Inte'l Children's Festival Gala & Arts on Foot Festival

Friday, evening, I attended the International Children's Festival Gala at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner. The reception began at 7 p.m. followed by a special international dinner and show at 8 p.m. which features entertainment throughout the evening by the international student performing groups from India, Mexico, Nigeria and Georgia, dressed in elaborate and colorful costume.

Beside the excellent performance, before staring each appetizer, entree and dessert serving sections, the youth dancers announced the names of the food both in English and the native language. http://www.artsfairfax.org



I walked in downtown DC whole day Saturday to enjoy Arts on Foot Festival with Penn Quarter's music, theater and dance groups show off all they have to offer in this annual festival. Painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media from 75 artists were available at the Art Market, house specialties from local restaurants like Butterfield 9, Chef Geoff's and The Capital Grille were available for sampling at $1. I also attended 1-hr impromptu acting class. http://www.artsonfoot.org/map.htm



Accidentally, I saw many tour buses parked around the MCI center and then picked up free tickets for Spirit of America, a live-action musical performance “that brings America's history to life” and enjoyed the show Saturday evening. I am glad that I enjoyed the show paid by my tax $.
http://spiritofamerica.mdw.army.mil/

Big Schloss after Crab Feast

I hiked Sunday to see Big Schloss (“castle” in Germany) in GWNF. A 12 mile circuit hike to one of the most picturesque overlooks and one of the most unusual rock formations in the area. We climbed up the Stony Creek trail until we reach the top of the ridge, and then proceeded along the Tuscarora, Mill Mountain, and Big Schloss Cutoff Trails to the overlook. Elevation change of 2256 feet.

A good hike to burn the 20 crabs (small this year), 4 corns, and 4 ice creams I had on Saturday during the Great Falls Fire House funding-raising Crab Feast.

Labor Day weekend

Humpback Rocks on Blue Ridge Parkway has a self-guiding trail through a reconstructed mountain farmstead. A hiking trail from the parking area (at mile 6.1) leads 0.75 mile to "The Rocks", whose humped appearance gives the area its name. http://www.thebackpacker.com/trails/va/trail_792.php


Crabtree Falls In a mountain gorge in western Nelson County is Crabtree Falls, consisting of five tiers of major falls and several smaller ones. Crabtree Falls plummets 1,200 feet down the northern flank of a 4,063-foot-high mountain called The Priest. The icy waters of the falls are in the headwaters of the Tye River, which gained notoriety in the devastating flooding rains of Hurricane Camille in 1969. The Tye River nearly moved the little community of Massies Mill on VA 56 off the map. Then the trail winds through hemlocks and past an old family graveyard. It's an easy 10-minute walk to the first of five major cascades. From there, the hiker climbs 1.7 miles up a steep trail with switchbacks. Moist air from the falls makes ideal habitat for several varieties of ferns, mosses, and wildflowers. Along the way, viewing platforms with benches enable hikers to catch their breath while enjoying views of the cascades, and children like to investigate the small cave on the trail. At the top, the trail continues 1.2 miles farther along Crabtree Creek to Crabtree Meadows parking lot on VA 826 (Crabtree Farm Road).

St. Mary's Trail. The path leads up a scenic narrowing gorge toward St. Mary's Falls. After a stream crossing and .5-mile short of St. St. Mary's Falls Trail continues along the main stream and dead-ends at a double waterfall at the base of steep rock cliffs.
• Degree of difficulty: Moderate to falls (on .5-mile spur off St. Mary's Trail), with stream crossing that can be difficult in wet seasons or in icy conditions.
• Surface: Natural forest floor, rocky sections, stream crossing.

Only had time to walk around Charlottesville downtown a little bit. There are a lot more to see next time according the city profile.
http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=25368


Hiked Jeremy's Run Trail, a relaxing 5-mile walk up the creek valley. There are several crossings along the way. The severity depends on the time of the year and the amount of recent precipitation.
http://www.midatlantichikes.com/id82.html