Today my officemates (and Benedicta's roommate) and I met up at Union Station to go on a hike. We hoofed it from the Tenleytown metro stop to Battery Kemble Park.. which, admittedly, was a bit difficult to find. Initially, we wandered into a wooded space that might have been part of the park or someone's back yard. Either way, we backtracked and walked down the road to an entrance that had an official sign. Phew.
While posing for a photo, a golden retriever who was off his leash began to run circles around the girl who was holding my camera. I laughed. He decided to talk to me, leading others to think my demise was imminent... they didn't know I speak dog fluently, and the tail said "Hey! How's it going! Did you see that squirrel I chased? Didn't I do good? Huh?!"
After climbing over some of the rocks and having fun there, we decided to hike up a small hill, which led to an overlook point from which we could see the Potomac river .... but not a way to get down. We had to backtrack, but not before we found ourselves ten feet away from a white-tail deer. (YES. DEER LIVE IN DC!!) He decided to be shy and ambled off, and we decided to turn around and go back the way we came as he watched us from the shadows of the trees ahead.
At the end of it, we crawled through a little tunnel, which we had to enter almost on our hands and knees, shimmied along a small ledge to avoid falling into the water, and then climbed up through a fence.
It was a phenomenal adventure.
We came out along the Chesapeake and Ohio trail and took a break in the nearby park that joined the biking/running trail to the boating area on the Potomac river. We're definitely going back to go canoeing.
After taking a water break, we began walking along the C&O Trail to Georgetown where we met up with another one of our coworkers. It was an easy walk alongside a canal, and we met several Blue Herons along the way! They were used to the passerbys, and so we were able to get extremely close. After a certain point, though, we breached their comfort zones, and they would spread their majestic wings and lift off. Watching them glide just above the water was a beautiful sight.
We came out along the Chesapeake and Ohio trail and took a break in the nearby park that joined the biking/running trail to the boating area on the Potomac river. We're definitely going back to go canoeing.
After taking a water break, we began walking along the C&O Trail to Georgetown where we met up with another one of our coworkers. It was an easy walk alongside a canal, and we met several Blue Herons along the way! They were used to the passerbys, and so we were able to get extremely close. After a certain point, though, we breached their comfort zones, and they would spread their majestic wings and lift off. Watching them glide just above the water was a beautiful sight.
In Georgetown, we stopped at Clyde's to have brunch together before parting ways. My huevos rancheros hit the spot.
After brunch, the four of us returned to Union Station, and I said goodbye to the three Archer Center students there.
By 2:40 I fell back into bed -- my hip lasted admirably well, but it was noticeably tired.
What a wonderful adventure we had today!
By 2:40 I fell back into bed -- my hip lasted admirably well, but it was noticeably tired.
What a wonderful adventure we had today!
Blessings,
Clarice
Clarice