Northwest Branch

Yesterday, Ron and I wanted to do something different. We planned an afternoon together and decided to hike along the Northwest Branch trail. We got on the trail on Colesville Road, then hiked south toward the Beltway.

The trail is challenging in some places; you have to clamber over rocks. But that is part of the fun of this trail. I think when I hike this trail again, I'll take a walking stick, because it would probably help. It's amazing that right in the middle of suburbia are these quiet, beautiful woods with a creek running through them. Only when you get near the Beltway do you hear the rumble of traffic. Also, the bridge that spans the creek is a sight, itself, rising a hundred feet or more from the creek bed.

We saw a couple of fishermen and a few hikers out, mostly with their dogs. We ran into one particularly frisky pooch who was extremely friendly, wagging a tail that wagged every other body part, and jumping all over us. This dog was a real people lover. The dog's owners were appalled that the dog was behaving so badly, but I felt honored to have the dog's company.

The walk amounted to about 1-1/2 miles over the course of almost two hours. It gave us an opportunity to talk. We touched on a number of subjects including our friends, our sex lives, and what it is about men that turn us on. Clearly, Ron has higher standards than I do. I think we both knew that anyway. I really enjoyed the time with him, away from the distractions at home, in a beautiful place having a conversation that veered and rambled as much as the trail. This time together is precious. It's a great experience to share an unknown place with someone you love, when you both see it for the first time.