It's beginning to feel as though summer is over, which normally signals the end of most of my outdoor activities. However, I realized lately that I did significantly more hiking last winter than I did the last two summers combined. That may have had something to do with not having a 4-wheel drive vehicle, and hopefully having my new truck won't change that this winter.

I haven't hiked a new county high point in more than a year, even though I'd hoped to bag several this year. Now that I've exhausted all the high points close to home, it's just been too costly and time-consuming to get any others. Either that, or I'm just lazy.

My trailer should be ready for the camping trip this weekend, barring any unforeseen problems with the new water system. I'll be firing up the new pump this evening after work (two days behind my planned schedule), and I'm pretty nervous about it. If everything works well, it'll be a welcome relief over the old system. Sleeping just above a pressurized, 34-year-old aluminum tank was unnerving. In the new system, the pump pressurizes the water lines after the tank, so my biggest worry will be springing a leak when I'm not close enough to hear the pump pushing 40 gallons of water onto the floor. But hey, I guess a portable wading pool would be fun for the kids.