Sunday hike

Last week my emailbox had an announcement:  "Sunday, Nov. 28, Rachel Carson Trail, Silver Spring, MD".  This is a WanderBirds hike.  This group has been around since the 1930s, hikes every Sunday all year through, frequently in the Shenandoah area.  They travel by bus when the hike is 2 hours away.  http://wanderbirds.org/.  This hike was suburban - in Montgomery County.  Two trails:  The Northwest Branch Trail and the Rachel  Carson  Greenway.  Here's a description, copied from the announcement:

"The hikes start and end at the Brookside Gardens Visitor Center.  They will wind past the Garden's lagoons and wetlands gardens, pass by the Brookside Nature Center and after one minor road crossing, turn southward onto the Northwest Branch Trail, a relatively flat trail closely following the right bank of the Branch.  One 7-foot scramble down a streambed is necessary due to floods this last March. The northern section of the trail passes numerous vernal pools that are the breeding ground for many frog and salamander species.  South of the Burnt Mills Dam (Rte 29 crossing), the hike crosses the branch and then goes upstream along the hillier Rachel Carson Greenway. A temporary sign will be placed at a side trail that leads to Rachel Carson's house.  At the north and south ends of the Branch are numerous signs explaining the ecology of the Branch and paying tribute to Rachel Carson.  The hikes will end near the stunning Brookside Conservatory which hikers are encouraged to visit. "

The day was sparkling and bright, and at 10:00 was chilly.  Wanderbirds hikes are two lengths, called Long and Moderate.  The Long hike was between 11 and 12 miles; from past hikes, I've learned that the long-hikers are also FAST hikers.  So I took the Moderate walk, about 8.5 miles total.  All the trees and shrubs were bare except for mountain laurel.  The day was still and quiet - no wind to be heard or felt.  And oddly no birds either.  The stream (or Branch) seemed not to flow at all until we passed gentle rapids here and there, where sunlight sparkled on the moving water.   During the last few miles (between 1 and 2 pm), we saw a kingfisher several times.

Altogether quite satisfying.  However, back at home I really had to lie down for a while - feet, knees, hips all sore!!
Here are some links:
Brookside Gardens:  http://www.montgomeryparks.org/brookside/
Northwest Branch:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Branch_Anacostia_River
Rachel Carson Greenway: http://www.montgomeryparks.org/PPSD/ParkTrails/trails_MAPS/NorthwestBranch.shtm