Training Log Archive: Nadim

From Northfield Rd., Peggy and I went up Moorland Rd. to Overhill Rd.. to Maple Ridge Rd., to the Bethesda Trolley Trail, to Old Georgetown Rd., to Greentree Rd., to Grant St., to Northfield Rd. This was a hilly route for the area but that doesn't matter much when one is just walking. For a change, it was nice weather with clear skies.

Event: QOC Rosaryville - CANCELLED
 

Germantown Soccerplex and Hoyles Mill Conservation Park, MD. I'd waited for the rain to stop and then some more to make sure that I had a window since more rain was forecast. It was grey but not bad outside. On a bit of a whim, I decided to detour my walk out to where I planned to start field checking. I turned over to the end of a golf driving range (closed) and picked-up some scattered open forest that I didn't expect to find anything in. I just knew there were some grassy rides there. I followed one, mapping along the way, and found a way into a patch of forest. The first bit was just a small scattered open area with some deadfall in it--not too nice. Past that it opened up to super-open forest with some deadfall and a few rootstocks. This was classic QOC ridge and valley terrain--not too difficult, especially with it being so open. It will be great for intermediate runners. It had an empty feel to it, like no one ever goes in this very pleasant forest. I spooked out a rare wild turkey. Usually when I find them they're in flocks. This one was by itself and instead of flying off, it ran downward across a slope at probably 12 mph, and disappeared. I also got to a small but very green island of forest amidst the scattered open trees, at the end of a ridge. There was a depression in the thick forest; probably an old house foundation. I spooked an old crow out by accident. The first part of the scattered trees itself was great--classic cross country racing terrain, but the scattered trees around the old house foundation were thicker with thorns. Eventually, I got to one more island of forest that had more rootstocks.

Finally, I made my way to the other side of the powerlines and into a technical area with several small knolls. It couldn't be any more different from where I was. The knolls had some rocky patches and some good boulders. It finally started raining, and so I headed back without thinking about it, only I headed the wrong way. I got rather confused even though I knew the power lines were nearby. My base map had meridians but no north or south on it so when I wasn't seeing what I'd expected to, I figured I was lost. I remembered the orientation of north on the map and then came across the nicest cliff I'd seen in the park yet. It's all fun exploration.

I jogged about a mile back across the grass between the power lines. The running was okay but slow--I had a backpack, a jacket, other stuff and wet shoes.

Germantown Soccerplex and Hoyles Mill Conservation Park, MD. I looked forward to getting back here all week. It fun exploring new places. The forests here have a lot to find. I spent hours trying to capture the boundary between white forest and light green. As I tracked my way, I kept finding more boulders, stony ground and small cliffs. Nearly all seemed to me to require technical navigation. I had trouble depicting things in the right places as I made map notes. The contours were nearly flat and clumps of barberry bushes made ground visibility limited. It was easy enough to move about but not in straight lines. I'll be relying on the relative angles of things, my waypoints and tracks a lot as I draft and match it up to the terrain on the map. I actually saw 2 other people going about off trail today--they were near a stream. I saw a lot of wildlife. It started with a fox who sat on a log about 30m away watching me but not phased enough to scatter. It was like he was saying this was his territory. I may have seen him again a few hours later, or another one. It's not unusual to see deer and often they are in herds. I only saw one but it wasn't very worried about me neither. I almost stepped on a snake that only slithered into a bush as I was trying to get closer for a picture. Later a hawk screeched at me from above a few times. It was nice to be out there.