Author Archives: John M

Catching up

Posted on January 21, 2014 by John M

The past couple of weeks I have been so busy hiking and planning hikes that I haven’t had any time to post! So here’s a stab at catching up a bit. The weekend of January 11th and 12th featured hikes in Reston and … Continue reading →

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Contrasts

Posted on December 30, 2013 by John M

This past weekend presented a study in contrasts. Saturday was sunny, clear and warm, and a big group of hikers turned out for a moderate to strenuous hike over rocky, hilly terrain, while Sunday was overcast, rainy and cold, and only a few … Continue reading →

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Carderock

Posted on December 22, 2013 by John M

A wonderful 6-mile hike on an unexpectedly warm, sunny Saturday on the Billy Goat Trail, sections B and C, starting from Carderock Recreation Area along the C&O Canal. (Google map here.) Section A is the most popular (and strenuous) part of … Continue reading →

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Christmas in the City

Posted on December 17, 2013 by John M

A lucky break in the weather on Sunday enabled a nice Christmas walk around the National Mall, something we’ve done for the past couple of years. This year, starting from near the Smithsonian Museum, we walked west to the World War 2 Memorial, north to … Continue reading →

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Lunch bunch

Posted on December 15, 2013 by John M

A winter afternoon at Huntley Meadows. Despite the cold, everyone was out having lunch.

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Pimmit Run: Forts Ethan Allen and Marcy

Posted on December 9, 2013 by John M

On Saturday we went hiking on Pimmit Run, which flows into the Potomac River near the Chain Bridge crosses the river from Virginia into the District of Columbia. The hike started at the Madison Community Center, which is located where Fort Ethan … Continue reading →

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Open and shut

Posted on December 1, 2013 by John M

Two hikes this weekend, on Friday and Saturday, yielded looks at the Potomac River in two contrasting states: one open and unfettered, at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and the other partially shut in and put to work, at Riley’s … Continue reading →

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First Manassas Trail

Posted on November 25, 2013 by John M

I visited the Manassas National Battlefield Park last Saturday to hike the First Manassas Trail, a 5.4-mile route that starts from the Henry Hill Visitor Center, leads northeast to the Stone Bridge, up Bull Run to the fording site of … Continue reading →

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Not this again!

Posted on November 23, 2013 by John M

The more things change, the more they seem to stay the same. I can’t believe we’re falling for this nonsense again. GENEVA — Iran and six major powers agreed early Sunday on an historic deal that freezes key parts of … Continue reading →

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The Guns of Autumn: Forts Foote and Washington

Posted on November 14, 2013 by John M

Last weekend was not only a long one (because of Veterans Day), but also about the last hurrah for autumn colors here in northern Virginia. To take advantage of the extra day our hiking group did three hikes over the weekend! The first two, Burke … Continue reading →

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