Hey, glad you asked about the hike last weekend! The trail was in great shape overall. We started at the ranger station around 7 AM to beat the heat. The first few miles were a steady climb through a dense forest canopy, which provided plenty of shade. We stopped at the overlook around mile 4 and the views of the valley were absolutely stunning, completely worth the early start. There was a light breeze at the summit so we didn't linger too long before heading back down. The descent was tougher on the knees than I remembered. We finished up around 2 PM and grabbed some food at that little diner near the highway. Nothing too crazy, just a solid day outdoors. Let me know if you want the exact route details, I can share the GPX file with you. FZOm1Y2eOj I think you'd really enjoy it, it's challenging but very rewarding.

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I finally got around to trying that sourdough recipe you sent me last month. The starter took a bit longer to get active than I expected, almost two weeks before it was doubling reliably. I used a mix of bread flour and whole wheat for the feedings and it developed a really nice tangy aroma. The first loaf came out a bit flat but the crust was perfect, crunchy and deep brown. The second attempt was much better, I shaped it more carefully and used a banneton for the proofing. The crumb was open and airy, just like the photos you showed me. I experimented with adding some toasted sesame seeds on top and it gave it a nice nutty flavor. I think next time I'll try a higher hydration dough to see if I can get an even more open texture. Thanks again for sharing the recipe, it's been a fun project to work on over the weekends.