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So, Went for a Hike on Saturday the 20th.
Went for a hike along the Potomac Heritage Trail (PHT), specifically the 10-mile segment along the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP)in Fairfax and Arlington Counties, Virgina, and the District of Columbia. I went with my friend Katherine and my nephew Jaden. ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
tomhundleyrn was going to come, but he got in really late at night/early in the morning, and i could not rouse him any of the three times i tried. It turned out to be a good thing that he was not with us, about which more as we go along.
So, of the The Potomac Heritage Trail, we hiked the 10-mile portion from the Western trail head at the end of Live Oak Dr in Mclean, VA to the Eastern end at the parking lot for Roosevelt Island in Washington, DC. We waded in the Potomac, in Maryland at one point along the way. This bit of trail is maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. For reference, Chain Bridge is the approximate mid-point for our hike.
I picked up Jaden, hit Trader Joes for some drink and food, then met Katherine at her home in Arlington. From there, we drove in separate cars to Roosevelt Island, where i left mine, and we both got in her car, and we all went to Live Oak Dr and the trail head, which was clearly marked and easy to find. We got out of the car, applied insecticide and sunscreen, read the sign, which indicated 10 miles to Roosevelt Island, and Jaden led the way down the steep, long, winding, wooden staircase to the river. The time at start is about 1300 Eastern Daylight Time. (GMT-4)
The greenery was lush, as it is wont to be here in late August. The trail had light blue-to-slightly-greenish blazes, due to a lights blue having been painted over yellow. We walked along, through the pretty greenery, along the river for a ways. As we were going, i explained that there were toilets available at Turkey Run and probably Fort Marcy, and at the end, and we planned to stop at Turkey Run to eat.
We're going along, and come to a bunch of rocks i know well, and find trees down on them. Jaden and i followed the trail and clambered over and around the trees. Katherine took the high route over the rocks. A bit further downstream, we get to the wading point i know, and Jaden and i waded in the river for a short while. We continue on and i realize we've passed the very long, very switchbacked stairs that take you up from the trail to Turkey Run Park. So, we climbed a hill. A hill that was crumbling away beneath each footstep. Jaden went up first, and was very, very helpful to Katherine and me in the last bit by taking our backpacks, and passing down trees for us to help pull ourselves up with. One at the top, we plopped down on a guardrail to catch our breaths and let our hearts slow down. We walked to Area A, where i showed Jaden how to scrub up to his elbows, as we were a bit dirty after that hill climb. We sat at a picnic table and ate and drank, before continuing down the red-blazed trail to the PHT. Jaden was surprised to learn that our detour up the hill and through the bit of the park did not, in fact, shorten the distance we were walking, as the distance we went up made up for the part we bypassed.
Along this patch, we passed a large patch of Paw-paws. These being wild, the fruits are much smaller than the one pictured, and the flesh of the wild ones is a yellow toward peach-colored, rather than the creamy white of the one pictured. Jaden had never heard of paw-paws before, and he stepped on the ones that i might have let him eat. The one i found and opened to show him that the black thing he found was a seed from the fruit had fermented, though he doesn't yet know what that smells like, and since he had no frame of reference for fresh paw-paw, there was no way to explain why i could tell by smelling that it had fermented. It did lead to a talk about how fermented fruit led to wine and alcohol production way, way back when.
We continue down the trail, finding trees in the way, huge, awkward rocks in the way, and make our way along. After that came very, very long hills up and down for several repetitions. Hills of the steepness and irregularity of surface that make you look at where you're walking. Between needing to look where you are walking and the steepness, you have no time to take in the beauty around you, though now and again one of us glanced out and we stopped and looked. And we looked when we had to stop to catch breath or slow heart. :) Jaden learned a bit about what it's like to be 3x plus a bit of his age. No one need bathroom, so we kept on at this point.
After one long, tiring up hill. the trail emerged from the trees and went along the side of the GWMP, including crossing the ramps connecting the GWMP and VA 123, along the parkway for a bit more, then it ducked behind a stone wall and disappeared back into the trees. Yet more long, steep downs and ups through irregular rocks ensued. Then we came to Donaldson Run. The rocky bits in this photo set called "Death Hike" are much what the blazed trail at Donaldson run looks like. We were going along, and we see a blaze on the rocks ahead, and a railing attached to the rocks. There's no obvious way from where we are to there. Jaden is by a small natural couple of steps in the rock. We switch places. I lean over, see blaze on the rocks facing the other way below us, and so Jaden goes forth, followed by me then Katherine. The railing is at a natural flat rock that was easy to slide down. We hit bottom, and saw a bit of railing, so headed toward it and found a long stair cut into the rock, and down we went. Encountered a man and a woman with a dog and some fish there. We wondered at how the hell the dog was to walk back up that, as he was too big to carry.
We walk on, past several bridges, each time telling Jaden, no that's not Chain Bridge, that's just a Parkway bridge. Chain Bridge crosses the Potomac. We finally reach the parking area next to Chain Bridge, and i point up, announcing "Look up. THAT's Chain Bridge, and give a brief history of bridges on this site. Sign there said we have 4.7 miles to go. Four point seven miles that start with a big hill, and a series of such hills yet again, but breathtaking views of Chain Bridge and the Palisades along the way. The trail eventually put us on concrete under a Parkway bridge. I think this was where Spout Run Parway hits the GWMP. Surprisingly steep under the bridge. Katherine and i took it in 3 segments, with short pauses along the way. We got up there, and it was levelish for a while before more steep downs and ups. Time now is about 1800 EDT (GMT-4).
This bit of the hike was accompanied by nice views of Sibley Memorial Hospital and the building at the Dalecarlia Reservoir in DC.
At some point after that the trail came up next to the GWMP, and from trail side was a tall stone wall that my and a Katherine's heads were just taller than. We noted to look for people along there when we're driving. The stone wall is much shorter on the road's side. Along the wall, the trail was blissfully level and flat. Jaden stopped and called back woefully that it goes back into the woods. We laughed and told him to lead on. Not long after that, we ran into some people heading upstream. I asked them about trail ahead, and found they were parked at Chain Bridge. The promised that it was easier going forward. down a bit more we came to the remnants of steam engines, which i think are leftover from the quarry that used to be there.
We hike on, as it's getting on toward sunset. As we have now and again, we lose the trail. We found it again at this point due to needing to ford yet another run. After that run, we get a glimpse of the Key Bridge, the tip of Roosevelt Island, and the Key Bridge Marriot. This means the end is relatively near. It's Dusk by now, about 20:20ish EDT (GMT-4). Jaden wants to turn on his flashlight, but Katherine and i insist that he keep it off so long as we can see, explaining how our eyes adjust to the gradually changing light. Eventually, it gets dark enough for him to use it.
He was in the lead at one point, and there was a slight bend, when he started screaming and ran back to us. There was a raccoon in the path, happily eating her breakfast. He's totally panicked and insisting we throw things at it to make it go away. Katherine explains that we will do no such thing as we are in her home, and we are the threat. He turns and looks toward me, explains that he has some rocks in case, which i take away from him and toss into the trees. He then reaches for a stick, which i also take away, repeating Katherine's message that we are intruding on her home, and we will wait for her to get out of our way. He's unhappy, i think a bit afraid, but in the end waits with minimal complaint. After a short while, the raccoon toddled off into the brush. When we heard that she was near, but away, we continued on. That whole episode i think might have take 10 minutes. We go on for a bit more, each with our flashlight lighting the area around our feet, the trail coming up along a wall by the road and back into trees off and on. We came to a meadow, and Jaden ran ahead because there was a sign. He was crestfallen because it was broken. I looked at it and could see that it said "American Legion Bridge 10.0 Miles". I explained that, and said that the car must be near, as it said 10.0 miles to Roosevelt Island where we started. Not long thereafter we arrived back at the car at 21:29 EDT (GMT-4). In that last bit, we'd past a sign saying "Roosevelt Island 1.7 miles". As we went along, Jaden kept stating that we had to've gone that far. We kept countering that a mile is farther than he imagines, and this is harder than walking down a road. Heh.
We took Katherine back to her car, stopped at a 7-Eleven in Annandale and got more to drink, got carryout from Canton Cafe in Springfield, and ate it at Jaden's house a bit down 95 from there. Had thought of crashing at my sister's, but wanted my bed and some ibuprofen. :)
So, a long, long arduous hike. I'd like to do it again next July, knowing what we're getting into this time.
I also propose the Bull Run-Occoquan Trail for Saturday 10 September. I've done the the part from B to C on the map, which takes about 1.5 hours. I propose starting at A or B and going to D or E. Any takers? It's a MUCH easier trail than the PHT is. By far.
tomhundleyrn was going to come, but he got in really late at night/early in the morning, and i could not rouse him any of the three times i tried. It turned out to be a good thing that he was not with us, about which more as we go along.So, of the The Potomac Heritage Trail, we hiked the 10-mile portion from the Western trail head at the end of Live Oak Dr in Mclean, VA to the Eastern end at the parking lot for Roosevelt Island in Washington, DC. We waded in the Potomac, in Maryland at one point along the way. This bit of trail is maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. For reference, Chain Bridge is the approximate mid-point for our hike.
I picked up Jaden, hit Trader Joes for some drink and food, then met Katherine at her home in Arlington. From there, we drove in separate cars to Roosevelt Island, where i left mine, and we both got in her car, and we all went to Live Oak Dr and the trail head, which was clearly marked and easy to find. We got out of the car, applied insecticide and sunscreen, read the sign, which indicated 10 miles to Roosevelt Island, and Jaden led the way down the steep, long, winding, wooden staircase to the river. The time at start is about 1300 Eastern Daylight Time. (GMT-4)
The greenery was lush, as it is wont to be here in late August. The trail had light blue-to-slightly-greenish blazes, due to a lights blue having been painted over yellow. We walked along, through the pretty greenery, along the river for a ways. As we were going, i explained that there were toilets available at Turkey Run and probably Fort Marcy, and at the end, and we planned to stop at Turkey Run to eat.
We're going along, and come to a bunch of rocks i know well, and find trees down on them. Jaden and i followed the trail and clambered over and around the trees. Katherine took the high route over the rocks. A bit further downstream, we get to the wading point i know, and Jaden and i waded in the river for a short while. We continue on and i realize we've passed the very long, very switchbacked stairs that take you up from the trail to Turkey Run Park. So, we climbed a hill. A hill that was crumbling away beneath each footstep. Jaden went up first, and was very, very helpful to Katherine and me in the last bit by taking our backpacks, and passing down trees for us to help pull ourselves up with. One at the top, we plopped down on a guardrail to catch our breaths and let our hearts slow down. We walked to Area A, where i showed Jaden how to scrub up to his elbows, as we were a bit dirty after that hill climb. We sat at a picnic table and ate and drank, before continuing down the red-blazed trail to the PHT. Jaden was surprised to learn that our detour up the hill and through the bit of the park did not, in fact, shorten the distance we were walking, as the distance we went up made up for the part we bypassed.
Along this patch, we passed a large patch of Paw-paws. These being wild, the fruits are much smaller than the one pictured, and the flesh of the wild ones is a yellow toward peach-colored, rather than the creamy white of the one pictured. Jaden had never heard of paw-paws before, and he stepped on the ones that i might have let him eat. The one i found and opened to show him that the black thing he found was a seed from the fruit had fermented, though he doesn't yet know what that smells like, and since he had no frame of reference for fresh paw-paw, there was no way to explain why i could tell by smelling that it had fermented. It did lead to a talk about how fermented fruit led to wine and alcohol production way, way back when.
We continue down the trail, finding trees in the way, huge, awkward rocks in the way, and make our way along. After that came very, very long hills up and down for several repetitions. Hills of the steepness and irregularity of surface that make you look at where you're walking. Between needing to look where you are walking and the steepness, you have no time to take in the beauty around you, though now and again one of us glanced out and we stopped and looked. And we looked when we had to stop to catch breath or slow heart. :) Jaden learned a bit about what it's like to be 3x plus a bit of his age. No one need bathroom, so we kept on at this point.
After one long, tiring up hill. the trail emerged from the trees and went along the side of the GWMP, including crossing the ramps connecting the GWMP and VA 123, along the parkway for a bit more, then it ducked behind a stone wall and disappeared back into the trees. Yet more long, steep downs and ups through irregular rocks ensued. Then we came to Donaldson Run. The rocky bits in this photo set called "Death Hike" are much what the blazed trail at Donaldson run looks like. We were going along, and we see a blaze on the rocks ahead, and a railing attached to the rocks. There's no obvious way from where we are to there. Jaden is by a small natural couple of steps in the rock. We switch places. I lean over, see blaze on the rocks facing the other way below us, and so Jaden goes forth, followed by me then Katherine. The railing is at a natural flat rock that was easy to slide down. We hit bottom, and saw a bit of railing, so headed toward it and found a long stair cut into the rock, and down we went. Encountered a man and a woman with a dog and some fish there. We wondered at how the hell the dog was to walk back up that, as he was too big to carry.
We walk on, past several bridges, each time telling Jaden, no that's not Chain Bridge, that's just a Parkway bridge. Chain Bridge crosses the Potomac. We finally reach the parking area next to Chain Bridge, and i point up, announcing "Look up. THAT's Chain Bridge, and give a brief history of bridges on this site. Sign there said we have 4.7 miles to go. Four point seven miles that start with a big hill, and a series of such hills yet again, but breathtaking views of Chain Bridge and the Palisades along the way. The trail eventually put us on concrete under a Parkway bridge. I think this was where Spout Run Parway hits the GWMP. Surprisingly steep under the bridge. Katherine and i took it in 3 segments, with short pauses along the way. We got up there, and it was levelish for a while before more steep downs and ups. Time now is about 1800 EDT (GMT-4).
This bit of the hike was accompanied by nice views of Sibley Memorial Hospital and the building at the Dalecarlia Reservoir in DC.
At some point after that the trail came up next to the GWMP, and from trail side was a tall stone wall that my and a Katherine's heads were just taller than. We noted to look for people along there when we're driving. The stone wall is much shorter on the road's side. Along the wall, the trail was blissfully level and flat. Jaden stopped and called back woefully that it goes back into the woods. We laughed and told him to lead on. Not long after that, we ran into some people heading upstream. I asked them about trail ahead, and found they were parked at Chain Bridge. The promised that it was easier going forward. down a bit more we came to the remnants of steam engines, which i think are leftover from the quarry that used to be there.
We hike on, as it's getting on toward sunset. As we have now and again, we lose the trail. We found it again at this point due to needing to ford yet another run. After that run, we get a glimpse of the Key Bridge, the tip of Roosevelt Island, and the Key Bridge Marriot. This means the end is relatively near. It's Dusk by now, about 20:20ish EDT (GMT-4). Jaden wants to turn on his flashlight, but Katherine and i insist that he keep it off so long as we can see, explaining how our eyes adjust to the gradually changing light. Eventually, it gets dark enough for him to use it.
He was in the lead at one point, and there was a slight bend, when he started screaming and ran back to us. There was a raccoon in the path, happily eating her breakfast. He's totally panicked and insisting we throw things at it to make it go away. Katherine explains that we will do no such thing as we are in her home, and we are the threat. He turns and looks toward me, explains that he has some rocks in case, which i take away from him and toss into the trees. He then reaches for a stick, which i also take away, repeating Katherine's message that we are intruding on her home, and we will wait for her to get out of our way. He's unhappy, i think a bit afraid, but in the end waits with minimal complaint. After a short while, the raccoon toddled off into the brush. When we heard that she was near, but away, we continued on. That whole episode i think might have take 10 minutes. We go on for a bit more, each with our flashlight lighting the area around our feet, the trail coming up along a wall by the road and back into trees off and on. We came to a meadow, and Jaden ran ahead because there was a sign. He was crestfallen because it was broken. I looked at it and could see that it said "American Legion Bridge 10.0 Miles". I explained that, and said that the car must be near, as it said 10.0 miles to Roosevelt Island where we started. Not long thereafter we arrived back at the car at 21:29 EDT (GMT-4). In that last bit, we'd past a sign saying "Roosevelt Island 1.7 miles". As we went along, Jaden kept stating that we had to've gone that far. We kept countering that a mile is farther than he imagines, and this is harder than walking down a road. Heh.
We took Katherine back to her car, stopped at a 7-Eleven in Annandale and got more to drink, got carryout from Canton Cafe in Springfield, and ate it at Jaden's house a bit down 95 from there. Had thought of crashing at my sister's, but wanted my bed and some ibuprofen. :)
So, a long, long arduous hike. I'd like to do it again next July, knowing what we're getting into this time.
I also propose the Bull Run-Occoquan Trail for Saturday 10 September. I've done the the part from B to C on the map, which takes about 1.5 hours. I propose starting at A or B and going to D or E. Any takers? It's a MUCH easier trail than the PHT is. By far.