+++
title = "Hope springs eternal."
author = ["George M Jones"]
publishDate = 2022-04-03T00:00:00-04:00
lastmod = 2023-12-06T05:46:19-05:00
tags = ["outdoors", "hiking", "100DaysToOffload"]
categories = ["blog"]
draft = false
+++

-   The sun is always shining.
-   The flowers are always blooming.
-   There are no bugs.
-   The trail is always flat.
-   There are no rocks.
-   It never rains.
-   It's never too cold.
-   It's never too hot.
-   There's never overcrowding.
-   Your gear always works.
-   Your physical conditioning is always good.

{{< figure src="/ox-hugo/2022-04-02-lake_small.jpg" caption="<span class=\"figure-number\">Figure 1: </span>[\"Sun on lake\" by George Jones](http://curious.galthub.com/ox-hugo/2022-04-02-lake_small.jpg) is licenced under [CC SA 4.0](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)" width="400px" >}}

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This is bloodroot.  I also saw a few early violets.  The
daffodils are up. The forsythia are starting.  Red-buds soon.  Then
dogwoods.  Spring in northern Virginia !

{{< figure src="/ox-hugo/2022-04-02-flower_small.jpg" caption="<span class=\"figure-number\">Figure 2: </span>[\"Spring Flowers\" by George Jones](http://curious.galthub.com/ox-hugo/2022-04-02-flower_small.jpg) is licenced under [CC SA 4.0](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)" width="400px" >}}

This is a nice flat stretch.  Somehow every time you start you think
it will be like this.

{{< figure src="/ox-hugo/2022-04-02-perfect-trail_rotated.jpg" caption="<span class=\"figure-number\">Figure 3: </span>[\"Perfect trail\" by George Jones](http://curious.galthub.com/ox-hugo/2022-04-02-perfect-trail_rotated.jpg) is licenced under [CC SA 4.0](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)" width="400px" >}}

This is a water-removal feature that was being installed by fellow
trail maintainers as I hiked.  It is a textbook example that follows
the "SET" principal where the features are Sustainable, Effective
and Traversable.

{{< figure src="/ox-hugo/2022-04-02-water_small.jpg" caption="<span class=\"figure-number\">Figure 4: </span>[\"Water Removal - Textbook Example\" by George Jones](http://curious.galthub.com/ox-hugo/2022-04-02-water_small.jpg) is licenced under [CC SA 4.0](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)" width="400px" >}}

Somehow, getting out in nature in early spring renews hope.

\#22 of #100DaysToOffload take 2, <https://100daystooffload.com/>