2025 Restie Awards Ceremony

 

I attended 2025 Restie Awards Ceremony this Sunday for winners of best play, actor, actress, etc. of this year’s productions by Reston Community Players. I ushered most of their plays at the Center Stage in Reston Community Center. The theme today was Disco brunch so a few people dressed bell bottoms and wore platform boots.

I didn’t hike this week, but logged in 24.77 miles run.

Weekday Ducky Ridge hike to avoid heat

 

Since this weekend will be in the 90sf, I hiked with a friend to the Ducky Ridge for 12 miles with 2200 feet elevation gain. It was in the 70s under the shades, and not as humid as last weekend, so I felt pretty good hiking on this federal holiday.

I just ran 5 miles Saturday morning in the 70f, plus weekend run and hike, I logged in 20.3 hike/run miles this week.

Hike Sugarloaf Mt in Maryland

 

I joined friends to hike Sugarloaf Mt in Maryland where I hiked more than 20 years ago. It was in 70sf but foggy and humid so I struggled to sweat. We did not get the views I saw online . I posted the entrance photo which opens at 8 am. In the early 20th century, Chicago businessman Gordon Strong bought land around Sugarloaf Mountain. In 1925, he commissioned architect Frank Lloyd Wright to design an automobile destination for the summit, but it was never built. President Franklin D. Roosevelt considered the mountain for his retreat but chose the nearby Catoctin site (now Camp David) after Strong's suggestion. In 1947, Strong established a trust to maintain trails and facilities. The mountain remains open to the public but is privately owned by Stronghold, Incorporated.

We started with a steep short climb on the sunrise trail to get warmed up, got up and down twice but did only 10 miles with about 2000 feet elevation gain. I felt very sluggish. It may be because that I spent the last three summers overseas (north EU, Africa, Russia/China), so I am not used to hot and humid hikes. Hope I will ease into summer hikes soon.

I rush home and signed up online to attend 250th Anniversary of the U.S. Army Grand celebration for the festival, then gave due to the forecast 200,000 crowd and rain. I checked Sunday news and saw not that many people showed up. I will plan ahead for USA 250th Birthday celebration on 7/4/2026.

Instead, I ran 4.7 miles after the hike. Plus 6.6 miles weekday run, I logged in 21.3 hike/run miles this week. I felt much better running in 80s f with lower humidity.

Hopkins on the Hill: Research Showcase

 I went in DC for two congressional receptions, including Hopkins on the Hill: Research Showcase.

1st Stage Play: THE PIANO LESSON

 

I ushered at 1st Stage Sunday afternoon for THE PIANO LESSON. It was three hours long and the play was interrupted by the heavy noisy thunderstorm for 20 minutes during which the theater treated the patrons with open bar and we were super busy.

"The Piano Lesson follows the lives of the Charles family in the Doaker Charles household and an heirloom, the family piano, which is decorated with designs carved by an enslaved ancestor. The play focuses on the arguments between a brother and a sister who have different ideas on what to do with the piano."

14-mile Appreciation Trail hike

 

I and a friend waited until the rain passed and started our hike around 9:50 am on Appreciation Trail heading north from Trumbo Hollow out and back for 14 miles with 2800 feet elevation gain. In the parking lot, there was a trail angel set up free drinks and food (“trail magic”) on a table for via hikers who started hiking North from Georgia. We saw several via hikers on the trail, and my friend chat with two of them who were talingva break near the stream. I wanted to take a photo of the trail angel but she was gone by the time we finished hike.

Plus 6.6 miles run on weekdays, I logged in 20.6 hike/run miles this week.

Reston Pride Festival 2025

 After the theater, I stopped by Reston Pride Festival 2025, to check out the event. I like this type of events for the colors and laid-back vibe. However, I haven't visited one for a long time, since most of them are on Saturdays (my hike days). Guess who I saw? A hiker who was selling his book there! You can find more info online about his book "Just Love Me for Who I Am: An Open Letter to Parents of Transgender Children".

Chicago the Musical

 

I went in Capital One Hall to usher for Chicago the Musical. The AC was so cold that some patrons asked me for blankets. LOL

In terms of the musical itself, I was a little disappointed by the over-simplified cartoon-like story line: Roxie Hart, a 1920s housewife, and Velma Kelly, a fading star, who were both accused of murder and hired Billy Flynn, a slick criminal lawyer to explore the corrupted media and justice system in Chicago.