Walking with the Walrus

LOUISE F. COSCA REGIONAL PARK 11 KM VOLKSMARCH
CLINTON MD USA - SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1997

by Kevin Shaw
After a dry summer and early Fall, wet weather has revisited our area, especially on weekends of late. Due to the rain and other activities I have been involved in, I have not been able to volksmarch since the Annapolis walk on October 12, 1997. I really missed it though, and on this weekend, there were a couple of walks I really wanted to do, but once again rain put a crimp on my plans to do this walk at Cosca Park AND the walk at Rockburn Branch Park. Both were excellent as I had done them before in past years, but because of the ban on dogs on the trails of Rockburn Park according to the brochure, I opted for the Cosca Walk on a Sunday that started out with heavy, brief showers but cleared off to partly sunny, relatively mild skies in the late morning. I quickly organized my friends Roger and Marty into meeting me at the start point, packed up Peaches and India in the van, and off I went south to Cosca Park.
The Chesapeake Bay Country Wanderers hosted this regional park event in suburban Clinton MD, about 10-15 miles south of Washington DC off of Branch Avenue. Unfortunately, the inclement weather during most of this weekend really took a toll on attendance at this event. I was only walker 83 for this two day event, and I registered right about closing time on Sunday at about 1 PM. Final registered walker total of 94 was really low for this outstanding walk. A real pity! A combination of long term drought and early fall warmth caused a late peak fall color season, so the colors were quite spectacular in this wooded parkland we walked through today.
Registration was quick and easy. Parking was close to the start point. The trail today was marked with colored streamers. The trail started out in the developed part of the park, past ballfields, playgrounds, and park buildings. Then we headed downhill into the woods, and the wet trail conditions started coming into play. Still favoring my injured leg somewhat, I took it careful on the occasionally muddy, oftentimes still wet trails, especially on the up and down hill sections. I knew it would be like this, and I was prepared to take care.
After some wooded trail exposure, including some really beautiful tree colors illuminated by the strong afternoon sun streaming through, we crossed over a few park roads, through a camping area loop where the first checkpoint was located, and into a high tension line opening. Unfortunately Roger had to abandon the trail at this point, as his back tightened up. He took the road back, past the lake.
India and Peaches were really enjoying the trail today. Plenty of stream crossings to get a drink from. And plenty of dog lovers out today, and other dogs too! Peaches seems to always find the mud, and cool herself off in it too. She always has what seems like a bottomless energy supply, ready to go just as eagerly at the end of the walk as she is at the start. This was Peaches 59th walk, India's 139th.( I keep unofficial books, handwriting the appropriate information in them.)
More great trail ahead after leaving Roger, hitting the corner of the park lake at one point but veering off into the woods onto some more great hilly trails. More care taken as we bottomed out on creek beds with wet pathways. Gradually we worked our way uphill to the Clearwater Nature Center, to the second checkpoint. This Nature Center was top class, showing off all the Natural History of the area, including a feature I had never known existed; the Suitland bog. (Suitland is a suburb of Washington, about 5-10 miles north of Clinton) Turtles, snakes, birds, et al were all on living display at this Center, with plenty of staff there to answer any or all questions about the park. Restroom facilities were put to use, and then we were back onto the trail. More woodland wandering, then around the 15 acre park lake, then up a closing hill to the ballfield and playground area again and to the finish.
We got our books stamped as usual at the finish, relinking up with our friend Roger, and getting a hot dog and soda to refresh ourselves. India and Peaches got the last two hot dogs, courtesy of the Chesapeake Bay Country Wanderers (CBCW). They were very grateful, of course! We picked up a few future walk brochures, and thanked club volunteers for a great walk.
Thanks again to Steve Arnett, Ron Bowers, and so many other club volunteers for helping to host this top notch event. The disappointing attendance will hopefully not deter the CBCW into putting on another walk here in the near future. It really is an ideal setting with plenty of trails and interesting things to see, especially at this time of the year with the peak fall colors. I only hope that the weather will be much better to help get a lot more walkers out to this part of the country.

Area and Walking Information

Seneca Valley Sugarloafers
AVA Walking Clubs and Events
About.com Washington DC
About.com Baltimore, MD
US National and State Parks

More Walking With the Walrus:

Kensington, Maryland April 12, 1997
St. Michaels, Maryland April 26, 1997
Rockville, Maryland, Gunston Hall Plantation, Virginia, May 3-4
Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, May 10
Guy Mason Park, DC, May 24
Flower Valley/Rockville MD, May 31
Washington DC National Trail Day Walk, June 7
New Freedom, PA, June 15
Ft. Belvoir, VA July 4
Seneca Creek State Park, Gaithersburg, MD Sept. 13
Bolling Air Force Base GLOBAL Walk Sept. 21
West Laurel, MD Oct. 4
Baltimore Oktoberfest, MD Oct. 11
Annapolis Oktoberfest, MD Oct. 12
Louise F. Cosca Regional Park, Clinton, MD Nov. 2
Westminster, MD Nov. 9
Washington, DC Veterans Day Nov. 11 and Seneca Creek Park
Black Hills Regional Park, MD, Nov 22-23, 1997
Hershey Holiday Walkfest, PA, Nov 29, 1997
Alexandria Scottish Walk, VA, Dec. 7, 1997
Union Station Walk, DC, Dec. 20, 1997
Carderock, MD, Dec. 27 1997
Rockville, MD Jan. 10, 1998
Fairfax, VA Jan. 31, 1998
Rockville, MD Feb. 7, 1998
Washington, DC Feb. 22 and Thurmont Maryland Feb. 21, 1998
College Park, MD, March 7, 1998
George Mason University, Fairfax Virginia and Olney Maryland, March 14-15, 1998
Emmitsburg, Maryland, March 22, 1998
Jug Bay, Maryland, March 28, 1998
Roosevelt Island, Maryland, April 5, 1998
Roanoke, Virginia, April 11, 1998
Cedarville State Forest Maryland, April 26, 1998
Butlers Orchard Farm Market, Maryland, May 3, 1998
Union Mills Homestead, Westminster, MD June 15, 1998
Hagerstown, MD August 15, 1998.
Baltimore, MD 10/12/98
Patapsco State Park, MD 10/31/98
Seneca Creek State Park, MD 11/7/98
Kentlands and Gaithersburg, MD 1/9/99
Darnestown, MD 1/9/99
Calverton, MD 1/13/99
Kenwood (Bethesda) MD 4/10/99
C and O Canal Paw Paw Tunnel 4/17/99
Franklin Farm, Herndon, Virginia 4/24/99