Yeah I finally got around to trying that trail we talked about last month. The weather was perfect actually not too hot and the views at the summit were worth every step. I took your advice and started early around 6am so I had the whole place to myself for the first hour. The wildflowers are still blooming like crazy up there. I saw a few deer near the creek about halfway up just standing there watching me pass. I brought way too much water but I would rather have extra than run out. The whole loop took me about four and a half hours with plenty of stops for photos and snacks. I can see why you go there so often now. Next time I might bring a friend because it would be fun to share that kind of scenery with someone. Let me know if you want to go again soon I would definitely do it again. The elevation gain was moderate nothing too intense but my legs definitely felt it the next day. I already looked up a few nearby trails that connect to that main loop so we could extend it next time if you are up for a longer hike.

I tried making that pasta dish you mentioned the one with the roasted vegetables and the garlic butter sauce. It came out really well actually even though I burned the garlic a little bit. I used cherry tomatoes zucchini and bell peppers roasted them until they were caramelized and then tossed everything with some fresh basil from the plant on my windowsill. The sauce was super simple just butter garlic and a splash of pasta water but it coated everything perfectly. I added some parmesan on top and it was honestly restaurant quality. I have leftovers for lunch today which I am excited about. I want to try it next time with some grilled chicken or maybe shrimp. Let me know if you have any other recipes like that because I am on a roll with these easy weeknight dinners and I want to keep the momentum going. The whole thing took about thirty minutes from start to finish which is perfect for a busy evening. I served it with a simple side salad and some crusty bread to soak up the extra sauce.