Outdoors

I took the day off from work to be alone, but the absolute last thing I could stand was more time in my house, after being snowbound for days. I needed to exhaust myself physically. I needed to get outside! So despite a forecast of windy and cold, I got out of the house with no particular destination in mind. Washington, DC is actually a great place for those who love the outdoors. There are many destinations close at hand with beautiful man or nature made views.  I wasn't up for something too rugged - I wanted to walk, not scramble or climb.  But I wanted to be alone, so  a tour of the monuments was out of order.

With sudden inspiration, I headed to Great Falls National Park, the Maryland side, at the C&O Canal. The canal is a national park that is 185 miles long by half a mile wide, incorporating the old canal and towpath that parallels the Potomac River all the way from Georgetown in DC to the heights of the Appalachians just over the ridge from Pittsburgh. The particular place I was going is less than 20 minutes from home. I have been there many times, but not recently and never with snow. I had been looking at old photos, and there was one memorable golden day in August 1998 that was beautifully captured on film, and I wanted to be there now.

As often happens after a storm, it was sunny, crisp, and not quite as windy as forecast. Before leaving I hesitated over my footware: Big snowboots? Wellingtons for wet? but I finally decided on my light but sturdy trail runners.  A couple of years ago, I did serious walking - training for and then participating in a two-day, 40-mile, Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.  I learned then that any walking above a mile or two really requires very good footwear, and these shoes had my custom orthotics. In deference to the wind, I wore a jacket instead of my preferred vest so my arms could stay warm. I stopped first at a WholeFoods and got a light hot breakfast and future provisions. I had my watchcap and a couple of choices of gloves.

There was no ranger at the gate and there were only a couple of other cars in the parking lot, but the rangers had been blowing the nearby paths mostly clear. Perfect!  There was a layer of slick snow on everything, but no deep snow to wade through.  I had no desire to get my feet wet, and would have turned around if that had been the case.

The first thing I did was take the boardwalk over to look at the Falls themselves. I stood my myself in the sun and contemplated the raw power for a while. Then I set off down the towpath, with no goal in mind. There was a nice foot trail beaten down, with a cross country ski track next to it. I discovered that stepping off the beaten path resulted in the foot plunging a foot or more through soft wet snow, so I stuck with the trail. It was so bright, my glasses were nearly black, so they went in my pocket. I had to keep my eyes down, rather than looking around, because it was slick and uneven. I wasn't walking fast, but I was walking steadily.

I warmed up enough to shed first the gloves, then the hat, and finally even to unzip the jacket. It was so lovely to feel the sun on my face and hands, and to feel it warming my black jeans. My mind was occupied by the simple task of staying upright.  In several places, the heavy snow had knocked trees down across the path and I had to clamber over or through their branches. I saw raccoon tracks in the snow, and was pleased not only at their existence, but at my ability to recognize them surely, and not mistake them for dog tracks. I saw a bald eagle, and saw and heard the carolina chickadees.  As I kept going, I realized I had in fact been there just last fall, but had come up from the other direction by kayak. I had reached a place known as "Wide Water", a natural basin the canal route took advantage of. I yearned for kayak season and more time on the water, remembering looking eye to eye with a great blue heron, right below where I was standing.

The reason I exercise is so I can do these things. I was there to exercise, but I exercise to be able to be there.

Finally I had to turn around.  Often, the limits of my outdoor exploits are determined by the location of the nearest bathroom, which was back by my car.  I found myself facing into a rising wind on the way back, and discovered I was slipping and sliding a good deal more. Was I tired, had the sun made the snow more slick with water, was I looking up and out more than down at my feet?  Yes, yes, and yes. I passed a few people heading in the other direction as I got back, most with dogs.  I had been out for more than two hours.  I stayed warm enough, and gladly ate my portable cold lunch as I cranked up the car stereo before heading back.