1st Stage theater 2021 Benefit outdoor performance

 I volunteered at 1st Stage theater 2021 Benefit outdoor performance featuring a concert reading of A New Brain on Sunday in 90f. It was HOT, but we survived the crunch time - to set up chairs and water stations, to get everyone checked in with the correct food. Then I focused on my main role as a bartender to encourage attendees to consume drinks throughout the performance, while enjoying the performance from the bar. My first outdoor concert after COVID.

Appalachian Trail between Panorama and Pinnacles

 

I hiked on the Appalachian Trail between Panorama and Pinnacles Picnic Area again with a meetup group today for 12.5 miles with 3000 feet elevation gain in 80f and felt like high 70s for the breeze. It was foggy at the beginning of the hike then the sun burned off the fog. Very present hiking weather in summer. But surprisingly not as many people on the trail today. One hiker spotted some eatable wild mushrooms that was to far off the trail and looked dry to pick home. 

 

It was too hot to run after the hike in Saturday afternoon so I ran 7.6 miles Sunday early morning to meet my 20 hike/run miles goal.

playing with a python after hike

 I hiked with a meetup group today from Elkwallow, over Knob Mountain and Neighbor Mountain and back for 16 miles with 3800 feet elevation gain in 80f (but felt more like 75f with breezes). I tasted some wild blue berries (should ripe in 2 weeks). I was tired from the hike, but still managed to run 4 miles back in Reston to meet my 20 hike/run miles weekend goal. BTW, I played with a real python belongs to a guest of WAWA Warrenton.

Dinner party at one friend’s house

 Dinner party at one friend’s house. They prepared a lot of food, including smoked chicken wings (煙熏雞翅), beef noodles (干炒牛河), Singaporean curry seafood noodles (星洲炒米粉), Peking docks (北京烤鸭), fruit favored beers (果汁啤酒）, desserts, etc. I took home some rice dumplings (粽子).

Big Schloss & Birthday party

 I hiked with friends to Big Schloss for 12.6 miles/ 2300 ft. elevation gain in the George Washington National Forest today. The weather was foggy & cool then sunny, and the trails were muddy after 2-day rain. A lot of wild flowers on the trail. We also had a surprise birthday party at the end of hike for Andre. I ran 7.4 miles back in Reston before dark to meet my weekend 20 hike/run miles goal. What a nice day!

graduation from 6th grade

 I had dinner with friends to celebrate her daughter’s graduation from 6th grade.

hike photo taken by Polaroid camera

 

I hiked Saturday with friends from Cedar Run - Hawksbill Peak - Whiteoak Canyon for 10.5 miles with 3100 feet elevation gain in the Shenandoah National Park. We started early enough to finish the peak before 90+f temperature kicked in. When on the peak, we helped two girls took their photos, and they kindly reciprocated using our phone as well as their Polaroid camera (see the photos side-by-side). There were many people soaked in the water holes on the trails. My friends kindly shared cold watermelon, drinks, and cookies at the end of hike. 

 

I got up 6:30 am on Sunday morning to run 9.5 miles on the nearby high school track.

Memorial Day biking

 Biked 25 miles on W&OD trail 1st time this year on Memorial Day.