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I had to create a static page for the blog so that I could customize it to look like the other pages on this site. That’s why it’s called Blog V2.
- Product Review: Original Madras Trading Company Nยฐ114 Lax Short Sleeve ShirtThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. I did receive this product for free in exchange for promotional consideration. Please patronize our advertisers. When I was a teenager growing up in northern Virginia in… Read More »Product Review: Original Madras Trading Company Nยฐ114 Lax Short Sleeve Shirt
- Tenative Hiking Schedule for 2026This page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. As I sit here entering this post I am getting over the flu/cold/whatever that is going around. I have a slight sore throat,… Read More »Tenative Hiking Schedule for 2026
- Recon: Western Approach Trail for Blue Ridge Tunnel, Waynesboro, VAThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. This was a 1 mile in, 1 mile back out recon of the western approach trail for the Blue Ridge Tunnel in Waynesboro,… Read More »Recon: Western Approach Trail for Blue Ridge Tunnel, Waynesboro, VA
- 2025 Annual Shameless Self Promotion PostThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. OK, this is it, the annual shameless self promotion post. This is the time of the year when I toot my own horn… Read More »2025 Annual Shameless Self Promotion Post
- Do you really need travel insurance when traveling to and participating in an outdoor activity?This page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. There is nothing like the feeling one gets when one completes an outdoor challenge like completing a long distance trail, bagging a big… Read More »Do you really need travel insurance when traveling to and participating in an outdoor activity?
- Affiliate Network ReviewThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. The following is my opinion based on personal experience. I will rate the affiliate networks that I have personally done business with and… Read More »Affiliate Network Review
- The second iteration of mikecalabrese.com turned two years old on 07/31/2025This page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. Time flies! It was 2 years ago today that I set up this site. I had left another hosting service and a different… Read More »The second iteration of mikecalabrese.com turned two years old on 07/31/2025
- Service Review: Global RescueThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. An adventurer embarked on a trip to explore remote parts of Alaska. He stayed in an old, abandoned bus and foraged for his… Read More »Service Review: Global Rescue
- Product Review, REC PAK Ultra Light Meal ReplacementThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. One REC PAK Chocolate and one REC PAK Vanilla Chai Ultralight Meal Replacement were sent to me free of charge in exchange for promotional… Read More »Product Review, REC PAK Ultra Light Meal Replacement
- Product Review: National Park PostersThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. These posters were sent to me free of charge in exchange for promotional consideration. Whether you’re an outdoors person or not, if you… Read More »Product Review: National Park Posters
- Product Review: Caddis Sports 4 Person RapidTentThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. I recently did a video product review for the Caddis Sports 4 Person RapidTent. You can watch the video by clicking/tapping on the… Read More »Product Review: Caddis Sports 4 Person RapidTent
- Farewell to EurekaThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. The first backpacking tent that I bought back in 1999 was a one person Eureka Zephyr tent. I bought a two person Eureka… Read More »Farewell to Eureka
- Review of EXPED Widget PumpThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. I recently received an EXPED Widget Pump to evaluate from EXPED USA. As per full disclosure this product was sent to me free… Read More »Review of EXPED Widget Pump
- Website Updates 02/26/2025This page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. When I created this site back in July, 2023 I had the domain name from my old site mikecalabrese.xyz redirect to this site.… Read More »Website Updates 02/26/2025
- In Memoriam, Jim HooperThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. Jim is in the front row, second from the left. I’m in the top row, far left. We lost another fellow hiker. Jim… Read More »In Memoriam, Jim Hooper
- Finding Possible Side Trails to the Future Broad Run Trail near Bristow, VAThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. This recon took place on Saturday, December 28, 2024. It was just me on this one. It was a lousy day weatherwise. It… Read More »Finding Possible Side Trails to the Future Broad Run Trail near Bristow, VA
- Tenative Hiking Schedule for 2025This page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. A lot can and will change in the next year. But these are the tenative dates that I will be hiking, car camping,… Read More »Tenative Hiking Schedule for 2025
- Recon: Further exploration on the western end of the future Broad Run Trail near Bristow, VAThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. This recon half mile up, half mile back linear hike occured on Tuesday, December 17, 2024. It was just me on this one.… Read More »Recon: Further exploration on the western end of the future Broad Run Trail near Bristow, VA
- Recon, Western Terminus, Broad Run Trail, Prince William County, VAThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. This .5 mile up, .5 mile back recon occured on Tuesday, December 12, 2024 and was at and along the current western terminus… Read More »Recon, Western Terminus, Broad Run Trail, Prince William County, VA
- mikecalabrese.com Going Ad Free on 01/01/2025This page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. I had to think long and hard about this decision. I’ve had a personal web site of some sort on and off for… Read More »mikecalabrese.com Going Ad Free on 01/01/2025
- In Memoriam, Tom O’BrienThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. We lost another fellow hiker and good friend today. Tom O’Brien and I hiked many miles with the Prince of Peace UMC Hiking… Read More »In Memoriam, Tom O’Brien
- Recon of Discovery Trail, Prince William County, VAThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. This 2 mile up, 2 mile back linear hike took place on Saturday, October 26, 2024. It was just me on this one.… Read More »Recon of Discovery Trail, Prince William County, VA
- Recon: Popular Ford Park & Surrounding Areas, Centreville, VAThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. This recon occurred on Friday, August 30, 2024. It was just me on this trip. The purpose of a recon is to see… Read More »Recon: Popular Ford Park & Surrounding Areas, Centreville, VA
- Recon, Culpeper Battlefields State Park, VAThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. This recon occurred on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. It was just me on this trip. As of today, Culpeper Battlefields State Park is… Read More »Recon, Culpeper Battlefields State Park, VA
- My Windows 11 laptop just bit the dustThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. Last Tuesday I went RV camping in Prince William Forest Park near Dumfries, VA, I took my laptop with me and used it… Read More »My Windows 11 laptop just bit the dust
- WordPress Plugins: the good, the bad and the uglyThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. One of the reasons why I chose to go with a WordPress website a year ago was that they offered what are called… Read More »WordPress Plugins: the good, the bad and the ugly
- The 2nd iteration of mikecalabrese.com is is turning 1 year oldThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. Happy 4th of July! Sometime in the spring of 2023 I decided to make the switch and start from scratch. I was having… Read More »The 2nd iteration of mikecalabrese.com is is turning 1 year old
- 06/11-12/2024 Greenbrier River Trail, WV Backpack Trip CanceledThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. Since I am not feeling 100% yet, I am cancelling the Greenbrier River Trail Backpacking Trip scheduled for June 11-12, 2024. I’m getting… Read More »06/11-12/2024 Greenbrier River Trail, WV Backpack Trip Canceled
- 3 Month Review of my 2019 Subaru OutbackThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. I’ve had my 2019 Subaru Outback for about 3 months now. Overall, I’m happy with the purchase of this vehicle. In the forthcoming… Read More »3 Month Review of my 2019 Subaru Outback
- One Month Until Greenbrier River Hike 06/11-12/2024This page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. I plan to do 3 more backpacking trips over the next 3 years and then hang up my backpack: Greenbrier River Trail, WV … Read More »One Month Until Greenbrier River Hike 06/11-12/2024
- It took me about 8 months…This page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. …but I finally figured out how to use a plugin that I have called Random Content to generate 728 x 90 banner ads… Read More »It took me about 8 months…
- A Lot of VehiclesThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. After I got my latest vehicle I sat down and made a list of all of the vehicles that I have ever either… Read More »A Lot of Vehicles
- I didn’t want to do this…This page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. … but I had no choice. Either spend somewhere between $2,500 and $7,500 to get my entire exhaust system, including two catalytic converters,… Read More »I didn’t want to do this…
- Im Memoriam: Ed C. Sessoms Jr. (aka Robocop, Ranger)This page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. On 02/28/1999 I met Ed in the restaurant at Amicalola Lodge in Dawsonville, GA. I had asked the waitress if there were any… Read More »Im Memoriam: Ed C. Sessoms Jr. (aka Robocop, Ranger)
- Electronics and MeThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. I worked in the electronics business for about twenty years. During that time I was in sales and/or management in places like Radio… Read More »Electronics and Me
- Upcoming Hike Update for February, 2024This page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. I have been slacking off lately as far as getting outdoors goes. With the cold weather and the fact that I just turned… Read More »Upcoming Hike Update for February, 2024
- The Big Seven OhThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. Today is my birthday. The big Seven Oh or 70. I am both sad and glad for this milestone. Glad that I made… Read More »The Big Seven Oh
- mikecalabrese.xyz has successfully transitioned to mikecalabrese.comThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. This process started about a year ago. I was having two issues on mikecalabrese.xyz: My SSL cert was not configured properly and my… Read More »mikecalabrese.xyz has successfully transitioned to mikecalabrese.com
- Upcoming Backpacking trips in 2024, 2025 and maybe 2026This page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. In 2023 I was able to car camp once. And I enjoyed it. But I never got a chance to backpack anywhere. So… Read More »Upcoming Backpacking trips in 2024, 2025 and maybe 2026
- Going to CaliforniaThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. I’ll be spending some time in California over the holidays. I’m looking forward to seeing Julie’s parents again as well as exploring that… Read More »Going to California
- Website Transition Report 10/30/2023This page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. I think that I am about 85-90% finished with the new site. I will always be uploading images, ad banners, trip logs and… Read More »Website Transition Report 10/30/2023
- AIThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. The above image was AI generated. I received it in an email from an organization called Finance Dream Chaser. I didn’t bother to… Read More »AI
- Website Transition Report 10/01/2023This page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. I’ve been a busy boy lately. At this point in time mikecalabrese.com is about 75% complete. The major things left to do are:… Read More »Website Transition Report 10/01/2023
- Upcoming Hikes Fall 2023 and early 2024This page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. The following are a list of hikes in the Mid-Atlantic states that I would like to do within the next year. If you… Read More »Upcoming Hikes Fall 2023 and early 2024
- No one is above the lawThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. When I first got this website I made a promise that I would not attack anyone personally but I would challenge ideas. It… Read More »No one is above the law
- In Memoriam: Douglas Alan KnowlesThis page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. I just got word today that one of my fellow Rag Tag Rangers, Doug Knowles, passed away. He died sometime in 2019. Doug… Read More »In Memoriam: Douglas Alan Knowles
- Website Transition Report 08-28-2023This page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. It looks like the transition from the mikecalabrese.xyz LAMP site to the mikecalabrese.com WordPress site is about 33% complete. The major work that… Read More »Website Transition Report 08-28-2023
- Hello world!This page may contain an affiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on this link and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. OK, the blog area appears to be up and running. I intend to use this area to comment on various things. I promise… Read More »Hello world!