Sum Random Knowledge

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Plants and animals around Cunningham Falls

The area around Cunningham falls is loaded with plants and animals. When I was there I saw dozens of small toads, deer, and lots of interesting and colorful fungus and flowers.

This deer was hanging out along the cliff trail.

Indian pipes. These low-growing small flowers usually come out of the ground in small clumps.

Orange and Yellow mushroom. It was growing right in one of the campground areas.

Odd-shaped fungus growing from the side of a tree stump.

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Hiking to Cunningham Falls

There are three trails that go to the falls, one from the campground and two from the day-use area.

There is a parking lot at the start of the trails, or, you can walk up from the main parking area.

Falls Lower Trail

The Falls Lower Trail is a half mile, crushed gravel trail which, although it has ups and downs, is a fairly easy walk through the woods.

Cliff Trail

The other trail that starts in at the same spot is the Cliff Trail. This is a more traditional dirt trail with lots of exposed rocks. There is a significant slope up at the beginning of the trail, then a downslope at the end. It is also a bit longer, three-quarters of a mile instead of half a mile.

Campground Trail

The last trail starts from the campground and connects to the Cliff Trail. It is predictably called the Campground trail. It starts at the base of the Bear Branch Loop near the dumpsters. From there it goes through wooded hills until it gets to the top of the Cliff trail. It is about three-quarters of a mile from the start to the falls.

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Sunday, July 5, 2015

Cunningham Falls

At 78 feet, Cunningham Falls is the highest waterfall in Maryland. It is a cascading type of falls.

The falls is located in Cunningham Falls state park. In addition to the falls, there is camping and a day-use area with a lake, beach, swimming and boating.

During the summer, lots of people hike up from the lake to the falls. There are two trails that go there, both starting from the same parking lot. There is also a trail from the camp grounds to the falls.

Saturday, June 13, 2015

It's Bethesda Big Train baseball season

Did you know that Bethesda, MD has its own local baseball team? Bethesda Big Train part of the summer collegiate baseball program. The season is on now and runs through the end of July. They play at the Shirley Povich field right next to Cabin John Ice Rink.

I went to see them play the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts tonight and it was a fun, casual affair with the fans full of families. you can look at the schedule and see if you can go to any of the games.

Sunday, May 3, 2015

The trolley bridge at Glen Echo Park

If you have ever gone to Glen Echo park you have probably noticed the old trolley bridge over Minnehaha creek. It is the big metal bridge you see on your left as you cross the foot bridge. This bridge has been abandoned for decades. The bridge has been rehabilitated and a short section MacArthur Avenue Trail has now been re-routed over it

The new trail over the bridge doesn't cover the full width of the bridge so you can see the original steel beams.

Here is a look at the bridge from the Glen Echo Park side.

This is the same bridge, from the same spot in early May, 2014.

Here is how it looks below the bridge. You can see the concrete and steel have gotten a fresh coat of paint.

This is how the underside of the bridge looked in May of 2013.

Looking up at the bridge from Minnehaha Creek.

Last year at this time the bridge was totally overgrown. It looks like construction started last July.

Update 2015-04-05: In the comments, Brett Young pointed out that he has a set of pictures taken throughout the construction process.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Go visit the Cherry Blossoms at night

The Cherry Blossoms are in peak bloom around the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC this weekend. They are beautiful and it is well worth going to see them. However, when you have peak bloom on a weekend, it gets incredibly crowded.

You can avoid the crowds by going at night. You won't get the overwhelming majesty of the pink-white blossoms everywhere, but you will get to see the blossoms in a way that most people don't, and they are still quite beautiful.

The light cherry blossoms really stand out against the dark sky, and they seem to fade away in the distance.

Although it is less crowded, that doesn't mean no one is there. A reasonable stream of people are walking aroun.

Thursday, April 9, 2015

The old Hamburger Hamlet at Georgetown Square

The Hamburger Hamlet restaurant at Georgetown Square on the corner of Old Georgetown Road and Democracy Boulevard in Bethesda has been vacant for a while. Recently there has been a flurry of activity there, preparing for the new tenant, Not Your Average Joe's, which will be opening this summer. The atrium area in the front, which was the bar is totally gone, so clearly, the new restaurant will look a a lot different.

This will be the second Maryland location for the restaurant chain.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

The tower tree

Some people, when faced with a tree to take out of their yard, just chop it down. Others, cut it off 8 or so feet above ground and carve it into a medieval tower. I was walking through the neighborhoods along Sangamore Road in Bethesda today and saw this tree on Westpath court.