Anonymous
05/05/2020 12:26
Subject: Am I the only one who was oblivious to all the pretty, free natural places in Northern VA?
Anonymous wrote:Pre-pandemic we were a playground-and-activities family. We live in a walkable Arlington community and took advantage of the playgrounds and the well known nature areas like Potomac Overlook. But now that they are off the table, I’m like...a woodland nymph. At lunch I take off an hour and we head for the creeks. On the weekends, it’s full-on. I have a running list on my phone of all the places I see my friends post about on Facebook and that I find on various internet searches, and I can’t believe all the cool places I have NEVER heard of. Once summer rolls around this will probably end bc my kid and I both despise heat and bugs, but the slightly cool spring days have been absolute perfection. I can not relate to posts about kids not being outside enough or how to get exercise because I feel like there are so many beautiful and free things to do. Weird silver lining- there are so many pretty places around here.
So you live in like Donaldson Run area or something? We are closer to 66 and the only patches of green are county parks. That's what we get for reducing our carbon foot print and living close to work and public transit; oh the irony.
Anonymous
05/05/2020 12:23
Subject: Re:Am I the only one who was oblivious to all the pretty, free natural places in Northern VA?
Yes, we have been discovering wonderful trails we would never have looked for. We have 3 kids and always busy with activities, sports, parties and travel.
Anonymous
05/05/2020 11:48
Subject: Am I the only one who was oblivious to all the pretty, free natural places in Northern VA?
Anonymous wrote:Pre-pandemic we were a playground-and-activities family. We live in a walkable Arlington community and took advantage of the playgrounds and the well known nature areas like Potomac Overlook. But now that they are off the table, I’m like...a woodland nymph. At lunch I take off an hour and we head for the creeks. On the weekends, it’s full-on. I have a running list on my phone of all the places I see my friends post about on Facebook and that I find on various internet searches, and I can’t believe all the cool places I have NEVER heard of. Once summer rolls around this will probably end bc my kid and I both despise heat and bugs, but the slightly cool spring days have been absolute perfection. I can not relate to posts about kids not being outside enough or how to get exercise because I feel like there are so many beautiful and free things to do. Weird silver lining- there are so many pretty places around here.
Can you share some of them?
Anonymous
05/05/2020 11:34
Subject: Re:Am I the only one who was oblivious to all the pretty, free natural places in Northern VA?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Please suggest! We are done with Scott's Run!
Try Huntley Meadows- it’s a wetland preserve with a boardwalk. It’s cool! A lot of folks know that one so hopefully people won’t scream at me for giving away all their favorite places. Parking lot is closed but trails are open and you can park on the street.
Just a reminder of the guidelines and law - Huntley Meadows is awesome if it's within walking/biking distance from your house.
My personal opinion is that this is just a guideline and it can’t be enforced because that would discriminate against people with disabilities.
It is a guideline for Fairfax County. The Virginia order does not say you can’t drive to exercise. It says you can leave your house to exercise - it doesn’t say how you can or can not travel to exercise.
Anonymous
05/05/2020 11:26
Subject: Re:Am I the only one who was oblivious to all the pretty, free natural places in Northern VA?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Please suggest! We are done with Scott's Run!
Try Huntley Meadows- it’s a wetland preserve with a boardwalk. It’s cool! A lot of folks know that one so hopefully people won’t scream at me for giving away all their favorite places. Parking lot is closed but trails are open and you can park on the street.
Just a reminder of the guidelines and law - Huntley Meadows is awesome if it's within walking/biking distance from your house.
My personal opinion is that this is just a guideline and it can’t be enforced because that would discriminate against people with disabilities.
Anonymous
05/05/2020 11:25
Subject: Am I the only one who was oblivious to all the pretty, free natural places in Northern VA?
Anonymous wrote:Are we or are we not on a stay at home order in Virginia? You’re asking and biking to these places?
I’m engaging in outdoor activity under Virginia executive order 55 - 1e.
Anonymous
05/05/2020 11:24
Subject: Am I the only one who was oblivious to all the pretty, free natural places in Northern VA?
Are we or are we not on a stay at home order in Virginia? You’re asking and biking to these places?
Anonymous
05/05/2020 11:19
Subject: Re:Am I the only one who was oblivious to all the pretty, free natural places in Northern VA?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Please suggest! We are done with Scott's Run!
Try Huntley Meadows- it’s a wetland preserve with a boardwalk. It’s cool! A lot of folks know that one so hopefully people won’t scream at me for giving away all their favorite places. Parking lot is closed but trails are open and you can park on the street.
Just a reminder of the guidelines and law - Huntley Meadows is awesome if it's within walking/biking distance from your house.
Anonymous
05/05/2020 10:48
Subject: Re:Am I the only one who was oblivious to all the pretty, free natural places in Northern VA?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Please suggest! We are done with Scott's Run!
Try Huntley Meadows- it’s a wetland preserve with a boardwalk. It’s cool! A lot of folks know that one so hopefully people won’t scream at me for giving away all their favorite places. Parking lot is closed but trails are open and you can park on the street.
+1 A walk on the boardwalk and climbing the lookout tower were always a favorite outing when my kids were little. Hidden Oaks in Annandale is also great.
I ran a "Nature Playgroup" for DD when she was 3-5 yrs old because she didn't want to do any of the usual preschooler classes, just wanted to be out in the woods and streams with other kids. So, I learned about every place out there!
Anonymous
05/05/2020 10:34
Subject: Re:Am I the only one who was oblivious to all the pretty, free natural places in Northern VA?
Anonymous wrote:Please suggest! We are done with Scott's Run!
Try Huntley Meadows- it’s a wetland preserve with a boardwalk. It’s cool! A lot of folks know that one so hopefully people won’t scream at me for giving away all their favorite places. Parking lot is closed but trails are open and you can park on the street.
Anonymous
05/05/2020 10:11
Subject: Re:Am I the only one who was oblivious to all the pretty, free natural places in Northern VA?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Enjoy your privilege.
Same to you, person spending their quarantine being snarky on DCUM!
Essential workers probably don’t have time to be woodland nymphs.
Sure they do. They don't work 24x7
Anonymous
05/05/2020 10:08
Subject: Re:Am I the only one who was oblivious to all the pretty, free natural places in Northern VA?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Enjoy your privilege.
Same to you, person spending their quarantine being snarky on DCUM!
Essential workers probably don’t have time to be woodland nymphs.
It probably depends on their job. I am still actually working (from home) and doing these things outside of work hours.
Anonymous
05/05/2020 09:17
Subject: Am I the only one who was oblivious to all the pretty, free natural places in Northern VA?
Anonymous wrote:Yes we love it! Especially this time of year with no bugs and insects. My kids love playing in all the small streams after it rains. My kids are small and think everything about a forest is magical- spiderwebs, mushrooms, tiny waterfalls, owls, holes in the ground
They're right. It is magical!
This is a good time to support your local nature preservation organizations. That undeveloped land is not undeveloped by accident. It takes a lot of effort, some by volunteers and some by professional organizations whose staff are generally low paid with money but are passionate about the mission to save some wild(ish) spaces.
Anonymous
05/05/2020 09:14
Subject: Re:Am I the only one who was oblivious to all the pretty, free natural places in Northern VA?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Enjoy your privilege.
Same to you, person spending their quarantine being snarky on DCUM!
Essential workers probably don’t have time to be woodland nymphs.
Or snark on DCUM. Only difference is how the two privileged people choose to spend their time.
Anonymous
05/05/2020 09:13
Subject: Re:Am I the only one who was oblivious to all the pretty, free natural places in Northern VA?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Enjoy your privilege.
Same to you, person spending their quarantine being snarky on DCUM!
Essential workers probably don’t have time to be woodland nymphs.
I work - and we still get out and walk/hike in the evening. It's important to my mental health. We had a lovely evening walk yesterday at a trail along the Potomac river. Sun doesn't set until 8pm.