Alumni Association Potluck & 15.4 miles Roller Coaster hike

 

I took a meetup hike today Roller Coaster: Rt 7 Snickers Gap parking lot south out and back for total 18 miles, but I turned around early so only hiked 15.4 miles with ~ 4600 feet elevation gain. I turned back early so I had time to take photos and a lunch break without delaying the group. It was cool and windy today, yet stayed dry until I got back to town. I skipped running because it was raining and dark when I got home. I was swamped with work on Monday, so I run 4.6 miles in cool wind on Thursday to meet the 20 hike/run miles goal.

I still felt sluggish from yesterday Tsing Hua Alumni Association 華府新竹清華校友會 Thanksgiving Potluck 感恩節暨迎新活動 which was fun.

Capital One Hall Turkish rock band maNga

 

I ushered tonight at the Capital One Hall in Tysons for a popular Turkish rock band maNga. Their most popular song has 80M views on Youtube. The vocal was powerful, the music was great, and the lead singer engaged the crowd to sing and dance with him. Although there was only one song in English, I can still appreciate the other songs without understanding the lyrics. I worked on balcony tonight, and felt the balcony moved as the crowd jumped with the singer. I will usher more international performances at Capital One Hall.

I made the right decision to metro in instead of driving in, so as to avoid the shopping traffic in Tysons. I had no choice but to wear large uniform vest that made me looked fat : (

Reston Town Center Christmas tree

 I jogged by Reston Town Center and saw the Christmas tree (to be lighted up 6 pm), costumed characters, live band, and holiday carriage rides.

Thanksgiving Feast

 Happy Thanksgiving with a big feast! Lots of exercises to burn off the food later : (

herbal chicken

 I cooked herbal chicken tonight and used Taiwan cooking rice wine. To my surprise, the rice wine made in 2014 has no expiration day and no salt either. I seep a little rice wine directly and it tastes like Japanese sake. 台灣菸酒公司也有做過聲明，表示「紅標料理米酒」屬料理米酒，未添加食鹽，與公賣局時期之「紅標米酒」成分相同，皆為5 成米糧蒸餾酒及5 成精製食用酒精調和而成，適合用於料理之酒.”

14-mile hkle Shenandoah Nation park

 

I signed up a meetup hike in Shenandoah Nation park for 14.5 miles with 2700 feet elevation gain. It was in 40s f due to wind chills. Also, the car shuttle and slower hikers took about 1.5 hours waiting around in the cold. I will try to avoid shuttle hikes and slow paced hikes.

As the hike started late and I got back already dark, so I ran 5.5 miles on Sunday to complete my 20 hike/run miles weekend goal.

Little Devil Stairs 14-mile hike

 

After last night big hotpot dinner at one friend’s house, I felt sluggish for today’s hike. Yet I still finished the hike on Little Devil Stairs for 14 miles with 3100 feet elevation gain. It was in 30sf this morning then turned 50sf. There was ice left on the side of the trails from last night.

As usual, we stopped by the winery after hike. After grocery shopping, it was dark already but I ran 6 miles anyway, to complete my 20 hike/run miles weekend goal.