~10.7 miles @ ~12.7 min/mi

DS Merle has substitute organ duty at Knollwood chapel this Sunday morning, so it's time to trek. Starting 9:30am on at the visitor's space outside the military retirement residence, down the driveway into Rock Creek Park, down the bikepath to the Western Ridge Trail, and downstream I flow.

"Alive" by Krewella is on satellite radio as I drove this morning, and it's on heavy rotation in my head. A brilliant scarlet cardinal blitzes across my path. Dog walkers and trail runners exchange greetings. Which way to turn at the fork? "Strenuous" as always. I cautiously navigate the cliffs above the waters, then zig across the bridge and upstream along Beach Dr to find the Valley Trail.

The stone bridge arching over Rock Creek is highly photogenic, but upon further examination rocks along the side appear to be a decorative façade. Runkeeper and the new Garmin 910XT concur to within 1%.

^z - 2013-04-10