P.O. Box 23655, Washington, D.C. 20026 www.adventuring.org

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Adventuring is a not-for-profit, non-membership, all-volunteer organization serving the gay and lesbian community in the Washington area. Its purpose is to encourage and publicize group outdoor activities. If you are a trip leader, please update your trip descriptions and announcements in the Adventuring web database for the upcoming month no later than the 20th of the previous month.

*Events and Announcements listed below are subject to change and/or cancellation. Check the web site or contact the trip leader for a trip to determine if it has been cancelled or rescheduled.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Date(s) Trip Title Leader Phone
Sep 04 (Sat) Hiking & Splashing in Shenandoah Canyons Craig (202) 462-0535
Sep 06 (Mon) Wilson Bridge Hike Craig (202) 462-0535
Sep 12 (Sun) Wilson Bridge Bike Ride Scott (703) 535-7356
Sep 12 (Sun) Pine Grove Furnace Hike & AT Museum Craig (202) 462-0535
Sep 24-26 (Fri-Sun) Prince William Forest Camping Weekend Vic
Sep 25 (Sat) Clarendon Days Bike Ride Scott (703) 535-7356
Oct 09-13 (Sat-Wed) Finger Lakes (NY) Bicycle Trip Jerry 703-920-6871
Oct 30 (Sat) Chocolate Escape Halloween Ride Allan (703)528-2880
 

Important Information: Liability: Adventuring is a not-for-profit organization operated entirely by volunteers. The activities sponsored by Adventuring are cooperative in nature; individuals participate at their own risk and with the understanding that trip leaders are not experts. The Adventuring organization and its individual volunteers take no responsibility and disclaim any liability for accident or injury associated with its activities. Trip Fees: In order to support the operation of its program, Adventuring assesses a trip fee of $2 per participant for day trips and $4 for trips longer than a day. Trip fees are payable to the trip leader on or by the date of the activity. Transportation Fees: Trip leaders may assess a transportation fee to reimburse drivers for the expense of group carpools. This fee is calculated at the rate of 15 cents per mile per vehicle and is divided among the carpooling participants.

The Adventuring Committee: These are the people who coordinate Adventuring's programs. Please give them a call if you have any questions, ideas, or if you want to help out.

Coordinator John Day (301) 524-9369
Publicity Brett Ferber (202) 236-9968
Secretary Jerry Cowden (703) 920-6871
Treasurer John Cybulski (703) 914-1439
Newsletter/Mailing List Damon Miller (202) 364-0790
Events Coordinator (vacant)  
At Large Hy Ludmer (703) 642-0820
Web Designer Victor Rook  
           
PROGRAM COORDINATORS
Water: Wheels: Woods:
Vacant Chris Pasquerette (240) 277-4815 Craig Howell (202) 462-0535
Winter/Other:    
Craig Howell (202) 462-0535    

ANNOUNCEMENTS

TeamDC now includes Adventuring.org
Our own Wheels trip leader, Rob McGuire, also serves as publicity director for Team DC. Team DC is a clearinghouse for information about the various GLBT sports teams, clubs, and events in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. It is a volunteer-based organization that provides information and support to GLBT individuals and sport clubs active in our area. Team DC also coordinates the areas delegation to the Gay Games and Cultural Festival, which is held every four years.

In an ongoing effort to increase our participation and outreach, we've recently been included in TeamDC's clearinghouse for information - their website links, group list, Sportsgram newsletter, etc - alongside other DC area GLBT 'sports' and outdoor organizations.

Adventuring.org participants are encouraged to sign up for TeamDC's monthly Sportsgram, which will include not only our upcoming trips, but other interesting social activities sponsored by TeamDC and other included organizations:
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/team_d_c/

Please let your Trip Leader know if you heard about us from TeamDC.

Tuesday Evening Bike Rides Begin May 4
Another season of after work Arlington Evening Bike Rides are poised to begin, this year on Tuesday evenings, with the first ride on May 4. Rides will maintain a relaxed pace and all riders are welcome, including new riders and those who might be a little out of practice.

Routes will vary from week to week and will employ the various bike trails and bicycle-friendly residential streets in and around Arlington. Rides will finish by sunset, with ride distance dependent on the length of evening sunlight. Afterwards those interested in joining a social, after-ride dinner may gather at a designated nearby restaurant, which will vary from week to week.

This summer-long series of evening bike rides will continue each Tuesday through the end of August. Join the rides whenever and as often as you like. Meet at the Clarendon Metro Station by 6:25 PM. Rides begin promptly at 6:30. See the ride descriptions for additional details.


PREVIOUS TRIP REPORTS

Overall Run Falls Hike (Craig)
Ten Adventurers braved blustery winds and cool temperatures, conditions more suitable for March than May, to enjoy this traditional favorite trek in northern Shenandoah NP. We made good time from our parking lot next to Hogback Overlook on Skyline Drive down to our lunch spot overlooking the falls. Fortunately, a respectable amount of water was tumbling down the 90-foot drop despite a recent lack of precipitation. The westward view from here across Massanutten and the Shenandoah Valley to Great North Mountain cannot be beat. As we started back, we made a brief stop to admire the smaller but no less impressive upper falls of Overall Run before heading towards Mathews Arm Campground. Since the campground was not yet open for the season, we strolled right through it instead of around it, and were struck by what a pretty spot it is. Then, instead of retracing our steps back up the same rocky and steep trail we had followed downhill, we improvised a much kinder and gentler route by walking along the paved access road from the campground to the Drive. We then moved north along the Drive a short distance to the Rattlesnake Point Overlook, which provided a spectacular and unusually clear view south and east all the way to Old Rag. Our final leg took us very gradually and comfortably on the AT back up to our parking lot. This new return route was so well received that it should become our standard on future Overall Run Falls hikes, making this more of a circuit hike instead of an up-and-back.

Rose River Loop Hike (Craig)
We have seldom seen as many people in Shenandoah National Park as we saw this Memorial Day Weekend, and most of them seemed to be doing the same hike we were. Our party of 14, which included a high proportion of newcomers, often seemed to be just so many drops in the ocean. But that should have come as no surprise, since the weather was so perfect. Recent heavy rains had a mixed effect: While the streams, cascades and waterfalls were fully recharged and even more spectacular than usual, our trails were unusually muddy, slippery and generally sloppy. The only solitude we found all day was at our lunch spot, a scenic but slightly off-trail location that we had to ourselves. After our delightful stroll we drove a few miles to the Skyland resort, where we enjoyed Shenandoah's justly-renowned blackberry ice cream in a variety of enticing forms, including an obscenely-massive ice cream cake.

Gambrill State Park Hike (John D.)
Seven Adventurers celebrated National Trails Day in Gambrill State Park. Although the weather was occasionally overcast and humid, we did enjoy many glorious breezes as we trekked the 7-mile loop hike and its 3-mile extension. Thanks to our unusually warm spring, some of the mountain laurel had already peaked; luckily, though, most of it was still in full bloom, which made for wonderful white and pink passageways and archways. Because of the amount of rain this area has had, the foliage was particularly lush, providing us with breathtaking stands of ferns and various other flowers along the bright green moss-lined trails. We strolled along both the west and east sides of the ridgeline of the Catoctin Mountains, with wonderful views of Frederick and Middletown as well as Sugarloaf, South Mountain, and the more distant Blue Ridge Mountains.

Big Devils Stairs Hike (Craig)
Seven Adventurers, including our old friend John of Berkeley, explored one of the great scenic wonders of Shenandoah National Park, even though it meant missing the England-USA World Cup match (which ended in a tie, so we must not have missed much). We reached the rim of the Big Devils Stairs canyon in less than an hour and lunched in whatever shade we could find on the massive rocky outcrop above the canyon. Here we were serenaded by the soft sounds of the canyon's streams and waterfalls, which we could not actually see through the canyon's dense foliage. As we ascended back to the junction with the Bluff Trail, we encountered a group of young backpacking girls quite possibly out in the woods for the first time; their adult leader cleverly told them they would not continue until they themselves had figured out which way to go from the junction, guaranteeing herself a long and apparently much-needed break while her charges debated their options. When we rested again next to a spring by the Gravel Springs Shelter, we were visited by a couple of AT section hikers straight out of "Deliverance." After returning to our cars, some of us headed directly back to DC to catch the Pride Parade, while the rest of us took an easy and mostly level stroll to the wonderful overlook atop South Marshall Mountain. Menacing clouds and rumbles of thunder cut short our stay, and indeed we encountered torrential rains that commenced just after we started our drive home. Luckily, those storms missed DC and the Pride Parade, but we didn't.

Rock Creek and Capitol Crescent Ride (Scott)
It was a hot, steamy summer day in DC, more reminiscent of August than June; but that was not enough to keep eight cyclists from joining a morning rendezvous for a bike ride in DC’s urban wilderness that is Rock Creek Park. We started early and completed the 22 mile loop and were ready to pose for a group photo by 11:30am.

We set out from Pierce Mill on the Rock Creek Trail to Georgetown where we connected onto the Capital Crescent Trail to Bethesda. The group opted for a wondrously refreshing snowcone break in Bethesda before embarking eastward on the Georgetown Branch trail. At Rock Creek Park we descending to the Rock Creek Trail, followed if for a while and completed the rest of the loop back to Pierce Mill on the weekend-closed-to-cars section of Beach Drive.

Photo at Pierce Mill - back: Hy, Durward, Brad, Jeffery; front: Steve, Mike, Scott; photo credit: Craig P

Hawksbill to Big Meadows Hike (Craig)
The first thing our 11 Adventurers encountered as we stepped onto the Appalachian Trail at Hawksbill Gap was young friendly thru-hiker "Mike" taking a lunch break. He told us he had started out from GA in mid-April and expected to finish in ME by mid-September, which would require him to maintain a faster pace than most thru-hikers, who normally take 6 months to complete the AT. We made good time up to Hawksbill Summit, where we lunched casually until we noticed the unexpected appearance of storm clouds barreling our way. Our hasty exit was well-timed, as it started to rain just a few minutes later. Fortunately, it did not rain either hard or long, and temperatures definitely dropped in the aftermath. We made a whimsical detour down to the Rock Springs Shelter, where we discovered two more young energetic thru-hikers who seemed to be on the same fast-paced schedule as "Mike." We continued south on the AT to Fishers Gap, seemingly heading directly into more storm clouds as rumbles of thunders rolled over us. But when we reached a nice overlook at Franklin Cliffs, we could tell the storm had already passed off to the east. After finishing with an easy climb to Big Meadows, we drove to the nearby Lodge and its legendary New Market Taproom. Here we lollygagged dynamically (TM) over blackberry ice cream while watching the end of a World Cup match and being serenaded by a young woman sweetly singing "Over The Rainbow" and other excerpts from the Great American Songbook.

Great Falls-Maryland Holiday Hike (Damon)
On a warm but thankfully not humid Fourth of July, a convivial group of 20 hikers (6 women and 14 men) gathered at Maryland's Great Falls Tavern for what has now become our traditional annual 4th of July stroll along one of the most beautiful sections of the C & O Canal, culminating in a fine view of the Great Falls of the Potomac. The Falls themselves were somewhat low this year, reflecting a dry spring, but the view was enjoyable nonetheless. The scenery was enhanced by some kayakers who had abandoned their vessels and were clambering onto the rocks in the middle of the rushing waters. Although the wildlife count was down from last year, a large black rat snake slithered across the Berma Road as we marched by, and several turtles sunned themselves on twigs sticking out of the canal. During one of the water breaks, the trip leader educated the group on some of the history of the Canal, focusing on the efforts of Justice William O. Douglas, who led a group of notables on an eight-day hike along the entire towpath in the 1950s and thereby saved the entire canal from being bulldozed into a parkway. Seven magnificent Adventuring bikers met us for lunch at the park's picnic area; they were midway through their round-trip ride from the Pentagon (see the picture of the entire group posted at the Ride description). The day's wildlife count was then literally goosed when about a dozen overfed and fearless geese suddenly materialized and shamelessly pestered the diners for goodies, which they got in abundance.

Great Falls-Maryland Holiday Ride (Allan)
On a picture-perfect clear and dry, but warm July 4th, seven of eight riders struck out from Pentagon parking for a scenic trip up the river to Great Falls National Park, approximately 36 miles. I waffle about the distance because immediately we waived the cue sheet and avoided a time-consuming security check at Memorial Bridge by taking instead the Roosevelt Bridge around the Kennedy Center. Picking up one veteran trip leader, Neal, at the foot of the Capital Crescent Trail we passed two parades in the making on the way up to Great Falls, getting cheered by the early spectators of the Potomac Palisades and Cabin John communities. Famished and thirsty from the climb up the Potomac fall line we promptly started lunch while waiting for the planned rendezvous and group photo with 20 Adventuring hikers. Surprisingly, both the MacArthur Blvd bike paths and the park at Great Falls were rather pleasantly deserted for the holiday. After viewing the falls and some courageous kayakers on the rapids, we coasted down the idyllic Widewater area to Glen Echo where the carrousel was going full steam with patriotic ditties. A few of us decided to give the horsies a try, some for the first time in their life, while Durward captured the silliness. Being an adventuresome group we took another unscheduled detour when we entered Georgetown by clambering up over the canal to cross Key Bridge on the way back to Pentagon parking. A great day and lots of fond memories. Next year we need to talk the hikers into setting up a watermelon table with their vehicles. In addition to the attached four photos, a fuller set may be viewed at http://picasaweb.google.com/BikingAllan/July4thRideToGreatFalls?authkey=Gv1sRgCN7UsvbA7POHGg#. Next year I hope we can get a helmet mounted camcorder to take vignettes of the ride.

A Day in "Almost Heaven, West Virginia" (Craig)
While much-needed but poorly-timed rains were soaking DC, eight Adventurers savored a truly heavenly day on Great North Mountain just over the West Virginia border. Skies cleared rapidly after we arrived at our trailhead (just getting us all there was quite an adventure unto itself), temperatures were mild, humidity was low, and a delightful north breeze often filled the air; all in all, it seemed more like mid-September than mid-July. Our climb up the Pond Run Trail, although not especially steep, was unusually rocky, and the eight stream crossings were a bit tricky at times. Once we reached the crest, we continued a short ways to a beautiful overlook for lunch. We made excellent time over to nearby Halfmoon Lookout, with a truly spectacular view of Big Schloss and the Trout Run Valley, one of the most picturesque valleys in the East, for my money. Our descent from this peak proved to be the steepest and rockiest stretch of trail we encountered all day. But the final leg of our circuit was exceptionally fast and easy as we strolled along a wide and smooth forest road and eventually on Waites Run Road back to our cars. Most of us then continued on for a delightful few hours at the Guesthouse at Lost River, where we employed the pool and hot tub facilities before enjoying a great meal at its restaurant. Inevitably, we made a late return to the DC area; perhaps the next time we venture out this way, we should do an overnight or weekend excursion rather than a long daytrip.

Arlington Evening Bike Ride (Scott)
Six gutsy cyclists ended up with as much adventurous cycling as they had bargained for, and then some. Early in the day the evening weather forecaster ominously called for an 80% chance of rain, but by late afternoon most of the professional forecasters had pushed the rain back to around midnight... so the ride was on. But just in case, the group opted for a bike tour into DC where we would never be far from the shelter of a Metro station, and which also provided an option for dry transportation back to Clarendon if needed.

The ride ended up having both a very pleasant beginning and ending. It was the middle that got exciting when a severe thunderstorm passed through the city. Fortunately we saw it coming and took shelter among the seafood outlets along the Maine Avenue waterfront. While we waited for the storm to pass over we indulged in an early dinner. By the time dinner wrapped up, so had the rain, and we ventured out for a dry ride home. So between our good luck and foresight in planning, we managed to have a mostly enjoyable outing on an evening with not-so-good weather.

Hiking the Trails of Stony Man & Skyland (Craig)
It was strikingly comfortable when ten Adventurers disembarked just past noon at the Stony Man Nature Trail parking area, and it pretty much stayed that way for us all day, in vivid contrast to the scorching temperatures endured by the flatlanders below. We quickly made our way to the Stony Man summit for lunch as a light mist from a passing cloud bemused us. At the nearby Little Stony Man Cliffs, we discovered a Park Ranger whose sole responsibility was to watch over the gaggle of rock climbers who assemble there each weekend. Negotiating the Passamaquoddy Trail was a bit tricky at times, but no casualties were reported. We proceeded down the Skyland Road a short ways and were rewarded with some stunning views of both the Stony Man summit and the Little Stony Man Cliffs. We next sashayed through the heart of the Skyland Resort, an area which is much more extensive than most of us had realized before. Our final overlook of the day was atop Bushytop on the trail to Miller Head. We then adjourned to the Skyland Dining Room to indulge in its legendary blackberry ice cream, which easily lived up to all the hype.

Arlington Evening Bike Ride (Scott)
Twelve cyclists had a delightful 15 mile ride through the Palisades and Georgetown, with ten lingering afterwards to enjoy the pleasant evening with an al fresco dinner at Nam Viet Restaurant.

Group Photo: Hy, Don, Allan, Scott Rodrigo, Bill, Joel, Robert, James, Jerry, Charmaine. Photos by Bob Jennings

Paw Paw Tunnel Hike (Craig)
The weather for this year's Paw Paw pilgrimage was eerily similar to last year's: Dire forecasts and a rainy morning to spook the faint of heart, followed by a nearly perfect afternoon to reward the brave. Eight Adventurers, including three Paw Paw Virgins, started out from the campground parking lot just after noon and proceeded briskly, without collisions and with flashlights glowing, through the tunnel. We had the picnic area next to the Potomac all to ourselves, where we reenacted last year's exciting exploration of MREs. We lollygagged at our swimming hole a couple of miles later long enough for one of us to go splashing up and down the river. On our return leg, half our party marched up and over Tunnel Hill, while the other half chose the low road back through the tunnel. We finished exactly five hours after we started (every Paw Paw Tunnel hike takes exactly five hours) and promptly departed for dinner at Weaver's, where we were (as always) treated royally.

Arlington Evening Bike Ride (Scott)
Earlier in the day the weather forecast called for a wet evening, but the forecast miraculously improved and nine folks assembled at Clarendon for the Tuesday after-work bike ride. The mid-70s temperature was ideal for cycling, and we took full advantage of the pleasant weather to use a new route and explore several of the smaller, lesser known parks in South Arlington.

A few miles into the ride a light mist developed, but a quick check on the weather radar confirmed that it was not the beginning of a feared thunderstorm, for that matter it hardly registered on the radar, so we ventured on... although two riders were unconvinced and still scared, and turned back. Shortly thereafter the mist quit.

After completing the route and arriving back at Clarendon the remaining seven cyclists opted for a Thai dinner at the Rien Tong Restaurant, dining outdoors and lingering to enjoy pleasant weather and conversation. Please note that next week will be the last of these Tuesday Evening Bike Rides until next summer.


TRIP DETAILS

Hiking & Splashing in Shenandoah Canyons
Sep 04 (Sat); Craig (202) 462-0535
(This trip has been rescheduled from mid-July.) Kick off the Labor Day Weekend by combining a strenuous hike through one of the most dramatic canyons in Shenandoah National Park with an opportunity to splash around in two of Shenandoah's best pools. We will begin with a steep and rocky ascent of Cedar Run Canyon that will leave us huffing and puffing even as we marvel at the scenery of Halfmile Cliffs towering high above us. Our reward for our exertions will be a long leisurely languid lunch next to a great and relatively little-visited pool at the base of a beautiful waterfall, suitable for wading and splashing. We will then retrace our steps down the canyon to the base of the mountain, where we will stroll on level ground over to the Whiteoak Canyon Trail to access a much bigger (and, alas, a far more popular) pool at the bottom of a very impressive waterfall, where we shall Lollygag Dynamically (TM) no little time. Total length of this V-shaped hike will not exceed 5.5 miles, with 1000 feet of elevation gain, nearly all of it in Cedar Run Canyon. Bring plenty of beverages, lunch, sunscreen, bug spray, a swimsuit and towel, and about $20 for admission, transportation and trip fees. Meet at 9 a.m. in the East Falls Church Metro Kiss & Ride lot (to your right as you walk out of the station.)

Wilson Bridge Hike
Sep 06 (Mon); Craig (202) 462-0535
Hiking the magnificent hiker/biker trail on the upstream side of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge was such a bit hit last Labor Day that we're going to do it again this year. Starting from the King Street Metro Station, we'll stroll through Old Town Alexandria before arriving at the Wilson Bridge. We will detour to nearby Jones Point for lunch before crossing the bridge; big bonus points for anyone who can find the District's original southern boundary stone hidden somewhere around here. Our 1.1-mile crossing of the Potomac will be an unforgettable experience, as we enjoy magnificent views and a number of interesting interpretive displays, especially on the Maryland side. We will end up at the mammoth National Harbor development, where we will see The Awakening sculpture that used to grace Hains Point. We will be carried back to Old Virginny by water taxi, which will deposit us at the Alexandria docks close to the free trolley that heads back to the King Street Metro. Total length of this easy hike should not exceed 6 miles. Bring plenty of beverages, lunch (or buy one en route), sunscreen, the $2 trip fee and $8 for the water taxi. Meet at the luxuriously late hour of 11 a.m. at the station attendant's kiosk at the King Street Metro. Parking will be free there all day, just as on weekends.

Wilson Bridge Bike Ride
Sep 12 (Sun); Scott (703) 535-7356
Come join the first in this autumn series of casual afternoon bike rides. The rides will be local and at a relaxed-pace, social in nature, and with an optional post ride dinner.

This first ride will pass over the bike trail on the Wilson Bridge. The Wilson Bridge trail already opened a year ago, so if you have not yet checked it out, here’s your opportunity.

The 30 mile loop will begin at the Clarendon Metro Station in Arlington and pass through the District to Maryland, with two crossings of the Potomac River: Memorial Bridge over and Wilson Bridge back. We will ride at a relaxed pace with a few stops. One will be a gelato / ice cream stop at National Harbor. Please note that the trail into National Harbor involves a half mile of compact chipped stone, everything else is paved. Ride will conclude by early evening. When we return to Clarendon those who are interested can gather at a local restaurant for a post-ride dinner. Bring helmet; water, and $2 for Adventuring. Contact trip leader for start time.

Pine Grove Furnace Hike & AT Museum
Sep 12 (Sun); Craig (202) 462-0535
Today we head for Pine Grove Furnace State Park in PA's Michaux State Forest for three purposes. First, we'll hike to Pole Steeple, a popular scenic overlook where we'll lunch. After that, we'll visit the new Appalachian Trail Museum, just opened in June, providing a history of the AT from its inception in Benton MacKay's mind in 1921 to the present. Finally, there's a public beach by a very cold lake in the Park for those who'd like a quick dip before we return. Total length of the moderate Pole Steeple loop is 5.7 miles, with about 650 feet of elevation gain. Bring beverages, lunch, bug spray, sunscreen, swimsuit and towel, and about $15 for transportation and trip fees. Meet at 9 a.m. at the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro Station.

Prince William Forest Camping Weekend
Sep 24-26 (Fri-Sun); Vic
Since I desperately miss Adventuring's camping trips, I have taken it upon myself to set up a nice impromptu camping weekend at the Oak Ridge Campground site in Prince William Forest Park from Sept. 24-26. Come spend time with old friends, hike the trails at your leisure, chat at the campfire, and relax as the cool early fall breezes wash away memories of our scorching hot summer. Details: Oak Ridge Campground has 100 tent camp sites which each include a pad to park your car, a picnic table, grill, and lantern post. Restrooms with flush toilets (and showers at the B loop) are within walking distance. The cost is $15 a night (so $30 for Friday night and Saturday night), but you can have up to two tents/two cars per site so you can split the cost. The park also charges a $5 fee per car which lasts a week and you pay at the gate. With the $4 Adventuring trip fee, that's a pretty cheap weekend. We'll be camping in the A loop of the campsite which requires no pre-registration. You self-register and pay at the campground entrance when you get there. Look for a sign that says Adventuring in the loop and we'll try to keep everyone together. Bring your tents, sleeping bags, coolers, food, bug spray, cooking utensils if you plan on cooking. I'm sure we can create an impromptu shared meal and snacks. I'll probably get there after 2pm on Friday, September 24. We pack up and leave site by noon on Sunday, but if some want, we can park our cars at the Visitors Center and do more hiking/sightseeing. Directions: Go to http://www.nps.gov/prwi/planyourvisit/directions.htm for park directions, and the park map is at http://home.nps.gov/applications/parks/prwi/ppMaps/new_PRWI_Map.pdf . Oak Ridge Campgrounds are on the West side of the park. You get there from the Park Entrance off of Route 619 (where you pay your $5 car fee), then go halfway around the Scenic Drive until you see signs for Oak Ridge Campgrounds. Pay your one or two nights at the camp entrance there, then circle around loop A and look for us. Please email me if you plan to attend: VictorWeb@aol.com. See ya there! Vic

Clarendon Days Bike Ride
Sep 25 (Sat); Scott (703) 535-7356
This is another of the autumn series of casual afternoon bike rides. These rides will be local and at a relaxed-pace, social in nature, and with an optional post ride dinner.

This ride is on Saturday, instead of the usual Sunday, so as to coincide with the local Clarendon Days Festival. We will also begin a little earlier so that when we return there will be ample opportunity to take in the festival.

We will meet at the Clarendon Metro Station in Arlington before venturing off on a 22 mile loop to Round Tree Park in Fairfax County, using bike trails and bicycle friendly residential streets. Once we reach Round Tree Park we will navigate the wooded wilds of the park using paved trails, and encounter a small creek to ford. But nobody, or their bike will get wet, as fabulous concrete "stepping stones" are provided.

Contact the ride leader if you intend to participate and to get the starting time. Bring helmet, water, and $2 for Adventuring. Free on-street parking is available. All riders, including new riders, are welcome on these casual rides.

Finger Lakes (NY) Bicycle Trip
Oct 09-13 (Sat-Wed); Jerry 703-920-6871
This will be the seventh Adventuring bike trip I've led in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York since 1986. I love the cycling there. High hills, some covered with vineyards, slope down to long, narrow lakes. Wineries abound and sometimes the smell of grapes is in the air. The foliage should also be starting to turn, so we may see some fall color. The terrain is somewhat challenging, with long climbs to get up to ridges, but views are often spectacular once you get to the top. We’ll be staying at a private home right on Keuka Lake. Sleeping accommodations will vary from beds to cots, air mattresses, or bringing your own sleeping pad and bag. We'll drive up on Saturday, cycle on Sunday, Monday (the Columbus Day holiday), Tuesday, and drive home on Wednesday. Our main ride will be a 63-mile loop around Keuka Lake. Candidates for the two other rides are parts of Canandaigua or Seneca Lakes, the Genesee Valley and Gorge, and “Mormon country.” Estimated budget: $140 for 4 nights lodging, breakfast included; about $106 for transportation (drivers will be reimbursed using the Adventuring formula); $4 for the trip fee; and money for lunches and dinners. If you're interested please contact me immediately. A $50 deposit is due right away and the $200 balance will be due by September 17. It may be a long way to drive for a bike trip, but the Finger Lakes are worth it!

Chocolate Escape Halloween Ride
Oct 30 (Sat); Allan (703)528-2880
This 20 mi ride on Sat, Oct. 30th (Halloween Eve) will include four bakeries that demonstrate chocolate wares in many festive and tasteful ways: Great Harvest Bread Co. off Quaker Lane; the zany Artfully Chocolate and the faithful Dairy Godmother, both in the colorful Del Ray neighborhood; and finally, the Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe in North Arlington. A brief trek through the Beverly Hills neighborhood on the way to Del Ray will showcase their charming Halloween decorations. Using paved bike trails and neighborhood streets, we should complete this relatively easy ride in time to catch lunch either at the Heidelberg (BBQ'd bratwurst sandwiches) or at a local bistro for those interested. Bring a helmet, water and $2 for Adventuring. Contact the leader if the weather is questionable. The ride starts at 9:30 am at the Clarendon Metro Station.


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