Friday, April 22, 2022
Weverton Cliffs and Cousin Kelly's
This morning, we hiked the especially scenic Weverton Cliffs Trail in Knoxville, Maryland, 15 minutes from last night's hotel in Charles Town, West Virginia, and only one minute from a hotel we stayed at two years ago during our bike ride along the C&O Canal.
The Weverton Cliffs Trail is a 2-mile round-trip hike with around 600 feet of elevation gain. It begins with stone steps, then becomes a rocky dirt path with lots of switchbacks. Part of the path runs concurrently with the Appalachian Trail, and we saw a few loaded-down hikers who were obviously in it for the long haul.
Weverton Cliffs trailhead
Along the rocky path
Non-sneaky snake
Weverton Cliffs is a popular trail, and we reached the top just before a large Boy Scout troop. The view of the Potomac River is fantastic! Harpers Ferry is just around the bend, but you can't quite see it from here. The best view of Harpers Ferry requires a strenuous 6.6-mile hike on the nearby Maryland Heights Loop - No thanks, not today!
Tom cliff pic
Jana cliff pic
Pretty Potomac
After our hike, we made a beeline for Tom's cousin's house in Bowie, Maryland. Kelly and her husband Don live about an eight-hour drive from us, but we'd managed to drag it out into two and a half days. Good for us!
Kelly and Don are the parents of bride Kirsten, whose wedding instigated this trip, and they were kind enough to invite us to stay with them during the hectic wedding weekend. Their son Nathan was staying there as well, along with Sadie the Wonder Pup.
Nathan and Sadie
When we arrived, Tom's aunt Alice and uncle Joe (aka Kelly's parents), along with their good friends Lillian and Morgan, were at the house to greet us. Every time we show up, there's a party!
Aunt Alice, with Don on accordion
The presence of our hosts was required this evening at the rehearsal dinner, so Tom and I headed out for dinner on our own, winding up at Frisco Tap House in Crofton, MD. They had a huge beer selection, and the chipotle bison burgers were out of this world!
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