American Visionary Museum, Baltimore, MD, 7/15/21

Rode the Columbia-Baltimore commuter bus to the Inner Harbor. First ride on a public bus since the pandemic started. Jim found an advertisement for the American Visionary Museum in a City of Baltimore tourist magazine some time back and off we went....

But first we climbed up to Federal Hill, right next to the museum, for a panoramic view of the harbor and city.

The museum is housed in three different buildings with a connecting garden. To our surprise and delight we discovered the Jim Rouse Visionary Center housed in one the buildings.  Jim Rouse is the founder of Columbia where we live.  His vision of a more equal society in the 1960s at a time when Maryland was heavily segregated was truly exceptional. His vision, we learned, was influenced by his stay in Hawaii during his formative years.  There he experienced an imperfect but definitely more equal society than in the Southern US. 

The visionary arts focuses on what the future will bring to the earth and all life within.  

Needless to say, climate change and all its consequences was front and center.

 

 On a ligther note, a sculpture just for me: coffee man.

Little Bennett Loop, Clarksburg, MD, 7/4/21

A 4th of July 3-mile stroll in the woods.  Setting off from the Kingsley entrance, we soon crossed Little Bennett Creek, and followed Mount Builder and Bennet Ridge trails to the campground and the amphitheater back via Big Oak and Acorn Hollow trails. 

Just before reaching these mounts a sign warned us to "Thread Lightly and Swiftly." The mounts are Allegheny Mount Builder ant nests and have apparently been active many years.  I tried to take a close up picture but that turned out to be a difficult task with thousands of ants everywhere hurrying about their business.

A rare treat on the trail! Here is one creature that doesn't instantly run away.... he/she even posed to have his/her photo taken. 

Patuxent Brand Trail, Columbia, MD, 6/26/21

 

On this last day of caring for Suna, my daughter's family puppy, Jim suggested we explore one of the many trails in Columbia.  Starting from Lake Elkhorn, above, we set off for the Patuxent Branch Trail.

One of the great pleasure of living in Columbia, MD: here we are in the middle of the woods yet also in the middle of town! 

Above, approaching MD Highway 32, one of the two major highways intersection the town.  

Suna making sure we did not wander off.

Close to the 2-mile mark in intense heat, Suna stretched out in the cool grasses and told us clearly - no words needed - that it was time to turn around. 

Wincopin Red and Green Trails, Savage Park, MD, 6/13/21

Short hike on this balmy Sunday along two branches of the Little Patapsco river near Jessup, MD. 

At the last minute we decided to take along my daughter's dog Mylee, the senior one of the two family dogs. Given her 16 years, she no longer runs or jumps but walks at a determined steady slowish pace.  We followed her lead which turned the hike into an enjoyable and relaxed ~2.5 miles stroll among the beech and ash trees. 

 Like a duck out of water.....

Pigtail Trail, Tridelphia Reservoir, MD, 5/31/21

Brief afternoon Memorial day walk, exploring the Tridelphia reservoir. The trail was developed as an arboretum by Boy Scout Troop 649 in 2015-2016.  It showcases 20 species of trees along it 3/4-mile length and leads to a beautiful sandy cove.  See above. 

I wanted to return to this area after attempting to walk the trail last January with my children and grandchildren.  The ice covered trail turned our walk into a slip and slide affair that made progress all but impossible! 

Harpers Ferry and Appalachian trail, WV, 5/22/21

Set off to explore Harpers Ferry, a National Historic Park just over the border in West Virginia, on this cloudy but very hot spring day.  The small town, now a museum, sits at the confluence of the Potomac and the Shenandoah rivers. Harpers Ferry became a symbol of freedom for enslaved people after the abolitionist John Brown and his followers raided the armory in 1859, calling attention to the plight of slaves and setting the stage for the civil war to follow.   

Bridge crossing the Potomac into Maryland.  The Appalachian trail runs through the town, across the bridge and veers west into Maryland. Going east, the trail becomes the C&O Canal Towpath, a favorite of cyclists.

One of several locks along the river.  Ships navigated the docks to bypass the rapids in the river. See below. 

Ship transport is out, recreation and fun on the river is in.  How about a picnic in the river? 

Took the bus from the visitor center, walked thru the town, over the bridge, and along the Appalachian trail about 4.5 miles in spite of the heat (elevation gain ~233 ft) including the walk back to the Visitor Center. 

Conowingo Dam trail, Havre de Grace, MD, 4/25/2021

 After spending a delightful day visiting the Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, Jim suggested the next morning that we visit the Conowingo hydroelectric dam on the drive back home. When growing up in Hanover, PA, his father used to take him and his siblings to visit the dam.  

To our delight, we found birdwatchers and fishermen had converged at the dam on this beautiful sunny spring day. At first puzzled by all the buzz we soon discovered the birdwatchers had their oversized zooms focused on the bald eagles fishing for shad in the river.

 The fishermen were fishing for shad also, and catfish, and the "frankenfish" invasive snakehead, that can live on land for some time.  A large sign urged fishermen to kill any snakeheads immediately. 

Lucky day for fishing!  

Wondering if we got any hiking done? 

Yes, we finally turned away from all the going-ons at the dam and walked a lovely trail along the Susquehanna river for close to 3 miles, roundtrip.