Training Log Archive: Nadim

From Hoyles Mill Village Park, I set 2 controls. In retrospect, I should have just done these 2 as part of a fuller loop. I was also surprised to see the growing Stilt Grasses. Most of these areas showed no sign of it during he winter months when I mapped.

From Kings Crossing Local Park, in Germantown, MD, I set controls for the Summer Short Series. The woods were overall pretty good. There was some stilt grass growth in low-laying areas. Crossing the creeks was easy and refreshing. I missed on one control and actually set the control on the wrong dot knoll inside a circle--oops! I must not have checked the clue.

From Northfield Rd. to Rugby Ave. with Max to eat lunch; then back.

From Northfield Rd., to Moorland Ln., to Glenwood Rd., to Old Georgetown Rd., to Kingswood Rd., to Hurst St., to Grosvenor Rd., to Beach Dr., to Broadbranch Rd., NW, to Ridge Rd. NW, to Military Rd., NW, to 27th St., NW/Utah Ave., NW, to Tennyson St., NW, to Summerfield Rd., NW, to Oxford St. NW, to Brookeville Rd., to Bradley Blvd., to Glenbrook Rd., to Wilson Ln., to Custer Rd., to Northfield Rd. It was in the upper 80s F. and it felt more humid than it has been. I was feeling worn-out so I felt like I rode a little slower. Some apparently older but fit men passed me. I wasn't getting over feeling tired, 6 miles into the ride and I thought of shortening the ride. After crossing into DC, +8 miles into the ride, things got better. I got passed by a couple when I was going uphill, but I passed them afterward and pulled ahead passing other riders too. Perhaps the valley was more sheltered from winds that were coming from the south. I didn't look forward to the climb out of the valley but it turned out that I rode it better than I have been doing. That kept up all the way home with the wind mostly coming from behind me.

From Northfield Rd., to Custer Rd., to Park Ln. to Battery Ln. to Woodmont Ave., to Rockville PIke, to Jones Bridge Rd., to Jones Milll Rd., to Beach Dr., to Garrett Park Rd., to the Waverly Ave., via the hiker-biker trail, to Kenilworth Ave., to Strathmore Ave., to Rockville Pike, to Tuckerman Rd., to the Bethesda Trolley Trail to McKinley St., to Moorland Ln., to Northfield Rd. I didn't get outside to ride until after eating dinner and doing most of the dishes. Glad that there was no rain and wanting to do something, I took advantage of the long days to get out. It had rained some earlier today and it had been warm, so it was humid when I rode. That didn't bother me much and since the sun was going down, air in many places felt cool and refreshing. I did finally run out of sunlight, but I kept safe by using the lights in my helmet and using sidewalks or paths when it was too dark. That slowed me a little but I still was worried I'd ride into/over a pothole. Damp areas of asphalt were blacker than their surroundings, thus giving the appearance of a pothole. My full stomach did slowed me down too.

From Northfield Rd., Huntington Pkwy., to Bradley Rd., to Persimmon Tree Rd., to Persimmon Tree Ln. to MacArthur Blvd., to Sangmore Rd., to the Little Falls Trail, to the Capital Crescent Trail, to Falls Rd., to Glenbrook Rd., to Wilson Ln., to Custer Rd., to Northfield Rd. Starting out I was sore from the ride on Sunday. This got better but I was feeling more strain when riding at times. It was humid in the 80s F. I was sheltered a lot from whatever breeze there was.

From Columbia, Md., I rode home to Bethesda, MD. Peggy dropped me off here after we had visited our daughter Samantha. Samantha was in good spirits and enjoyed getting some more clothes and some snacks.

The route was from a shopping center on Old Dobbin Ln. to Dobbin Rd., to the Elkhorn Branch paved hiker-biker trail, past the nice Lake Elkhorn, to the Patuxent Branch Trail, to S. Carlinda Ave., to Shaker Ln. to Old Columbia Rd., to John Hopkins Rd., to Pindell School Rd., to Browns Bridge Rd./Ednor Rd., to New Hampshire Rd., to Randolph Rd., to Kemp Mill Rd., to Arcola Ave., to Lamberton Dr., to the Sligo Creek Trail., to the Sligo Creek Pkwy., to Forest Glen Rd., to Beach Dr., to Kensington Pkwy., to Jones Bridge Rd., to Rockville Pike., to Woodmont Ave., to Batter Ln., to Old Georgetown Rd., to Maple Ridge Rd., to Park Ln., to Custer Rd., to Northfield Rd.

It was in the low 80s with a strong sun. The winds were mixed for me but the hills were consistent--they tuckered me out. My knee held up okay. I stopped several times. A few stops were to check directions. I'd written turn-by-turn directions on a note sheet. There were two pieces of paper but I must have left on in the car along with my water bottle. On New Hampshire Ave. I stopped a few times to take pictures of the many eclectic religious houses of worship--the diversity in close proximity always struck me as intriguing. In one stretch, one can find: Cambodian Buddhist Society, United Baptist, First Alliance Church, Saint Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, Muslim Community Center, Luthern Church of Saint Andrew, Spencerville Seventh-day Adventist Church, Holy Trinity Ukranian Catholic Church, and the Prayer Stop, I did stop for some Gatorade too.