Strolling through Seneca

I was in junior high (that’s what they called it back then) when President Kennedy challenged his White House staff to show their “vigah” by hiking 50 miles in a day. The route of choice was the C&O Canal, a preservation cause embraced by Supreme Court Justice and conservationist William O. Douglas.

I don’t remember how many of those New Frontiersman actually hot-footed up the Canal in the spring of 1963, but I do remember a lot of Americans embraced physical fitness at the urging of their energetic Chief Executive. I was determined to hike the C&O canal myself with a group from my hometown, but was talked out of it by my parents who prevailed with a “wait until next year.”

Sadly, there was no next year for President Kennedy. The 50 mile hike does have an interesting legacy in Maryland, though. Every November, there is a 50 mile ultra-marathon, covering parts of the C&O Canal and Appalachian Trail. Hannah Byron’s husband participates almost every year in the JFK Memorial, considered one of the elite ultra-marathon challenges in the country.

However, I never made it to the C&O canal (frat parties at Shepherd don’t count) until last weekend. Instead of 50 miles (we have to make some concessions to age, after all) I settled for 10K. And in the absence of the New Frontier, I went with the Annapolis Amblers, an amiable group of Volksmarchers who were probably in junior high when I was.

This particular volksmarch, organized by the Freestate Happy Wanderers, took us to Seneca. The Wanders charted 5K, 10K and 15K courses. My fellow amblers opted for the 10K, so we set out from Seneca Park to Riley’s Lock. It was a beautiful day, so the trail and park (which included a boat launch on Seneca Creek) were alive with activity. Motorboats, kayaks, canoes and jetskies were on the creek leading to the Potomac. As we reached the lock, we encountered fishermen who cast from the rocks and the aqueduct. Evidently, the mouth of Seneca Creek is a good place to fish since there were boaters with lines as well. Angus Phillips occasionally writes about fishing on the Potomac in the Post, so I’ll have to check this out.

The beauty of volksmarching is the comradery (we assembled as a group and pretty much stayed together in little clusters) and the interest in the route. This particular one incorporated a lot of history (our Civil War buff was delighted to learn JEB Stuart ran his cavalry through Riley’s Lock, burned some barges and drained the canal in 1863) and natural beauty. The canal was full along this particular part of the trail, and we saw turtles floating in the marshes. The Potomac was visible on the other side of the towpath, and we could see fishermen stationed on the rocks not far from the bank. As a part of the National Park Service, the canal is preserved and protected (thanks, Justice Douglas) and, from what I observed after 5K, very well appreciated. Like the Torrey Brown, the towpath has a crushed stone surface that accommodates joggers, cyclists, equestrians, and strollers (we passed them all between the two locks.) Also like the Torrey Brown, it appeals to families and teams in training. We saw quite a few of them as well.

The second part of our hike took us into the woods. The Seneca Creek watershed we followed is part of a “greenbelt” made up of federal, state, county and WSSC properties. A large turnaround pond (the mules didn’t have a reverse) took us off the canal and into the woods. We passed an old processing plant where the stone for the Smithsonian castle was quarried more than 100 years ago. Some of the dark red stones are still in the woods. Before tackling the rugged part of the trail, we stopped at Poole’s General Store. It’s hard to believe that in Montgomery County, just outside Potomac, there’s a 1901 country store that sells hardware, groceries, bedding plants and animal food. It even has a hitching post for customers who ride horses to the market. (Yes, they do. I saw other evidence of their visits.)

From there, it was over the creek (the Seneca seems to be everywhere) and into the state forest. This provided the real adventure (and exercise) of the day. No nice, level, stone surface here. Instead a narrow footpath up and down steep slopes took us through an old growth forest. My cell still had bars, but otherwise, it was a scene straight out of “Last of the Mohicans”. Can’t believe there’s anything that remote in Montgomery County. Thanks to DNR and WSSC, the protected watershed is likely to stay that way.

When we finally returned (amazingly, the Amblers reunited as a group coming into the home stretch) everyone stopped to get “stamped” by the organizing committee. This is part of the culture of volksmarching. Time is not a factor. Getting marked at various pit stops is. Volksmarchers have something like passports, chronicling where they went and how far they hiked.

Another tradition is swapping stories after the hike. A deli in Cabin John was a particular favorite of this group. (After a cholesterol-free “Clara Barton” wrap, I understand why.) Everyone shared their experiences and thoughts, discussed upcoming adventures and compared bumps and bruises.

(There is always someone armed with band-aids, Tylenol and NeoSporum. Likewise, there is always someone who needs them. Remarkably, it wasn’t me this week.)

It was a wonderful experience all around. Volksmarching is an excellent way to incorporate a regular fitness regimen and a congenial support group into a healthy lifestyle. It’s also a means to discover the beauty and history of the C&O Canal, 10K at a time. Thanks for the inspiration, President Kennedy. Sorry it took so long to get there.

The (Volks) March is on

I can't tell you how gratifying it was to know something relating to sports that Terry had never heard of. I had to savor the moment because I know it isn't likely to happen again.

The sport (OK, recreational activity)I stumped him on is Volksmarching, and it's very popular in Maryland. In fact, there are numerous clubs around the state.

Volksmarching is a German practice that found its way to Maryland via the military families stationed there after the war. A volksmarch is literally a "people walk." It involves a scheduled time, place and route, usually wrapped around a theme involving another activity. It's non-competitive and not overly strenuous, usually about a 10K stroll.

Volksmarching is part fitness regimen, part communal experience, part entertainment, and part education. Those really into volksmarching go to sanctioned events regularly, picking up patches and pins to commemorate the completion of the course. Yes, some of them even wear those Tyrolean hats to display the pins. There is a genuine sense of community among volksmarchers because of the many experiences, many places they've shared at a leisurely pace

Volksmarching in Maryland can take you through the wine country or the many fairs and festivals held year round. The one I'm going on this weekend will be historic in nature -- a segment of the C&O canal. C&O canals walks have been scheduled so the entire route -- from Georgetown to Cumberland -- can be taken a stretch at a time over the course of a year.

So that's where I'll be this Saturday -- hoofing along the Potomac, hopefully with some of the Annapolis Amblers (if I can catch their carpool.) It will be a good opportunity to see the towpath, a national park that is a favorite of cyclists and runners in Maryland. Hope it's as shady as the Torrey.

Our Chain of Links

Maybe it comes from Tiger's clutch win at Congressional, but we're inspired to finish the daunting task of listing all Maryland's golf courses in our facilities directory this week. A lofty goal, but DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY GOLF COURSES THERE ARE IN THIS STATE?

I sure didn't, and I've lived here most of my life. Anyway, drawing from the information already compiled by DBED and a number of other sources, we're busy updating the data and organizing them by county. (I'm at 23 pages without crossing the Bay Bridge.) They range from community courses to university facilities, country clubs, military bases, resorts, municipal and public venues. Some have hosted major national events. Others provide hours of entertainment for Marylanders and our guests. All contribute to the Maryland sports and recreation scene and help drive our thriving visitor industry.

So give us a few days and check it out. If we've missed your favorite facility, don't be teed. You can enter the information yourself on our handy online form. Send it in and we'll post it.

Are you ready for some Futbol?

Hard to believe, but within a span of three weeks, Maryland will host four European soccer teams in three matches at three different stadiums.

On July 13, local Crystal Palace team will host their British parent, Crystal Palace FC, at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf, when the Blue Crabs are on the road. The Crabs are getting into the act, having a special promotion for all kids wearing their soccer uniforms to the July 9th game.

July 24th brings the Chelsea and Milan AC teams to M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. This match, part of a summer round robin tournament known as the World Football Challenge, is nearly sold out now. It will be broadcast live on ESPN, and carried internationally.

August 9th will pit DC United against Real Madrid at FedEx field. The lower bowl is already sold out.

With a possible World Cup bid looming, Maryland will be showing the world just how enthusiastic it is about the sport the rest of the world calls "futbol." It's more than just our great facilities and convenient access. Maryland has a tremendous youth soccer network that helps drive ticket sales. This is the month we get to strut our stuff.

Check under the hood -- Motorsports and Maryland

The STP must be flowing at every grease pit in Maryland, celebrating the news that Baltimore may host an Indy-series race in 2011. In case you didn’t see the story, the Baltimore Sun revealed a proposal to turn the corridor between Camden Yards and the Inner Harbor into a Grand Prix course. While quietly in the works for many months now, the plans are going public with City Councilman Bill Cole sponsoring a resolution to support the event.

Maryland motor sports fans are stoked at the prospect. Maryland has a long history of supporting auto races, with tracks and drag strips around the state. Other events, like motocross and monster truck rallies, are popular arena attractions, and the Cumberland airport has been the site of an annual autocross series for years.

The possibility of an open wheel world class weekend racing event has them all revving their engines. According to the online poll on the Sun’s website, public opinion is currently running 80-20 in favor of the idea. (I guess the NIMBYs aren't home from work yet.)

We’ll be hearing more about this prospect in the coming weeks. In the meantime, it’s the talk of gasoline alley. (Note: as befits Mayor Dixon’s Green Clean agenda, these vehicles are powered by ethanol, a renewable resource from the same super veggie as Doritos.)

Check out the other motor sports venues in Maryland here.

Trailing and Tubing with Torrey

The idea was to meet in Monkton, rent tubes, hike north and float down Gunpowder Falls for the rest of the afternoon. That changed with the addition of Ashley’s mom and three dogs. Instead, we met in Parkton, closer to their Pennsylvania home, and hiked south with the menagerie. It was fortuitous because we saw more of the trail and those who regularly use it.

The trail head at Parkton is next to an old stone building, once the community bank and now a wellness center. A day spa is in what looks like a former mill building on the other side. Waiting for the others, I struck up a conversation with an equestrian as she unloaded her van. She’d been riding the trail for more than 20 years. It was one of her horse’s favorite places. (He didn't look like Mr. Ed, but I took her word for it.) As she trotted off, a family with two small children pedaled by in the opposite direction. A few minutes later, someone’s track team (matching uniforms) puffed through. Before we even started, I could see it was going to be a busy day on the trail.

We strolled at a leisurely pace for about three miles. While the beauty of the park and our occasional crossings of the creek were our focus on the trip down, the history markers, train artifacts, and small villages were more of interest on the way back. DNR provides this state facility with a sense of place. Stories with vintage photos relate how the railroad was the integral part of the mills and factories along its route. Some of the old signal switches and crossing gate posts remain as reminders of the trail's origin.

After our six mile hike we had a cast change. Mom and the canine corps went home and Ashley’s sister was lured for the tubing adventure (having been promised she wouldn’t get wet, a blatant fib.)

We drove to Monkton where a charming village has sprung around the old train station and historic hotel. The train station is now the trail visitor center and rest station. The one time hotel, which once catered to Baltimore elite escaping the city heat, was our destination. That’s where an enterprising entrepreneur rents tubes, kayaks, bike and kid carriers for the trail and creek.

We took our three tubes (“See, they have a bottom in them so you don’t get wet”) and toted them north on the trail. (OK, I rolled mine. After the hike I was running out of gas.) After about ten minutes of hoofing, we found the access to the creek and waded in. (It was then Emily discovered the holes in tube floor and knew she’d been had.)

Despite all the rain, the creek was fairly shallow. In fact, the member of our party with the most ample posterior dragged bottom a few times. (Thank God for slippery rocks.) The depth didn’t discourage the kayakers and canoe that glided by us, though. They had come from much farther up the river and would going much farther down. The shallow section around Monkton was only a hiccup, according to one who paddled past me.

Truthfully, our float was far more leisure than exercise. It took about an hour and a half, as we lingered in mill pond conditions several places. We also had lots of company. Tubing on the Gunpowder is a family-oriented outdoors activity because it is so accessible and devoid of real drama. (If you want a theme park analogy, this is more Lazy River than Roman Rapids.)

The creek was never more than a few feet deep. The only one in the party to get anything other than a damp bottom was the dummy who tried to change position on the tube and got t-boned by the flotilla of sisters. (Yes, the Gunpowder is spring fed and VERY brisk when you get dunked.)

After a good hike (or even without it) the tube float is a refreshing way to cap a trip on the Torrey. Yes, you get muddy scrambling up the hill afterwards, but the tube tycoon is happy to hose you down. The snack stand in the same building has wonderful homemade ice cream and plenty of room outside to enjoy it.

The Torrey Brown Trail is a Maryland treasure. You can learn more about the Monkton tube/bike rentals here.

Impressions –– the friendliness of the people encountered. Lots of sniffing among canines. Safe surface for kids to learn (saw more than a few training wheels) and seniors on coasters. Smiles and greetings from people coming towards you; courteous bells and “on your left” alerts from those passing behind.

Attire – Amazing how many trail users were wore team uniforms or shirts touting an athletic event or environmental cause. (Ashley wore her politically correct Clean Green shirt.) We passed a few World Wildlife Federation advocates. I’m sorry I left my Tour Dem Parks, Hon souvenir at home.

Coolness –– the trail is almost entirely in the shade. The trees that grew along the tracks after it was abandoned have been allowed to spread their canopy over the trail. Makes the air clearer and cooler.

Family friendly -- Didn’t notice until the trip back, but the trail is almost level. There is only a very slight grade going north. Although it lacks challenge for hard core runners and cyclists, it makes a pleasant perambulation for multi-generational outings.

Talking Trash -- The irony is the trash. Rather the lack thereof. The Torrey Brown Trail is amazingly free of litter –– even doo-doo. It is DNR policy that Maryland State parks not have trash cans, because they overflow, scatter refuse, and attract animals. This message is posted, along with the reminder for visitors to take their trash (including poop) with them. Amazingly, they do.

Ironic because trash was one of the biggest obstacles to building the trail in the first place. In the 10+ years after the railroad was abandoned, the corridor served as a linear landfill for everything from tires to washing machines and all the rubble in between. Worse, the no-man’s land was used for target practice, all night parties and other nuisance activities. Even so, the prospect of a public trail on the property was considered even worse. It was when DNR volunteers came in and removed tons of trash from the rail bed that residents realized a well managed state amenity like a ribbon park could be an asset rather than a liability to their quality of life.

All that NIMBY nonsense is in the past. Today, the neighbors and small villages dotting the trail celebrate its existence with gardens, mini parks, historic markers, community bulletin boards and even a backyard snack stand. On July 4th, there was a patriotic parade of decorated bicycles from Sparks to Monkton. The trail has created a community of its own and every Marylander should visit.

Trailblazer Torrey

Dr. Torrey C. Brown is one of our neighbors here at the Warehouse. The Hopkins-trained physician and one time assistant dean of the medical school is now a principal in a biotechnological firm. Yet, he has a far greater connection to Maryland sports that an office overlooking Camden Yards. For in those years between practicing medicine and developing cutting edge health products, Torrey Brown was a member of the Maryland General Assembly (where he chaired the Environmental Matters Committee) and, for twelve years, Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources. His influence, his legacy, is felt throughout Maryland in the parks and open spaces that provide enjoyment to so many.

Some of Maryland’s most prominent venues (like Fair Hill, Sandy Point, and Somers Cove Marina) are DNR properties. Others (like the rivers and our Bay) are DNR regulated. In fact, DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 18,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife. Learn about DNR facilities and programs here: www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/pfwma2.html

During his tenure, Torrey Brown was responsible for a number of advancements in the state’s park and recreational assets, helping to make them the attractions they are for outdoor sports. He fought some tough battles, too. One of the most controversial was banning the harvest of rockfish for five years when the species was seriously endangered. That’s a story for opening day of rockfish season.

Another bold initiative was transforming a 21 mile segment of the deserted North Central Railroad corridor, stretching from Hunt Valley to the Mason-Dixon line, into an all purpose recreational trail. In 1984, such a concept was revolutionary and met with tremendous resistence. Now when we see hikers, cyclists, and equestrians of all ages enjoying the linear park year round, it’s hard to imagine the furor he faced from NIMBYs who opposed him back then. But Torrey prevailed, and in the process the North Central Rail Trail became a national model for this type of recreational adaptive reuse.

Today, more than 800,000 visitors annually enjoy the trail, which is part of Gunpowder Falls State Park. And now it is known as the Torrey C. Brown trail, having been renamed in 2007 to honor the physician/visionary/conservationist who wasn’t afraid to take a tough stand to do the right thing.

Our next adventure (Ashley’s going along for this gig) is a visit to the Torrey C. We’ll start in Monkton and see where it takes us.