Author: Phil Epstein

Hey Tuesday Trail Dogs,

Looks like a good weather day to traipse around the single-track of Lake Needwood. I’ll hopefully be there to send you on your way but my better half is having a significant aging milestone today and I will need to celebrate with her. I’m sure you understand. If I’m not there you know what to do and how to do it. Anyway, get out there and have fun. These trails ain’t gonna run themselves!

Location: Lake Needwood

Address: 15700 Needwood Lake Circle (parking lot by the Hiker-Biker Trail head)

Coords: 39.114925, -77.127917

Date: 3 May 2022

Time: Warm Up Mile 6 p.m. Main run 6:15

Course: Clockwise; Cross the Dam, hit Parilla Path crossover lake on Needwood Rd. then out-n-back on Beaver Tale Trail and back down other side of lake to parking lot with hill repeats on Potty Hill.

Distance: 5.5-6-ish miles with warm-up (feel free to do shorter or longer)

Pace: Slow, Fast and In-between; all are welcome!

Vibe: Mellow

C U there!

Cheers,

Muddy Shoes

Yo Trail Dogs!

The weekend is in sight and its payday for some of you. Now’s a good times to cash it in on the trails of MoCo. Mother Nature will be taking care of us with some Awesome running weather, mild temps and low humidity. Can’t beat that. Given the weather there really aren’t too many excuses for not joining us for some time in the woods. Some of you may have noticed that when I put the schedule out I left out this Saturday, but we ARE running (or ‘trotting’ as Mike Edwards would say)!

This Saturday we’ll be headed to the bottom of the county and doing a loopty-loop on the Greenway and Seneca Bluffs Trail starting on Seneca Rd. From the trailhead we’ll go up the Greenway to Rt. 28 and then back down the other side of the creek on the Seneca Bluffs trail and back to the finish. All together about 12 miles. Go shorter or longer if you want to. It’s all good.

As usual we’ll have liquids and stuff to munch back at the cars and we should have water available on the trail. Still accepting donations!  😊

Don’t forget to check us out at www.mymuddyshoes.org (It’s a work in progress!)

OK, info for Saturday:

Location: Greenway Trail Head on Seneca Road

Coords: 39.079215, -77.335766

Date: Saturday 30 April

Time: 0730

Course: Counterclockwise loopty-loop; Greenway to rt. 28, back down other side of creek on Seneca Bluffs Trail

Caltopo: On its way!

Pets: Leashed dogs only; no hamsters (even leashed!)

Vibe: Chill

C U there!

Cheers,

Muddy Shoes

Hey Folks,

I’m back from the Deep South — 90 miles from Cuba! Running is on tonight at Cabin John! But not chasing the gypsy roosters of Key West! We have our beloved tall trees, spring flowers and growing green haze. So much nicer than paved over Miami with spikes of high rises and only a few palm trees! I’m looking forward to our woods tonight with mymuddyshoes . How about you?

Details: We gather at 6pm at Cabin John Tennis and Nature Center parking lot, right turn off Democracy Blvd going west from 270. If you miss it and reach Seven Locks Rd, do two u-turns and come back. We’ll start with a small warm-up and circle back to pick up any late-comers—let us know you are coming!

Then tonight the run is south!! Followed by our Tailgate party.

Come join the fun!!

All speeds welcome.

Cheers,

Gretchen

Hey Trail Slappers,

Tuesday is here and, as usual, we hit the trails around Lake Needwood. Don’t miss it!

Here’s what you need to know:

Location: Lake Needwood

Address: 15700 Needwood Lake Circle (parking lot by the Hiker-Biker Trail head)

Coords: 39.114925, -77.127917

Date: 26 April 2022

Time: Warm Up Mile 6 p.m. Main run 6:15

Course: Counter-Clockwise; Up the East side to Blue Jay Loop, Wild Cat Trail across the Lake and then out-n-back on Troll Trail, come down West side of lake, Hill repeats on Adie’s Hill (if you are so inclined!) then back to parking lot.

Distance: 6-6.5-ish miles with warm-up (feel free to do shorter or longer)

Pace: Slow, Fast and In-between; all are welcome!

Vibe: Mellow

C U there!

Cheers,

Muddy Shoes

Hey All,

I meant to get this out last night but since it’s still dark I’m going to say I made it!

Our run this Saturday is 12ish miles out-n-back on Greenway south from Watkins Mill HS. Remember that when we get to Route 355 you have to turn left and run down the sidewalk for a hundred yards or so before hopping over the guardrail to pick up the trail again and cross under the road. Then just continue on Greenway (at one point it becomes Long Draught), past Clopper Road,  until just before you hit Seneca Creek State Park where you’ll turn around. Feel free to go further or shorter. There will be water at 355 and of course we have snacks back at home base for when you get back to Watkins Mill. I’m on the hunt for more dill pickle cashews and I have also discovered that peanut butter Chex cereal makes an awesome trail snack. Of course, it’s also hard to find. Come out and run – it’s going to be a beautiful day! 

Audrey 

When: Saturday, April 23 @ 7:30
Where: Watkins Mill HS 

Address: 10301 Apple Ridge Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20879

Route Map:
https://caltopo.com/m/01J15

There’s mud and there’s mud. Maybe a bit more intense than you signed up for? Then again we can just relax at the tailgate party after our Cabin John run today! Come for the exhilaration, stay for the fun.

Here are the details:We meet at 6 pm Thursdays, at the Cabin John Tennis and nature center parking lots, right turn off Democracy going west from 270 exit. If you reach Seven Locks Rd, it’s a road too far, do a couple of uturns and come back. Let us know if you are coming—and if you’ll be late, so that we can watch out for you. We may do a warm-up trot between 6-6:15 and pick up stragglers in the lot before the full run— north this time. Join us!

Hey Mud Chuggers!

I checked the calendar and, OMG, it’s Tuesday AGAIN!!! Time to get yer crusty trail shoes on and slap your feet on the trails of Lake Needwood! Of course, we have to do a carb re-load after at the Outta the Way Café with beer and some good chow (yes, there are vegetarian options). Enjoy the post run kibbitzing with your trail buds!

**FYI – We have a groups.io for Muddy Shoes so FB is not your only option. If you’d like to get your info via groups.io just send an email to Coach Phil at pepstein1@verizon.net and he will send you an invite to join the group.

OK. Here are the details for this evening:

Location: Lake Needwood

Address: 15700 Needwood Lake Circle (parking lot by the Hiker-Biker Trail head)

Coords: 39.114925, -77.127917

Date: 19 April 2022

Time: Warm Up Mile 6 p.m. Main run 6:15

Course: Clockwise; Cross the Dam, hit Parilla Path crossover lake on Needwood Rd. then out-n-back on Beaver Tale Trail and back down other side of lake to parking lot with hill repeats on Potty Hill.

Distance: 6-6.5-ish miles with warm-up (feel free to do shorter or longer)

Pace: Slow, Fast and In-between; all are welcome!

Vibe: Mellow

C U there!

Cheers,

Muddy Shoes

Listen up, Trail Dogs!

Time to start thinking about our Saturday run. This week we’ll be doing a 10.5 mile loop that highlights two of our wonderful trails as well as a point of historical interest here in MoCo. We’ll start out heading down the Seneca Ridge Trail (6 miles) to the ruins of the historic Black Rock Mill (great for a photo op). Then we’ll head back up on the other side of the creek on the Seneca Greenway. This section of the Greenway has seen some serious re-routing over the past couple of years so parts of it will look a bit different. It is also about .5 miles longer than it used to be. Altogether that leg is about 4.25 miles. You might have to add on at the end to get to 10.5.

As usual, we’ll provide liquids and goodies back at the parking area (Mmmm, mini-cokes, dill Pistachios, Chips, etc.). We readily accept donations (U.S.$, no rubles). Anyway, I can blab on and on but why waste your time? Just c’mon out on Saturday and we can chat on the trail!

OK, now for the details:

Location: Riffleford Road

Address: 16864 Riffle Ford Road, Darnestown MD 20874

Coords: 39.132344, -77.267809

Date: 16 April 2022

Time: 0730Course: Seneca Ridge Trail to Black Rock Mill; return on Seneca Greenway Trail to Riffleford

Distance: About 10.5 miles

Pace: Slow, Fast and In-between; all are welcome!

Vibe: Mellow

C U there! Or B square!

Cheers,

Muddy Shoes

Hey Trail Dogs,

Clouds are moving out and the sun is shining! What more could a bunch of mud chuggers such as yourselves want? C’mon out and enjoy the trails of Lake Needwood! We run this evening!

**FYI – We have a groups.io for Muddy Shoes so FB is not your only option. If you’d like to get your info via groups.io just send an email to Coach Phil at pepstein1@verizon.net and he will send you an invite to join the group.

OK. Here are the details for this evening:

Location: Lake Needwood

Address: 15700 Needwood Lake Circle (parking lot by the Hiker-Biker Trail head)Coords: 39.114925, -77.127917.
Date: 12 April 2022

Time: Warm Up Mile 6 p.m. Main run 6:15

Course: Counter-Clockwise; Blue Jay Loop, cross the Lake, then out-n-back on Troll Trail and back down other side of lake with hill repeats on Adie’s Hill. Then back across dam to parking lot.

Distance: 6-6.5-ish miles with warm-up

Pace: Slow, Fast and In-between; all are welcome!

Vibe: Mellow

C U there!

Cheers,

Muddy Shoes

***Outta the Way Cafe Doing Curbside Takeout>>>

Hey Folks,

Even with social seperation, self isolation and a rampant handwashing lifestyle that we are all experiencing, we still gotta eat. Local restaurants are really taking a hit. One our our Tuesday night post-run gathering places , The Outta the Way Cafe, is doing curbside takeout. If you’re hungry give ’em a call and get some good grub. They always take good care of us and treat us so well, its time to help them out! http://www.outta.com/

Cheers and stay safe,

Muddy Shoes