Sugarloaf Mountain - I've Aimed For it For Years, but Never Been There

This is a non-golf post but it will have good golf undertones.  After all, this is Golf, the Universe, and Everything. 

It is Memorial Day, 5/26/2014.  Taking time to remember those who have fallen in our pursuit of freedom and those who would take it away from us. 

All game some, some gave all.  Thank you...

As part of a tradition with me and some of my closest friends, we go on hikes around Memorial Day (close to my birthday) and around Columbus Day (close to my friend and non-golfer, Hino's birthday). 

This year, the hike took us to Sugarloaf Mountain.  We always try to hike somewhere different every year and get off the beaten path (pun intended).  The golf undertone of Sugarloaf Mountain is that from most golf courses around Frederick, MD (Little Bennett, PB Dye, Whiskey Creek, Worthington Manor); Sugarloaf Mountain is used as an aiming point for a lot of the holes.  I have seen it and aimed for it for years, and now I was hiking it. 

Overall my friends and I had a great time.  We hiked 6.5 miles on the Blue Trail and managed not to get lost this time (long story I'll tell one day).  Afterwards we went to Frederick, MD and ate at the Olde Town Tavern.  A little hole in the wall spot that served the local craft brew (Flying Dog) and at happy hour, 25 cent wings and $3.00 cheese pizzas.  After my group and I scarfed down 65 wings and at least 4 pizzas and copious amounts of Snake Dog, The Truth, and Raging Bitch ales, the bill came up to a scant $41.  Considering most of my friends live or work in DC, we were shocked that an entire meal and alcohol came up to the price of a Long Island Iced Tea at a trendy bar in DuPont Circle...  We then walked around the neighborhood and ambushed a local mom and pop ice cream shop:  Frederick Fudge & Ice Cream Company.  A great finish to the day, great ice cream, and great friends to share it with. 

My favorite part of the entire hike was the scenic view just over halfway through the hike.  At the Northern viewpoint there was this bonsai-like tree growing from the rocks.  A great view, a serene moment and it made for a good resting spot.  And it made me think of one of my favorite golf quotes:

"So I jump ship in Hong Kong and make my way over to Tibet, and I get on as a looper at a course over in the Himalayas. A looper, you know, a caddy, a looper, a jock. So, I tell them I'm a pro jock, and who do you think they give me? The Dalai Lama, himself. Twelfth son of the Lama. The flowing robes, the grace, bald... striking. So, I'm on the first tee with him. I give him the driver. He hauls off and whacks one - big hitter, the Lama - long, into a ten-thousand foot crevasse, right at the base of this glacier. Do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga... gunga, gunga-galunga. So we finish the 18th and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice."

Back to the Range, the Practice Green, and the Gym!  And the yoga studio, my tree pose could use some work :).