Three hard hiking days out of Damascus proved the perfect antidote to two days lying on my bed watching sport on TV. I was lucky enough to address some students studying the Appalachian Trail (yes, it's a thing) while in Damascus. I rested and healed.

When I got on the trail I fell right back into it and hiked more than 50 miles in three days, with the last day an impressive–and my first on this trip–twenty miles.

I'm being joined over the next few days by a buddy who wanted to come hiking. Looking forward to it.