~8.99 mi @ ~19 min/mi

"They're all friendly!" says one of the four men, of six dogs leading a sunrise ramble through the woods. A chipmunk zips across the trail; a pup barks but refrains from giving chase. After a precarious scramble on a fallen tree across a tributary stream Roadkill takes a side path and finds a cut-through to Ellingson Dr. The meandering return trip follows Boundary Trail and Valley Trail in Rock Creek Park, heads upstream along Beach Dr, takes another cut-through from Western Ridge Trail to Oregon Av and Daniel Rd, a rather sketchier cut-through from Wyndale Ln to Western Av, and eventually loops back to Candy Cane City at mile 5. (The Apple Watch GPS omits the first 4 miles, alas, from its map.) One of the dog-walkers re-encounters him near the end and asks, "Are you starting another lap?"

"Born-again Christian, guitar musician, and motorcyclist!" says someone, describing NIH Director Francis Collins. Coney Counter, Danger Man, Doc Bob, and Half Full join Roadkill for a northeasterly ramble along neighborhood streets. After a brief inspection of construction near the old single-lane bridge over the railroad tracks, the gang takes the Georgetown Branch Trail detour route. Lawn pinwheels spin furiously in the icy wind. Snow flurries stop after early morning.

(trackfile) - ^z - 2021-02-21