July 4th Blackburn Center Appalachian Trail
Wed, 2010-06-30 13:13
What better way to celebrate the 4th than to spend time on a national treasure, the Appalachian Trail.
The Appalachian Trail covers 2,178 miles from Maine to Georgia. You can run them all but no one will be putting water out for you. We'll plan to concentrate on a smaller section. Navigation is easy since the trail is marked with white blazes on trees (approximately 165,000 of them). The club will run from the Blackburn Trail Center near Round Hill. Check this link for directions.
Several option are available:
Blackburn to Key's Gap North, about 13 miles round trip is mostly ridge running until you begin a 500' decline around mile 4.5. Of course that means a 500' climb after turning around at Keys Gap.
Blackburn to Snickers Gap South, 14.5 miles round trip involves several steep climbs once you venture beyond Devil's Racecourse around mile 4. You can stop at Crescent Rock around mile 5.5 and do some rock climbing (it's pretty lame) or you can turn around and avoid the majority of the hills.
Blackburn to David Lesser Shelter - Blackburn - Devil's Racecourse 14.5 miles. because caching water along the trail is difficult this option avoids the problem by returning to Blackburn and the cars midway.
Where/When : Meet at the Blackburn Trail Center at 7:00
LRR member Pat Miller makes these coffee mugs featuring the club logo especially for us.
The mugs are $20.00 each. To order, contact Pat Miller or catch up with her at a club run.
Sounds great to me!
Submitted by Karen on Sun, 2010-07-04 19:21.Hi! the alternative trail you all mentioned (near Algonkian Park) sounds fabulous. I will plan to see you at the Sportsplex at 7:00am tomorrow, July 5. Happy 4th! ~Karen
Monday run
Submitted by Diane on Fri, 2010-07-02 18:08.I'll meet you for the Potomac Heritage run.
Monday. Monday Trails Again...
Submitted by T-bone on Fri, 2010-07-02 13:50.I'm leaning towards the Algonkian alternative. Will be a nice change of pace for those of us who hit Blackburn trail on Sunday. (I may mean 'hit' literally - hope I don't eat trail dirt two days in a row!). Karen - hope that works for you?
Another Trail Run on Monday, 7/5
Submitted by PatMiller on Fri, 2010-07-02 12:36.I'm hearing murmurrings for another trail run on Monday the 5th. How about the Potomac Heritage Trail? It's close, it's fairly flat and very runable, and for an out and back, we can make it any distance we wish. Anyone interested in meeting at Potomac Lakes Sportsplex at 7:00 a.m.? (The trailhead is closer to the Sportsplex than to Algonkian Regional Park.). Directions: Rte 7 East, past Rte 28, to Cascades Pkwy North (there is a sign for Algonkian Park, take the exit after going under the bridge. Follow Cascades Pkwy approx. 2 miles, and the Sportsplex will be on your right. Total distance from downtown Leesburg is approx. 12 miles. If you get to the entrance to Algonkian Regional Park, you've gone too far.
Here's a link to the NPS site for the trail map: http://www.nps.gov/pohe/planyourvisit/upload/a_linear_park_system_in_eastern_Loudoun_County_July_2007.pdf
Monday
Submitted by Allison on Sat, 2010-07-03 19:57.Potomac Heritage Trail sounds good to me - see you there.
Same thing but on the 5th?
Submitted by Karen on Thu, 2010-07-01 23:16.I'll be out of town on the 4th, but if anyone wants to do one of these loops on the morning of Monday the 5th (meeting at 7:00am) then let me know! ~Karen