Walking with the Walrus
KENSINGTON (ROCK CREEK HILLS) MARYLAND USA VOLKSMARCH
SATURDAY APRIL 12, 1997
5 KM TRAIL
Well despite threatening skies with the radar showing the rain fast
approaching, my daughter Robin, her friend Erin, my pooches India and
Peaches and I headed out this morning to Kensington Maryland to do our
club's Seneca Valley Sugarloafers walk out of Rock Creek Hills Park.
With limited parking, and a late arrival (about 10:30, with a 10-11 window)
I dropped the gang off and looked around for a parking spot. I finally
found one, and met everyone at the start/finish, which was in a small
temporary shelter at the end of the parking lot.
Over 100 walkers were already out on the trail, we logged in about 140,
signed the waiver and we were off. Rain started falling lightly as we
started on the trail. We had written directions to guide us, which
unfortunately got wet quickly and started disintegrating as time wore on. I
met up with Bob Caldwell at the start, and walked with him for the entire 5
km trail, which was an added treat.
We walked down to Beach Drive through some lovely neighborhoods, and then
on the Hiker/Biker trail underneath the Beltway. Leaf bud at this time is
quite advanced, so we had a fairly green canopy of woodland pathway as we
headed toward the Audubon Nature Preserve. We turned off the hiker/biker
trail and onto the grounds of the Preserve, passing several buildings, the
first one of which was our only checkpoint. Naturally there were several
birdhouses to see, and in the main building, which we did not go in, a
store and many bird displays.
We passed a nature trail, and then into more nice neighborhoods, on light
traffic, narrow streets. We went back under the Beltway on Kensington
Parkway, back to Beach Drive, then up on a narrow trail in pretty heavy
rain to Saul Road and this hill and several steps to the finish. I did this
5 km trail in a little over an hour, not really pushed, and not tired at
the end. The pooches and the kids certainly enjoyed themselves, and talking
with Bob during the walk certainly added to the pleasure of the walk,
despite the rain. The 10 km trail was entirely different, and since we
never walked in this section of Kensington before, I can't tell you
anything about that trail. Many thanks to several of my fellow Sugarloafers
for setting up this trail and working on this day, including Don Suloff,
Dot Marshall, Carole Fries, Faye Foote, John Kinsella, and many others. I
look forward to walking here again, as Bob Caldwell told me, "This is a
keeper".
Seneca Valley Sugarloafers
AVA Walking Events and Clubs
About.com Washington DC
About.com Baltimore, MD
US National and State Parks
