I tried making sourdough again with a starter I have been feeding for about two weeks now and it finally turned out well. The temperature of the room matters a lot more than I realized. I keep my house around 68 degrees and the dough was rising too slowly so I started putting it in the oven with just the light on and that made a big difference. The key is letting it bulk ferment until it has doubled and then shaping it gently without deflating it too much. I used a Dutch oven for baking and got a really good crust. My first few attempts were pretty flat and dense but this one had nice air pockets and a good chew. My roommate said it was the best one yet so I think I am finally getting the hang of it. The next thing I want to try is adding some whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor. I have been reading about hydration levels and how they affect the crumb structure. The dough felt much more elastic this time and easier to handle during the shaping stage.

We hiked the Eagle Mountain trail last weekend and it was beautiful but definitely more challenging than we expected. The elevation gain is steady for the first two miles and then gets steeper toward the summit. We brought about two liters of water each and that was barely enough. The views at the top were worth it though you could see the lake and the valley below. We saw a few deer and a lot of wildflowers along the way. The trail is well marked but there are some rocky sections where you need to watch your footing. Total round trip took us about five hours with breaks. I would recommend starting early in the morning before it gets too warm and wear good hiking boots with ankle support. We also packed some sandwiches and ate lunch at the summit which made the whole experience even better. Next time we want to try the Ridge Loop trail which is supposed to have even more dramatic overlooks. A friend told me the fall colors there are incredible so we are planning a trip for late October.