This weekend was a real challenge to try and make all the walks in the area.
The long and the short of it was that India, Peaches and I (we gave rookie Cosmo a rest!) headed off to the Pentagon Athletic Club just outside the Washington DC line for the National Treasurer's walk, Sunday Feb 22 version. I missed the Treasurer's walk on Saturday in Greenbelt MD, but I am glad that I still had the chance to do this Sunday version out of the Pentagon Athletic Club. Annette Tollett was definitely there working at the start/finish, helping me get started and stamping my book with the unique AVA Treasurer stamp at the finish.
As I always do, I got lost getting to the start point- I just have a phobia to get to this start point but I always figure out how to get there eventually. If I went to more events there, say every month I would get the route down! I wasn't sure where the route was going to go today, so I kept the pooches in the car, but was assured that the route was a doggie approved trail by those coming out of the start point as I headed in to register.
This beautifully sunny, mild late winter day gave me and 158 other walkers this Sunday a real treat over the trail today that led us into the mall area of Washington DC. The trail, marked on the Virginia side of the Potomac River by white stakes with blue trail tape at the top, was easy enough to follow, but with some busy traffic intersections to cross. The Memorial Bridge was our crossing over the Potomac River into Washington DC, a grand view to be enjoyed in a 360 panaroma of water, buildings, streets, shoreline and people. Unfortunately, I discovered that my camera battery was expired, so I could not capture these moments on film.
We passed many famous sites on the trail over in Washington DC on this day. We followed the Potomac River northward, under the Roosevelt Bridge and past the Kennedy Center. We cut in front of the Watergate Complex and the Saudi Embassy (I got a bit confused briefly with the directions at this point- finally found my way after looking at the map and knowing my general way in town) to Virginia Avenue and past the start point at the Columbia Deli Plaza of the Washington DC Year round event and the US State Department.
Onto the Mall area along Constitution Avenue, we passed Interior and then the Ellipse with a glimpse of the White House we turned right on 15th to the Washington Monument and the only checkpoint at the temporarily closed Monument (for reconstruction) but fortunately still open snack bar and concession stand, along with functioning bathrooms. Despite the monument not open, lots of people checking it out on this day anyway.
We headed downhill on the lawns of the mall, with games being played and so many out enjoying the day, and crossed over 17th Street to the now empty Reflecting Pool (not sure why the Pool is empty right now) but crossed over to the Constitution Gardens Pool. A family was enjoying a remote controlled powerboat in one area of this pool. Not sure that Peaches could figure this out, but she did know those feathered animals swimming in other sections of the pool!
We passed the Vietnam Memorial, which is always the pooches favorite place due to the abundant amounts of squirrels to try and chase, and then the Korean War Memorial, which I had never seen really close up before. A powerful reminder of that piece of American History, just one of the many spots you should really see to believe when visiting Washington DC. This Memorial spins off the circle of the Lincoln Memorial at the base of the reflecting pool.
After semicircling around the Lincoln Memorial, we headed back over the Memorial Bridge and back to the finish at the Pentagon Athletic Club. I chatted with several veteran volksmarchers on the trail on this day, didn't seem like there were many new walkers, mostly just old friends who have been walking for a while. I walked with Bonnie Recore on the VA side of the trail right at the end of the walk, which made the final km go very fast.
Ron Hamner had his famous wurst cooking on grills at the finish, and that put a great touch to complete the day's walking experience. Ron got a bowl of water for the pooches, and helped keep them a bit happy when I temporarily abandoned them while I went inside to get my books stamped and something for myself to drink. I thanked Annette Tollett for the walk, and picked up some upcoming event brochures. Also thanks to all the volunteers who also helped out on this walk. This was my 350th walk so I will be turning in my just completed event book this week. A memorable one, and a memorable, noteworthy weekend.
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US National and State Parks
