t have done it without you both!
Next up: We head to Shenandoah in May to tackle Old Rag.
ANCHOR Members: If you are interested in the hikes, but have NOT been invited or seen the invite for the Band App, please respond to this email.
Have a great weekend!