Yeah the weekend plans are coming together nicely. We decided to head up to the cabin on Friday afternoon instead of Saturday morning because the weather forecast looks better on Friday. I checked the trail conditions and they said the path around the lake is mostly clear with just a few muddy spots near the creek crossing. I packed the camping gear already including the portable stove and extra fuel canisters. Sarah is bringing her binoculars for bird watching which she has been really into lately. We plan to do the full loop trail which is about 8 miles round trip with moderate elevation gain. There is a nice spot about halfway where we can stop for lunch with a view of the valley. I also reserved the group campsite for Saturday night so we have a place to cook dinner and hang out by the fire. Let me know if you need to borrow any gear because I have an extra sleeping bag and a tent that fits three people comfortably. The forecast shows clear skies both nights so perfect conditions for stargazing. I will bring the portable grill and we can do burgers one night and foil packet meals the other.

Also I checked and the fire ban was lifted earlier this week so we can have a campfire. Make sure to bring a chair because the ones at the cabin are pretty worn out. I am looking forward to getting out of town for a couple days.

I finally finished reading that book you recommended last month and I have to say the middle section dragged a bit but the ending was worth the wait. The character development in the later chapters really brought everything together in a way I did not expect. I started the sequel yesterday and so far the pacing is much better right from the first chapter. The author has a way of describing scenes that makes you feel like you are right there in the story which is probably why I stayed up until 2 AM reading last night. There is a plot twist around chapter 12 that completely changed my view of the main character. I would love to discuss it with you once you catch up because I have some theories about where things are going. The writing style reminds me of that other book we both enjoyed a few years ago but with a more modern take on the themes. I already ordered the third book in the series because I do not want to wait if the second one ends on a cliffhanger. Let me know when you finish it so we can talk about the ending.

Also I found a great used bookstore downtown that has a whole section of books from that publisher. I picked up two more by the same author for half the cover price.