Hiking "Old Rag" Mountain (in Virginia)!

West Coast and East Coast hiking are two different experiences.

California hiking is euphoric. Shenandoah hiking is magical.

When I get a rare day off curing my Army Reserve training in Maryland, I like to hike the nearby mountains in the Shenandoah National Park.

"Old Rag," as it is known, is a 9-mile hike featuring a "rock scramble," a two-mile hike that demands a lot of arm work.

Old Rag has special meaning for me.

The last time I hiked Old Rag was in September 2011, a few weeks after returning from active duty tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was the perfect antidote to living six months in compounds surrounded by barbed wire, concrete walls and armed guards.

Then, Old Rag meant the freedom to move in any direction I wanted – and all without the fear of an incoming rocket.

Enjoy the pictures!

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