EVENT SPONSORS’ FULL NAMES AND WEBSITE ADDRESSES ARE GIVEN FAR BELOW …..Enjoy! – I’ll be canoeing on Saturday along the Anacostia and biking in Fredericksburg on Sunday followed by a dip in a series of fantastic swimming holes I discovered along the Rappahanock.
(A) DAY HIKES (arranged by date and hike length; take along ample water, food, sun protection, and bug protection; assume a modest outing cost outlay of no more than $7/person unless I state or hint otherwise)
o (Sat., Sep. 4) For an easy and suburban waterside hike that’s on the level, follow the five-mile trail around the 220-acre man-made lake in Fairfax County’s Burke Lake Park. En route, you’ll see both birds and an island that serves as a state wildlife refuge. To do such things for two-plus hours, meet at 10 a.m. in the park’s marina parking lot. An $8/vehicle park-entrance fee is levied on non-Fairfax residents. For details, including a reduce-the-fee carpooling option, contact Isabelle Zsoldos (Izsoldos1@aol.com or 703/525-1308). (Ski Club)
o (Sat., Sep. 4) For a moderate seven-mile hike in Baltimore County west of Baltimore, trek for seven miles through the Hilton Area of Patapsco Valley State Park. Provisioned with lunch and water, you should meet at 9:15 a.m. in the parking lot behind the Hilton Area’s nature center. For details, contact James Perschy (jameshike@verizon.net or 410/964-1902). (HCG)
o (Sat., Sep. 4) For a scenic 7.5-mile woodland circuit hike lasting roughly three hours, visit Leesylvania State Park, on the Potomac River south of Alexandria at the right time. Highlights will include the river shoreline, Powell’s Creek, the ruins of Robert E. Lee’s family homestead, and Civil War gun battery. To get started, be in the roadside parking lot about 100 yards past the park’s contact station by 9 a.m. For details, contact George Heavey (703/402-5067). (NVHC)
o (Sat., Sep. 4) For a close-in hike that’s also close to loud water, do this easy-to-moderate eight-mile hike in the Great Falls section of the C&O Canal Historical Park. It will make use of the canal towpath and also the Gold Mine Loop, and take you close to both the Potomac River and the falls that are perhaps the finest in the mid-Atlantic region. To carpool, gather at 9:15 a.m. at the Twinbrook Metro station, on the Rockville Pike side. For details, contact Jan Z (301/468 1896). (Center)
o (Sat., Sep. 4) Try this eight-mile circuit hike in the Orange Grove and Hilton areas of Patapsco Valley State Park, in Baltimore and Howard counties west of Baltimore. The leader says it will include “some of the most beautiful and striking features found in the park: Swinging Bridge, Buzzard’s Rock, Ilchester Rocks, Bloede’s Dam, and Cascade Falls. “ You’ll also have about 2,000 feet of elevation change, a couple of stream crossings, and some rocky trail tread, plus a chance to show you can average 2.5–3 mph while moving. For details, and to register (required), contact the leader (410/747-2868). Also note that a shorter version of this hike will happen four days later (see below). (MCM)
o (Sat., Sep. 4) Treat yourself to a three-state hike of about 12 miles in the hilly and historic Harpers Ferry area. The historic West Virginia town itself will be central to this excursion, which will also extend to Loudoun Heights in Virginia and Maryland Heights in the third state. As leader Soon Kim says, “Viewing Harpers Ferry from all angles, imagining the 1800s. . . . Moderate pace and stops for scenery and history. Before ending, looking back on the journey, measure your own achievement.” For details, email her (soonkim@westat.com) or call her soon (240/453-2655 [work]). (PATC)
o (Sat., Sep. 4) Join Gary Kosciusko for an out-and-back hike of 13.5 miles on the Greenway Trail, in the lower section of Seneca Creek State Park, where the trail scenically follows the lower portion of Great Seneca Creek. Highlights, Gary says, will “include ruins of an old stone mill and the historic—but still operating—Poole’s General Store,” and maybe he’ll also point out the kingfisher nesting burrows in the creek banks. To participate, meet him at 9 a.m. at Rileys Lock, off River Road and on the C&O Canal and the Potomac River at the mouth of Seneca Creek at 9 a.m. For details, up-chat him (703/765-0306). (SCPRO)
o (Sat., Sep. 4) Spend time on Massanutten Mountain and in the George Washington National Forest tromping strenuously one way along the ridge-top Massanutten Trail for 16 miles from Veach Gap to Edith Gap. You’ll get some sweeping views en route, especially from Kennedy Peak, long marked by an old fire tower. The way back will be by car shuttle. Cost: $12/person carpooling fee; $2/person nonmember fee. For details, and to register (required), contact the leader (410/257-2465). (MCM)
o (Sun., Sep. 5) “End the summer with a lazy, old-fashioned day at the beach!” say a couple of leaders keeping alive a Capital Hiking Club Labor Day tradition, including a variable mileage beach hike and traveling to and fro by chartered bus. Here’s their plan: “In the traffic-free, middle-day-of-the-holiday-weekend, we travel to the Atlantic Coast’s longest undeveloped barrier island to avail ourselves of sun, sand, surf, wild ponies—and just plain relaxation.” Cost: $40/person; $5/person nonmember fee. The bus will leave at 8 a.m. from the corner of 16th and I streets NW. For details, and to make reservations (required), contact Jeff Norman (202/966-0739) or Brian O (202/362-2982). (Capital)
o (Sun., Sep. 5) Visit Great Falls Park, on the Virginia side of the Potomac River upcurrent from the American Legion Memorial Bridge, to take 4–5-mile hike partly along the river’s impressive Mather Gorge. As the leader notes, you’ll “be on the rocky River Trail so hiking boots are required.” Take along lunch and water, she adds, but no dogs. To participate, gather at 10 a.m. at the high-water marker (don’t worry, it’s almost always on dry land) near the third overlook, near the visitor center. Cost: $5/vehicle park-entrance fee (or use a pass); $2/person nonmember fee. For details, contact Beth Lachman (703/206-9154). (NVHC)
o (Sun., Sep. 5) For what he rightly calls “a quiet walk through nature in this Piedmont forest of the Quantico Creek watershed,” join Mac McPherson for a 7.4-mile circuit hike, with 600 feet of elevation gain, in Prince William Forest Park, south of Alexandria. Cost: $5/vehicle park-entrance fee (or use a pass); $2/person nonmember fee. To participate, be in the back parking lot of the park’s visitor center by 9:45 p.m. For details, contact him (703/590-1442). (NVHC)
o (Sun., Sep. 5) Accept Kevin C’s invitation to join him for a “promenade [along] the tree-lined streets of North Arlington.” Here are a few more details he’s revealed: “There will be stops at a few local highlights—historic and not. We’ll walk 8 miles at a moderate pace on lightly traveled streets and have a mid-hike stop for light refreshments. Stay for lunch afterwards (optional).” To promenade, get on your marks at 8 a.m. at the top of the Ballston Metro station’s escalators. For yet more details, contact Kevin (kevchis@aol.com). (Center)
o (Sun., Sep. 5) Join Bruce Milhans and Pat Fairfax for a chartered-bus– supported excursion to, from, and in spacious Lake Anna State Park, in central Virginia. It will consist of a “pretty darned flat” hike of either 8 miles or 12 miles (decide for yourself), followed by an optional swim (ditto). Cost: $27/person chartered-bus fare, plus $2.50/person swimming fee (payable at park beach area). For the bus schedule and other details, contact Bruce (240/997-6957) or Pat (703/328-1501). (Wanderbirds)
o (Sun., Sep. 5) Sample the South Mountain portion of the Appalachian Trail in Maryland by doing a moderately paced out-and-back hike of 11 miles between Washington Monument State Park and Lambs Knoll. As the event blurb notes, this route “passes briefly through a nice section of pines, includes many rocky sections of trail, and has a total ascent of 1,800+ feet . . . and lunch will be at the White Rock Overlook.” For details, call the leader (410/747-2868). (MCM)
o (Mon., Sep. 6) Take advantage of not having to be cooped up in an office, cubicle, or meeting by escaping westward to take part in a 12-mile classic circuit hike in central Shenandoah National Park that will put you on top of the park’s highest peak, 4,050-foot-high Hawksbill, with its superb 320-degree field of view. Along the way, you’ll accumulate 3,200 feet of elevation change as you ascend alongside Cedar Run, trundle along the Appalachian Trail, stand atop vista-rich Crescent Rock, explore the evocatively named Limberlost Trail, and then descend through waterfall-dotted Whiteoak Canyon. Cost: $12/person carpooling fee; $15/vehicle park-entrance fee (or use of a pass); $2/person nonmember fee. To carpool, assemble at the Centreville Commuter Lot, off I-66, at 8 a.m. For details, contact Mark Rietman (703/395-5327). (HVHC)
o (Tue., Sep. 7) Join the Tuesday Vigorous Hikers for a speedy and loopy “Three Peaks Hike” of about 17 miles and 5,500 feet of elevation gain in central Shenandoah National Park. The three peaks—all with great views, says the leader—will be Hawksbill and Stony Man (the park’s two highest points), plus Robertson Mountain. For the usual details, contact Bob Livezey (bobbilbo@msn.com or 301/320-4679 (before 9 p.m.), or visit the Vigorous Tuesday Hikers website (http://groups.google.com/group/Vigorous-Hikers). (PATC)
o (Wed., Sep. 
Join PATC’s Easy Hikers for a hike through the woods and farmlands in Seneca Creek State Park’s Schaeffer Farm area, in Montgomery County near Germantown. The event blurb doesn’t mention the hike’s length, but it’s likely to be about five miles. To go along, be at the right place—someplace on Gray Rock Road—by 10:15 a.m. Seek further advice from the leader—Jean Phillips (301/785-8621). (PATC)
o (Wed., Sep. Take an easy six-mile hike in the McKeldin Area of Patapsco Valley State Park, in Baltimore County west of Baltimore. For details, if there are any, contact the leader(s) (410/552-3398 or 410/788-4219). MCM)
o (Wed., Sep. Make your way to Annapolis, if you’re not there already, to go on a ten-mile “sightseeing walk” through this steeped-in-history town. “Terrain will be mostly flat,” says the leader, “and good for walking shoes (not hiking boots),” and expect the pace to average 2.5 mph. For details, contact the leader (410/849-2191) (MCM)
o (Wed., Sep. Roam through parts of Patapsco Valley State Park, in Baltimore and Howard counties west of Baltimore, on this moderate six-mile hike with about 2,000 feet of elevation change. It will include such landmarks as the Ilchester Overlook, Bloede’s Dam, and Cascade Falls, plus some trail rockiness and stream crossings. For details, including possible carpooling options, contact the leader (410/750-8512 [before 8 p.m.]). (MCM)
o LOOKING AHEAD to Sat., Sep. 11: For a nice outing in the countryside of Pennsylvania’s York and Lancaster counties, arrange to take part in the Keystone Trails Association’s “Susquehanna Super Hike and Ultra Trail Run.” This annual event involves covering a somewhat hilly and rocky 24.8-mile route, with about 8,300 feet of elevation change, in no more than 12 hours. For sign-up options and other information, visit the KTA’s special webpage for the hike (http://www.kta-hike.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=12&Itemid=76). (Keystone)
(B) BACKPACKING-RELATED AND MULTIDAY ACTIVITIES
o (Fri.–Mon., Sep. 3–6) Join Mike Darzi and Liz Guertin for a Labor Day long-weekend of day hiking—and possibly other things—in the Delaware Water Gap Area. The hikes will vary in difficulty, they say, but will move at a faster-than-moderate pace and be used to explore the abundant trails, waterfalls, and gorgeous scenery of the Delaware Gap National Recreation Area. Other recreational possibilities will include canoeing and biking. The group will stay, for three nights, in the Blueberry Hill Lodge’s bunk rooms at AMC’s Mohican Outdoor Center. Cost: $84/person. For more information, visit the NRA website (http://www.nps.gov/dewa) and the MOC website (http://www.outdoors.org/lodging/mohican). For trip details, contact Mike (michael.darzi@saic.com or 301/881-7068) or Liz (eguertin@yahoo.com or 202/415-4639). For reservations (required), contact Mike. (SCPRO and AMC/DC)
o (Sat.–Mon., Sep. 4–6) Join Paul Fofonoff for what he’s calling a “Cranberry Wilderness Intermediate Backpack,” consisting of a 22-mile circuit, with about 2,200 feet of elevation change—and deep inside West Virginia. The route is subject to change, but here’s Paul’s provisional plan, starting at the Cranberry visitor center: “Proceed on the Pocahontas, Blue Knob, and Kennison Mountain Trails, then camp along Kennison Mountain Trail (it will probably be dry, so carry at least four liters [of water]). On Sunday, we’ll continue along Mountain Ridge (limited or no views, but beautiful forest), then steeply descend to Cranberry River. Crossing is normally knee-deep (a rock-hop in drought) but hazardous in high water. We’ll follow a closed forest road upstream, with shelters and campsites. We’ll also continue past the Cranberry Glades on the road and return to the visitor center.” Now you know. For details, and to register (required), contact Paul (fofonoffp@si.edu or 410/991-5193 [evening is the best time to call]). (AMC/DC)
o (Sat.–Mon., Sep. 4–6) Join Mike Juskelis for a strenuous backpacking trip in the Roaring Plains area of both the Monongahela National Forest and West Virginia. Here’s Mike’s plan: Day 1, after a spot of driving, backpack for 2.5 miles to set up a base camp at Hidden Passage; Day 2, hike strenuously for 12–14 miles along the canyon rim, admiring the boulder fields and fantastic views; Day 3, backpack out to the cars. For details, and to register (required), contact him (mjuskelis@cablespeed.com or 410/439-4964). (HCG)
o LOOKING AHEAD to Fri.–Sun., Sep. 17–19: Arrange to take part in Liz Guertin and Mike Darzi’s “Beginner Backpacking Trip” in Shenandoah National Park. As they explain, this trip “is designed so that the beginner can practice carrying a full pack and gain experience with other backpacking skills.” For details, contact Liz (eguertin@yahoo.com or 202/415-4639) or Mike (michael.darzi@saic.com or 301/881-7068). (SCPRO)
(C) ASSORTED BOATING TRIPS (CANOES, KAYAKS, PONTOON BOATS)
o (Sat., Sep. 4) One of the best ways of exploring the Anacostia River and Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, in Northeast Washington, is by canoe and in the company of a naturalist—and here’s your chance to do just that. The three-hour excursion will start at 9:30 a.m. at Bladensburg Waterfront Park, in Prince George’s County, and follow the river to the Kenilworth marshes. Cost: $10/person for Prince George’s and Montgomery County residents; $12/person for nonresidents. For details, contact the park office (301/779-0371).
o (Sat., Sep. 4) Here’s an unusual opportunity in Fairfax County: Take a 60-minute canoe/kayak trip on the Occoquan River from Occoquan Regional Park to the town of Occoquan and back—led by Earnie Porta, the town’s mayor. The mayor plans to do that twice—at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. It’s a free event, and, if you don’t have your own boat, you can rent one at the park. For details, contact John Houser (703/690-2121).
o (Sat., Sep. 4) Spend two evening hours taking what’s promised to be “an entertaining and educational guided canoe trip up Tuckahoe Creek,” seeing Maryland’s Tuckahoe State Park from the water. The trip will start at 6 p.m., and park is located in Caroline County, on the Eastern Shore—and also is a delightful hiking venue (http://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/eastern/tuckahoe.asp). Cost: Cost: $6/adult, $4/child for people under 15 (payable on arrival). For details, and for reservations (required), contact Alex McGrath (park-tuckahoe@dnr.state.md.us or 410/820-1668).
o (Sat. and Sun., Sep. 4 and 5) Board a pontoon boat at Occoquan Regional Park, in Fairfax County, to take an hour-long family cruise on the Occoquan River to Belmont Bay and Back, at either 1 p.m. on Sat. or 2 p.m. on Sun. Cost: $10/adult; $5/child aged 3-12; $0/child aged under 3. For details, contact the park office (703/690-2121).
o (Sun., Sep. 5) “Kayak with the Eagles” and a human guide for 2.5 hours on the lower Potomac River at the Caledon Natural Area (a Virginia state park), starting at 8 a.m. As the event blurb says, “Take an early morning paddle . . . and watch for bald eagles as they perch in trees and soar along the shoreline. . . .” While there, explore the park’s lovely woodland trails on foot as well. Cost: $16/solo kayak or $22/tandem kayak; $3/vehicle park-entrance fee. For details, and for reservations (required), contact the park office (caledon@dcr.virginia.gov or 540/663-3861).
o LOOKING AHEAD to Sun., Sep. 12: Arrange to take part in a four-hour “Marsh Ecology by Canoe Nature Camp for Adults” program offered by and at the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, starting at 9 a.m. Here’s the come-on: “Did your kids have a blast at summer camp while you were at the office? Wish you could have some of that outdoor fun too? Come canoeing with us on Sunday.” The sanctuary lies on the Patuxent River in Anne Arundel County about 12 miles east of the Capital Beltway. Cost: $25/person. For details, visit the sanctuary’s website (www.jugbay.org) or contact the sanctuary office (410/741-9330); to register (required), go online to download the registration form (http://www.jugbay.org/sites/www.jugbay.org/files/registration.pdf) and then complete it, add payment, and snailmail everything to the office (1361 Wrighton Road, Lothian MD 20711). Now you know why I’ve allowed extra time for you to register.
(D) CANOEING/CAMPING TRIPS
o (Sat.–Sun., Sep. 4–5) Canoe on the Potomac River from Carderock Recreation Area to Minnie’s Island in the afternoon, spend the night camping on the island, and then paddle back in the morning. In this event sponsored by the Potomac Conservancy, you’ll be led by outfitter Byron Bradley, and you’ll be expected for provide your own camping gear, food, and water. And you’ll have the option of using your own boat or reserving one when you register. Cost: $20/adult; $10/child. To participate and to register (required), quickly contact Deanna Tricario (tricarico@potomac.org or 301/608-1188).
(E) MOSTLY SHORT AND SLOWISH WALKS WITH AN EMPHASIS ON NATURAL OR HUMAN HISTORY (events that serve as a way of both easing into, or back into, hiking, of learning from those who know, and of observing first-hand; generally arranged by date and start time)
o (Sat., Sep. 4) Take a “Tree ID Walk” along the towpath in a close-in part of the C&O Canal National Historical Park. It will start at 10 a.m. at Swains Lock, and Jim Rose, will lead the way. Take along lunch. For details, contact Marion Robertson at (reorobertson@verizon.net or 301-657-8992). (CandO)
o (Sat. and Sun., Sep. 4 and 5) Visit Virginia’s Mason Neck State Park to take a late-day, hour-long, children-are-welcome, and ranger-led walk in search of “Majestic Eagles,” starting at 5 p.m. You’ll also be looking for ospreys and red-tailed hawks, and whatever else flies by. I also suggest you get there earlier to visit the visitor center and explore the park on your own. Cost: $4/vehicle park-entrance fee. For details, contact the park office (masonneck@dcr.virginia.gov or 703/339-2384).
o LOOKING AHEAD to Nov. 22 and 23: These are the only remaining dates available between now and late November for the National Arboretum’s very popular, after-dark, deep-inside-D.C, four-mile, and two-hour guided “Full Moon” hikes through its 440-plus acres of meadows, woodlands, gardens, and research plots. Under a night sky and a bright—or sometimes partially cloud-obscured—moon, the landscape takes on an almost spectral and out-of-city dimension, enhanced on occasion by the aural presence of owls. Cost: $22/person; $18/person for Friends of the National Arboretum members. Visit the arboretum website (http://www.usna.usda.gov) for up-to-date details and to make reservations. Also explore the FONA website (www.fona.org).
(F) EDUCATIONAL AND NATURAL AND HUMAN HISTORY–RELATED POTPOURRI
o (Sat., Sep. 4) Visit Aquia Landing Park, on the Potomac River in Stafford County south of Alexandria, to attend what seems to be an unnamed—and free—county-organized, all-are-welcome, and history-flavored festival. From what I can tell, the event will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and feature music, exhibits, refreshments, storytelling, and some speechifying. To try to learn more, see Clint Schemmer’s article in Thursday’s Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star (http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2010/092010/09032010/573028). (Thanks to Patrick Wamsley for the tip.)
o (Sat., Sep. 4) Visit Virginia’s Sky Meadows State Park, less than an hour’s drive west of the Capital Beltway, to take part in an unusual all-are-welcome five-hour program called “The Secret Lives of Owls,” starting at 3:30 p.m. Presented by the Raptor Conservancy of Virginia, the program will feature two live barn owls, which were rescued as young birds several months ago and will be released into the wild—at about 5 p.m. Other activities will include dissection of owl pellets to investigate the owl diet, and a short hike in search of owls, starting at 6 p.m. Cost: $4/vehicle park-entrance fee. For details, contact the park office (skymeadows@dcr.virginia.gov or 540/592-3556).
o (Mon., Sep. 6) It’s potluck time again at the Cochrans’, and this time they’re asking, “And what did YOU do on your summer vacation? Tall tales and photos are welcome.” No doubt they will also contribute, having recently been to distant places overland, and I also know them to be good listeners. The venue will be a house in Maryland, starting at 6:30 p.m., and Judy says, “Bring a dish and be ready to share your summer adventure stories. BYOB.” For details, and to make reservations (required), contact her (social@amc-dc.org). (AMC/DC)
o (Tue., Sep. 7) Visit the Morrison House Hotel in Old Town Alexandria to attend a free salon-style presentation by historian Amy Bertsch on “Volusia: Civilian, Slave and Soldier Experiences in the Civil War,” between 6 and 8 p.m. During the early war years, explains the event announcement, “Volusia (located where Foxchase is today) was home to a family of slave owners loyal to the Union, hundreds of Union soldiers who camped on the grounds for months at a time, and nearly a dozen enslaved African Americans who served their owners and soldiers alike before finding freedom.” Food and drink will be available for purchase during and after the event, which evidently is the initial offering in a series of first-Tuesday-of the-month talks being sponsored by the Torpedo Factory Artists’ Association, the Alexandria Archaeological Commission, and the Morrison House Hotel. The hotel (703/838-8000) is located at 116 South Alfred Street.
o LOOKING AHEAD to Thu., Sep. 9: Join Keith Mintzer and other bookworms at the Palisades Neighborhood Library, in Northwest Washington, for another meeting of Keith’s monthly “Environment and Fiction Book Club,” starting at 7:45 p.m. This time, the agreed-upon book of choice is Man’s Search for Meaning, by Victor Frankl. For details, including future book-club choices, visit the club’s website (www.environmentfictionbookclubdc.net) or contact Keith (keith_mintzer@yahoo.com or 202/258-0137). And whatever you decide about this event, I suggest that you try reading Frankl’s book, which, in my view, is reasonably short, easily available (brick and online bookstores, libraries), readable without a dictionary, and quite persuasive or even compelling in giving meaning to Freddy Nietzsche’s notion that “He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how.” Also keep in mind that Frankl (1905-97) was an outdoors person—a mountain-climbing Viennese who spent many weekends in the Rax, an Austrian mountain range well equipped with views, trails, and inns; as a friend of his later observed, “Some [of the other people up there] knew him but most of them saw only a little old man who insisted on climbing a vertical rock to get to a plateau that could easily be reached by a winding but comfortable path.”
o LOOKING AHEAD to Sat., Sep. 11: Journey to the private-but-open-to-the-public nature preserve on the lands of the Rolling Ridge Foundation, just inside West Virginia and south of Harpers Ferry, to learn about the constellations and planets with the Morgan County Observatory’s Kevin Boles in the annual summertime evening program called “Stargazing at Rolling Ridge.” The program will start at 6:30 p.m. with a by-reservation-only supper prepared by resident manager and superchef Sheila Bach. Then, at about 8, it will be time, as Sheila says, to start looking upward and outward, using Kevin’s “reflector telescope and star charts to help guide us on this interstellar journey. Discover the Pleiades, Venus, the Orion nebula, Andromeda galaxy, the double cluster in the constellation Perseus, and the rings of Saturn.” And you’re welcome to take along a telescope or field glasses and a reclining lawn chair. The cost for supper is $10/person ($5/child aged five or younger), and I also encourage you to make a donation in the same amount or more to contribute to the property’s upkeep (my interest being that I have been leading hikes at Rolling Ridge—and eating Sheila’s meals—for some eight years). For details and driving directions (Google tends to be iffy), and to confirm your participation (and supper reservation), contact Sheila (snbach@earthlink.net or 304/728-4820).
(G) TRAILWORK AND OTHER GOOD-DEED VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
o (Sat., Sep. 4) Visit Potomac Overlook Regional Park in North Arlington to help out on “Volunteer Work Day” for an hour, starting at 10 a.m. at the nature center. Here’s your invitation: “Spend a morning with park staff and volunteers helping with indoor and outdoor projects. . . .” For details, contact the park (703/528-5406).
o (Sat., Sep. 4) Visit Leesylvania State Park, on the Potomac River south of Alexandria, to take part in the International Coastal Cleanup between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. This event is being sponsored by the park and Clean Virginia Waterways, and that’s all I know. For details, contact the park office (leesylvania@dcr.virginia.gov or 703/583-6904.
o (Sat.–Sun., Sep. 4–5) Arrange to participate in yet another “Lambert Cabin Grounds Weekend,” up in the Blue Ridge. Here’s the plan: “Join Bob Pickett, Jane Thompson, and all their friends for a weekend of grounds maintenance, making steps, making a picnic table, cleaning out the frog pond, and just having fun! We’ll share community dinners and breakfasts. If you’re interested in seeing [PATC’s] new cabin and doing a little yard work, here’s your chance. No charge for cabin use, nominal (~$15/person) for food.” FYI: Located on PATC’s Shaver Hollow Tract, which adjoins central Shenandoah National Park, the cabin, dating back to the 1860s, was the home for 40-plus years of environmentalist, writer, and park employee (its first) Darwin Lambert his wife Eileen. For details, contact Bob (301/349-2496). (PATC)
o LOOKING AHEAD to Thu., Sep. 9: Arrange to join Bruce Glendening’s regular “Thursday Morning Group” trailworkers as they improve the Potomac Heritage Trail segment along the riverbank between the American Legion Bridge and Roosevelt Island. That way, says Bruce, you will get some exercise while working for less than three hours, get free sodas and snacks, and get on his emailing list “to find that perfect learning project.” For details, contact him (bruceglendening@gmail.com or 703/532-9093). (PATC)
o LOOKING AHEAD to Sat., Sep. 11: Do more by joining MORE to help launch construction of a new trail in Seneca Creek State Park. The “Black Rock Mill Trail” is planned to link the Schaeffer Farm area and the Clopper Lake area. To participate, congregate at Black Rock Mill, on Black Rock Road, at 9 a.m., and be equipped with water and a snack. For details about what will be once-a-month work trips, contact the tool-providing organizers—Dave Magill (dmagill@cpv.com or 301/908-307) or Bob Caverly (bob@thecaverlys.net or 301/518-8189). (Thanks to June Wyman for the tip.) (MORE)
(H) KEEP GOING: Natural-history− and human-history−related exhibitions to be savored or perused more than once (and free, unless I mention a cost).
o (First Mention) Visit Brookside Gardens, in Montgomery County, to take in the annual “Wings of Fancy” exhibit featuring North American, Central American, and Asian species of lepidoptera. Take along a camera, and maybe combine your visit with a short hike in enveloping Wheaton Regional Park. Cost: $0–6/person, depending on age. Brookside Gardens (phone: 301/962-1453) is located at 1500 Glenallen Avenue, Wheaton; it’s also Metro accessible. Open daily through September 19.
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EVENT/ACTIVITY SPONSORS (with website addresses):
AMC/DC = Appalachian Mountain Club’s Washington D.C. Chapter
(www.amc-dc.org)
Capital = Capital Hiking Club (http://www.capitalhikingclub.org)
CandO = C&O Canal Association (http://www.candocanal.org)
Center = Center Hiking Club (www.centerhikingclub.org)
HCG = Howard County Group of Sierra Club’s Maryland Chapter
(http://www.maryland.sierraclub.org/HC/outings.html)
Keystone = Keystone Trails Association (http://www.kta-hike.org)
MCM = Mountain Club of Maryland (http://www.mcomd.org/PublicScheduleAbbreviated/tabid/83/Default.aspx)
MORE = Mid Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts (www.more-mtb.org/)
NVHC = Northern Virginia Hiking Club (www.nvhc.com)
PATC = Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (www.patc.net)
SCPRO = Sierra Club’s Potomac Region Outings (www.sierrapotomac.org)
Ski Club = Ski Club of Washington, D.C. (http://www.scwdc.org)
Wanderbirds = Wanderbirds Hiking Club (www.wanderbirds.org)
Eco Studio
