I think the dovetail jig you recommended would work much better than what I was using. I spent last weekend trying to cut them by hand and while they came out okay the spacing was inconsistent. The cherry boards I picked up from the lumber yard have been acclimating in the shop for about ten days now. I checked them with the moisture meter yesterday and theyre reading around eight percent which should be good for indoor furniture. I was thinking about using a Danish oil finish instead of polyurethane because I want the grain to show through more naturally. The desk plans you sent over look solid and I think Ill scale them down slightly to fit the corner of my study. Let me know if you have any tips for attaching the legs to the frame without visible hardware. The joinery is the part I want to get right before moving forward with assembly.

We looked at the trail maps for the northern section and decided the loop around Eagle Lake would be better for a day hike than the ridge trail. The elevation gain is more gradual and theres a shelter about halfway where we can stop for lunch. I checked the weather forecast and it looks like temperatures will be in the low seventies with a slight chance of afternoon showers so Ill pack rain jackets just in case. We plan to start at the trailhead near the ranger station around seven in the morning to avoid the heat. The wildflowers should be blooming along the meadow section which is always nice to see. I think we will have enough time to complete the loop before dusk if we maintain a steady pace.