Walking with the Walrus
10 KM VOLKSMARCH - BOLLING AIR FORCE BASE GLOBAL EVENT
WASHINGTON DC USA
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1997
by Kevin Shaw
Photos © Kevin Shaw, licensed to About.com
On a beautifully sunny, cooler Sunday, Peaches, India and I headed down to Bolling Air Force Base in the SW part of Washington DC for the Global volksevent there. A walk/bike/swim triad was taking place there, but with other things going on both before and after, I only had time to do one of the three activities, and I stuck with a walk, so my pooches could also participate. I was compelled to drive the 30+ miles from my home by myself since I never had walked at Bolling before.
I found the start point and registration table without too much difficulty. The route was pretty simple and basic, doing a loop around the base. So it was minimally marked, but that was plenty, and in most cases where I needed to see a marker I saw one. When I walk alone with or without the pooches, I really pay attention to the directions and/or trail markers. On this 10 km trail, there was also what I call "progress markers", i.e. distance travelled markers, 1 KM, 2 KM, 3 KM, et al. In the first 6 km part of the trail, we followed streets around the residential areas along the Potomac River and then on the base through several facilities. Not too interesting, but I kept busy studying my pace and walking style, and how long it was taking me to do each kilometer. I did the first km in about 12 mins, which was about right. But then the next marker I saw was the 4 km marker, and I saw that only about 20-25 mins after passing the 1 km marker. I don't know if I missed the 2 and 3 km markers, or if there just weren't any. Nevertheless, I was encouraged by my pace. Just after the 6 km marker we hit the first check point, an hour from the start. The pooches and I got refreshed with some water and candy, and some cheery volunteers from the base to talk to for a few moments.
From this checkpoint, the walk became much more interesting, in my opinion. We walked up a very short steep hill right behind the checkpoint stand, and this yielded very different scenery. We were up on a small ridge, and to our left was the Base and to our right was the Anacostia River with great views of the Washington DC skyline, the Potomac River, National Airport, and Alexandria VA. I studied the green and red buoys in the Anacostia River, something I normally do during the week at my job, but on a nautical chart, not while actually floating out on the water! I imagined what it looked like on the chart, and saw how the buoys marked the channels of the various waterways.
After 1km or so, we had to drop down off the embankment onto the Base ground level. We wound through some narrow passageways, and the markings necessarily increased. Then we climbed up the hill again, and more great views. I saw several types of boats out on the water, some came pretty close to each other. I was trying to figure out who was minding their "Rules of the Road" and who wasn't. I also noticed a bit later the "Spirit of Washington", a Potomac River cruise ship, motoring northward up the river. We passed several large picnic areas, and the smell from the grills started getting me hungry.
Checkpoint 2 at about the 8 km mark was reached, and Boy Scouts and their associates greeted us, and made sure that the pooches got water to drink. Got my card stamped, and encouragement received that it was only another 2 km to go. But really I was doing well, and only about 1 1/2 hours from the start. A little longer along the Potomac River embankment, with more jets landing and departing from National Airport now capturing my attention, then we turned away from the river, to the left, not too long after passing by the 9 km mark. A few short turns and we were at the finish.
I did the walk in about 1:58, which I was happy with since I have not been doing a lot of walking the past month. No problem with my old knee tendon injury, except on those two short hills, which I just took in stride, i.e. slowly. I got my books stamped, thanked the walk organizers, and tried to get a count on how many participants there were this weekend. They had about 500 on Saturday, traditionally the busier of two days for a two-day event. Estimate for today was around 400, but the final count wasn't in. One of the workers held the pooches while I went inside to use the facilities, which I sincerely appreciated. I picked up a few brochures for some upcoming walks I did not have, and also got the pooches a hot dog and myself a bratwurst. All in all an enjoyable walk by myself on a beautifully sunny, cool September day. Thanks to the Potomac River Walking Club, particularly Skip Coburn, and volunteers from Bolling Air Force Base for hosting and helping out on this weekend global event.
Area and Walking Information
Seneca Valley Sugarloafers
AVA Walking Events and Clubs
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
