Oxon Hill, MD (USA)

[this morning, I parked at National Harbor so the day would be easier (not as much traffic craziness) - I attended the ATCA "New Member Breakfast" (all dressed up) at 0830 and then took the ATCA Shuttle into the City - arrived pretty quickly and put in a full day of work - caught the shuttle bus (with Sabrina) back to National Harbor around 1630 and met up with everyone from work, who was already there - had a few drinks on the Convention Floor before going to a high-end party at the Old Hickory Steakhouse - after that, we headed to the Excelis Party near the top of the hotel and had a very fun evening with almost everyone we work with (including our competitors and customers) - overall, this was definitely the highlight of the entire week! - around 2230, I drove Stephanie and Sabrina back to their apartments and used Mount Vernon (Del Rey) again to get back to my house - home by midnight - what a great night!]

Oxon Hill, MD (USA)

[worked a normal day - got changed into more formal attire before leaving the office - took the Metro back to my car and then drove over to National Harbor, where the ATCA Convention was taking place at the Gaylord - met up with friends from work and then walked the Conference Floor - there were lots of little "happy hours" going on at the vendor booths - I saw lots of people I knew and had several great discussions with others that I didn't (until I ran out of business cards) - around 1900, I headed over to the JMA Solutions "Party with a Purpose" (fundraiser) event, where we enjoyed a night of fun while supporting the Wounded Warrior Project - afterwards (2200), I drove Stephanie to her apartment in Arlington before heading home (via Mount Vernon Avenue and Del Rey, due to another traffic jam on I-395) - bed late]

Oxon Hill, MD (USA)

[home for most of the day - around 1800, I drove to the Gaylord National (at National Harbor) and met up with folks from my company for drinks and dinner - this week, there is a big conference related to our business and we worked on engagement strategies and prepped for the networking opportunities - drove home late (2200)]

Front Royal, VA (USA)

[hiking on AT again - woke up a later than I wanted to (0800) but got on the road quickly - used I-495 and I-66 to get out to Front Royal (used VA-55 to enter town) - wanted to get food but all the restaurants were really crowded by the time I got there (1000) - entered Shenandoah National Park (fee free day) and drove to the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center - later parked at mile marker 15.9 (where Mollie and I had taken a nature hike with a park ranger (see SEP 2013) - hopped on my bike and rode back to the north - lots of southbound bicycle riders waved to me (I guess that is a thing for serious riders...) - locked up my bike at Compton Gap (mile marker 10.4) and hiked all the way down to the Floyd Shelter (1100) - it was farther than I thought it would be... - ran into several day hikers on both sides of Skyline Drive - weather was great! - trail was mostly smooth, with only a few areas where rocks were tough - however, what had made the bike ride easy (downhill) made the hike back to the car (mile marker 15.9) pretty hard - it was almost all uphill - saw some amazing views from the high ridge and trail brought me really close to them - after passing Compton Gap again, I didn't see almost anyone for the rest of the hike - I did meet up (again - I'd seen them near Floyd Shelter when I was NOBO) with two SOBO through hikers (guys from Georgia) - I shadowed them for several miles before they stopped to adjust their huge backpacks - I kept going and arrived at my car around 1500 - had originally planned to do more, but was very sore and tired - drove back out of the park and made it home without too much trouble (I-66 and Fairfax County Parkway) - picked up Chinese food for dinner - when I arrived at the house, I saw Bob for the first time in a week... - 8.7 miles for day Total / 159.02 miles Grand Total.]

Washington, DC (USA)

[drove to office again today (3 days in a row!) - after work, I walked down to Drew's apartment (across the street from Nationals Stadium) for a cookout party - lots of work friends (including those who have left our company) were there: Lizzie, Kaitlin, Brian, Matt, Drew, Cara, Gloria - went to Nationals/Marlins game at 1900 - met up with Phil and Emily - stayed for almost the whole game but was not paying a lot of attention to the action, as we had set up at tables at the Scoreboard Bar - Nats lost... - afterwards, we walked over to Bluejacket for a few more drinks - got carded on the way in and the bouncer commented that I don't look anything like my drivers license (that felt good - at least he didn't say I was old...) - it was REALLY crowded inside - but fun! - got ride back to my car around 2330 - headed home right away but hit a traffic jam on I-395 that slowed me down a lot (bailed out at Landmark Mall and got home soon after midnight) - in bed very late...]

Washington, DC (USA)

[drove in to work very early - worked until around 1330 - walked over to Nationals Stadium to meet with Randy and his friends for the makeup game (from last night) between Mets/Nats - arrived late (1400) but got to enjoy great seats in the Club Section (209) - it was tremendously different experience than my normal seats... - almost no one was in the stadium for this mid day game - Nats lost... - took Metro back to my car (1715) - after making it out of DC, I picked up Mollie and we went to dinner at Johnny Rockets in Kingstowne - right after that, we went next door to watch movies ("Dolphin Tail 2") - it was a nice evening! - I dropped her off and headed home around 2230 - on the phone with Nicky until late... (uggghhh)]

Washington, DC (USA)

[drove to office this morning - worked until late in the afternoon - walked down to Nationals Stadium around 1700 - met up with Randy and his friends (including my former work colleague, Lee) - ate dinner at the Red Porch restaurant until it started to rain - we began to head to our seats in the club section, getting ready for the game to start (1915) - before we made it, though, the game was cancelled and rescheduled to the following day - since the rain hadn't gotten too bad yet (and the Metro looked crowded), I walked back to my car - it started to rain harder when I got on the interstate and I was in a traffic jam for a long time before I got home (2145) - too bad, I wanted to see the game...]

Washington, DC (USA)

[after work, went over to the Navy Yard and met up with my friend, Scott, for drinks at Gordon Biersch - spent about two hours there before heading back to L'Enfant - had some more fun with my friends at Vie de France before calling it a night (2000)]

Pen Mar, PA (USA)

Finished all of the AT through Maryland today - it only took five weekends. Woke up early (0730) and drove north (via I-495, I-270 and US-15). After stopping for information at the Catoctin Mountain National Park Visitor's Center, I parked at the same place I used the previous weekend (MD-77). I hiked northbound to the Mason-Dixon Line (and across into PA). The toughest part was crossing a huge boulder-field (twice). Whenever I've hiked in these areas, I've noticed the map calls them "The Devil's Racecourse" - an appropriate name, I think. Heading back towards my car was harder, especially because of the climb up to High Rocks. All day long, I heard, saw and felt a steady rain of falling acorns. The views, especially at Pen-Mar Park, were amazing. As I was nearing the end of my hike (would have been 17 miles), I encountered a trail volunteer (Mike) who was clearing the trail. We got to talking and he offered me a ride back to my car at the next road crossing. This meeting turned out to be very fortunate (for me) because it started raining right afterwards. As a result, I only had to hike about 15 (and wasn't drenched). Gotta love the Trail Magic! Total today = 8.35 miles (not counting backtrack) / Grand Total = 150.32 miles on AT.

Alexandria, VA (USA)

[did some driver training (stick shift) with Brenna this morning at the high school and on some backroads - she made some great progress! - after dropping her off again, I stopped by the library to update some software on my computer - did a little bit of shopping and then headed over to the Mount Vernon Yacht Club to meet up with Randy and Sharon - Sabrina was supposed to join us, be she bailed (not feeling well) - we took Randy's boat south on the Potomac River to the mouth of Mattawoman Creek (I drove!) - I was the only one who went swimming and waterskiing (!) this afternoon (it was the first time in more than 30 years I've tried that) - I stayed up longer than I ever did before - after the way things turned out, I'm looking forward to next year so I can get another chance to try again - Thanks Randy and Sharon for the great day! - helped clean up the boat and then headed home (2000) - it is fun using the new shortcut to the house from US-1 to Telegraph Road!)]

Alexandria, VA (USA)

[worked all day at the office, looking forward to our group's visit to the Capital Wheel (at National Harbor) - it would have been our second attempt - instead, we started out with drinks at Vie de France (per normal) - lots of our happy hour friends bailed on the whole plan, so Kelly suggested we go to Old Town for dinner at the 219 Restaurant (Jim R.'s favorite) - she drove us there and we had good food and conversation until the jazz band set up (2100) - I stayed for a few sets before walking back to the Metro - made it to my car around 2200 - home soon after]

Smithsburg, MD (USA)

Got up early and drove to northern Maryland (I-495, I-270 and US-15 to Thurmont - then west on MD-77). Parked near Smithsburg. Perfect weather for hiking! Lucky, too, since the word of the day was "ROCKS" (trail rocks, that is - expletive should be added while shouting). Even after finishing, I still felt like I was living a nightmare where I'm a mountain goat about to fall and bust my @ss. Started southbound where the trail crossed the road (just west of Catoctin Mountain). Hiked around 16 miles total - mostly flat, but covered with randomly placed stones that took all of my concentration to navigate. Saw very few people - only a few day hikers and Boy Scouts near the roads and the scenic Annapolis Rocks (which I visited two weeks ago). Felt good all day - even with the steep climb in the last mile of the backtrack. I'm almost done with MD now! Starting near Shenandoah National Park, I have now hiked almost the entire section through to the Pennsylvania border. I hope to finish the Roller Coaster section (near US-17) before it gets cold and then I'll have a continuous 100+ mile section. Drive home was pretty easy but it is starting to get dark earlier... Total today = 8.06 miles (not counting backtrack) / Grand Total on A.T. = 141.97 (with correction).

The Plains, VA (USA)

I only had a few hours for exercise today - and it was already raining when I started riding from Mount Vernon (mile marker 0). But I had enough time to ride out to mile marker 9 and back (also fitting in a few side trails). The Potomac River views - especially the coves, marshes and estuaries - were great. There were also several historical markers and buildings - things I never noticed when driving by in my car... Highlight was Jones Point Park and a glimpse of the first DC boundary marker... It was pouring by the end, but I still feel good after completing around 19 miles! - later in the day (after rain stopped), I went to pick up Brenna and Mollie - we met Kelly, Monica and Jason at the Dogfish Grill on US-50 (Chantilly) - once all the cars were grouped, we drove west on I-66 to The Plains again for an afternoon/evening of Twilight Polo at Great Meadow (1830). I had fun with my friends while Brenna and Mollie enjoyed their time playing with several other kids. We even ate a picnic dinner - it was a great way to end the Summer! Everything was going well until Nicky started pestering me about bringing them home. As a result, we lost the opportunity to be part of the post-match dancing. Arrived - safely, thank you very much - at the house at 2330. After I got home, had to endure lots of texting with Nicky before I could fall asleep...

Bethesda, MD (USA)

[went into work earlier than normal (Metro) - around 0830 (after a few hours of work), I got back on the Metro (Red Line) and headed over to a doctors appointment at Bethesda - got great news (17 years in the making - lots of second opinions - bottom line: I don't have a nasty condition I thought I did!) - overall, the doctor experience was very good - I then headed back to work - later in the day, I rode (Metro again) to Pentagon City - Stephanie and Dave texted that I should join them at Redrocks (in Arlington) for pizza and beer - caught a cab outside the station and got there in a flash - had a great time chatting and relaxing after a busy week - Dave drove me back to Metro - when I arrived home, I found out it was actually game night with Bob and friends - I learned how to play "Settlers of Cataan" and enjoyed all of the comraderie and shared interest in strategy games - bed late]

Warrenton, VA (USA)

[up very early - drove to Warrenton, where I worked all day - ate at Smashburger with the entire office team for lunch - after knocking off for the day, I drove home via the Fairfax County Parkway so I could squeeze in a bike ride - parked off the Parkway and completed a circuit of the Burke Lake Trail (almost 7 miles) - felt really good after the exercise! - home round sunset]

Arlington, VA (USA)

[after work, went to Vie de France for happy hour - after about an hour, Kelly drove me over to Crystal City - we had drinks and dinner at Bar Louie with Joe R. and Joe B. - it was like a maze finding my way back to the Metro afterwards (especially with the "helpful" directions from Joe B....]

Boonsboro, MD (USA)

Woke up at 0700 but still got a bit of a late start on the trail (1000 - because I stopped for breakfast at Roy Rogers near Frederick) - used I-495, I-270, I-70 and US-40A. Regardless, the timing ended up being perfect by the end! Parked at Turners Gap (US-40A) again - headed south this time. I planned to hike to Crampton's Gap Shelter (roughly 7 miles). Made good time in the pleasant weather and talk...ed to several folks (especially near White Rocks Overlook). Right at the turnaround point, I stopped to sync up my pedometer with the map mileage (iPhone not tracking right). My behavior attracted the attention of two section hikers, Lisa and Sue. After a few minutes of friendly chit-chat with them, I learned they were hiking all the way to Weverton Road, which would connect two sections for me. They graciously offered to give me a ride back to my car, since they were going anyway, so I tagged along with them all the way through nearly 15 miles of A.T. and side trails (one direction for once - no backtracks!). We enjoyed great weather, amazing views and made great time as a group. Highlight was Weverton Cliff, overlooking the Potomac River. When we eventually got back to my car (1700), they asked me to join them for dinner at the Old South Mountain Inn, a nearly 300 year old building on the trail. Had a great time with them - good food, conversation and well-deserved rest! 13.89 miles today / 133.92 Total on A.T.

Indian Head, MD (USA)

Hot day - storms threatening... After waking at 0800, I drove down to Indian Head for a morning on the Indian Head Rail Trail (IHRT). I used I-495 and MD-210, stopping for breakfast at McDonalds just before arriving at my destination. Started riding the trail at 0900. In the first mile, I unexpectedly passed a friend from work (Ceriese) - had a good laugh about the small world... When I got to mile marker 5, a sign informed me I couldn't complete the last 8.5 miles of the trail today (due to construction). As I stood there (I guess I looked disappointed), a local rider (Deborah) rode by and said "I'm not going to let that stop me!" (as she continued into the "closed" section. I caught up to her and we rode another 4 miles - feeling "naughty"... Altogether (because of the bonus), I was able to complete close to 20 miles in the blazing sun, passing through/by fields of bright-colored flowers, lily-pad ponds and Egret-filled Mattawoman Creek. It was a good workout! Afterwards, I drove onto the base to pick up supplies and then took my time driving home. It started to rain in afternoon, so I just rested at the house.

Washington, DC (USA)

[had a dental exam this morning on Little River Turnpike - afterwards, drove back to Huntington Metro Station and headed into the city - it was a long day of work - fortunately, we had made arrangements to meet up for happy hour at the Laughing Man Tavern (at Metro Center) - our group consisted of Marquita, Sabrina, Joey, Ian - eventually, Marquita's mom and Geri showed up - had a great time - headed home around 2100]

McLean, VA (USA)

[drove to work this morning - in the middle of the day, headed over to McLean to observe a lab test - it was very interesting and I networked with some new colleagues - afterwards, drove back to DC and worked for a few more hours - went to happy hour at our regular spot before going home (2000)]

Washington, DC (USA)

[after work, met up with Jim R. at Vie de France - after about an hour there, Sabrina and Joey texted us to see if we wanted to come over to Metro Center to meet up with them - we found them at Noelia (Italian Restaurant) - we had a great time (dinner, drinks) - headed home on the Metro around 2200]

Boonsboro, MD (USA)

[up around 0700 - drove to Boonsboro, MD (I-495, I-270, I-70, US-40A) - breakfast at McDonalds - started north from US-40A at 0900 - Made the most of Labor Day with around 15 miles on the A.T. in Maryland! Broke in my new hiking shoes with a pleasant hike north of US-40A (Turners Gap all the way to Annapolis Rocks). Unlike the rest of my days this year, there were soooo many people out - I only met two serious hikers, though. The experience ranged from total silence, drag racing sounds on the valley below, pouring rain (finally broke out the emergency poncho!) and unexpected vistas at locations I never heard of before today... - met "Sky Chicken" (SOBO through hiker - lady with website) - Overall, the experience was totally different than last week... - I'm looking forward to more MD! - when I started heading home, I hit a nasty traffic jam on I-270 but eventually got going again - home after dark - Total today = 7.11 miles / Grand Total = 120.03 miles.]