K9 Trailblazers Dog Hiking Club
Second Annual K9Trailblazers Holiday Party
Saturday, December 14, 2002
Black Hill Regional Park
K9 Trailblazers Dog Hiking Club Where:
When:
Participation Limit:
Hike and Festivities Description:
(map)
What to Bring:
Rules:
Cancellation Policy:
Directions:
Contacts:
Our second annual K9Trailblazers Holiday Party will be at Black Hill Regional Park. Black Hill is located near Boyds, MD, north of Gaithersburg off of I-270. Directions are shown below. We will meet in Parking Lot 2 near Shelter "C".
For the exact time to meet at the trailhead, contact one of the hike organizers.
This hike will be limited to 20 people plus dogs.
The hike will be 1 loop of about 4 miles. We'll hike mostly on wooded
trails. Highlights will include an historical boundary marker for the William and Mary tract of land,
a swinging bridge and the site where a dogpark
will be completed by the end of the year. Our hike will continue past a boat launch
ramp, along road shoulders
and onto a paved section of trail leading to our picnic area.
This hike is rated "B." For more information on the rating system, click here.
Lunch: Bring your own lunch, and if you wish to bring something to share with the group, that’s nice but not necessary. We’ll provide hot cider and "festive gingerbread" for everyone, special treats for dogs and the traditional K9Trailblazer "chocolate in some form" for humans. If you plan to bring something, please let us know when you register.
Sing-a-long: After lunch, we’ll sing holiday songs and not-especially-holiday songs led by Ray Smith on guitar and YOU on Pat’s rhythm-band instruments! We’ll bring copies of some songs, but will not be limited to those. If you have a favorite song please make copies so we can sing with you but if we don’t have copies we’ll all do our best to sing anyway so don’t fret over it. If you can play an instrument, please bring it and play for us—no music critics are invited so don’t be shy!
Gift exchange (optional): If you wish to participate, bring a wrapped dog gift ($10 limit) and we’ll draw numbers out of a hat and take turns choosing gifts.
Black Hill Regional Park Trail Map
|
|
Follow this link for more information on the Black Hill Regional Park.
As usual, come prepared for the hike. This means appropriate footwear, a hat, and sufficient water for you and your dog (at least a quart for each of you). The weather is unpredictable this time of year, and mist or rain is also a possibility so be prepared for potential inclement weather. If you dress in layers, you will find it easier to adapt to changing conditions as you heat up while hiking and chill down when stopping for lunch or where the wind is blowing. The trails are rocky and steep in spots, so good hiking shoes are a must. Bring snacks for you and your dog. Bring lunch and if you wish to participate in the gift exchange, bring a wrapped dog gift ($10 limit.) You might also want to bring a blanket or extra jacket for sitting around during the post-hike festivities. If you can play an instrument, we’d be grateful if you bring it! If you know some good songs, we’d like to sing them with you so bring copies if you can.
Basically the main rules we have are that dogs need to stay on leash and under control, and that you scoop your poop. Please bring a 6-8' standard leash for your dog. With a large group, flexible leads can allow people and dogs to trip or tangle, resulting in rope burns or injuries.
We'll go rain, snow or sunshine unless there is severe or dangerous weather. If the weather is really rotten, those hardy folks who show up will decide how much time to devote to each activity-- Moving directly to lunch and gifts will be acceptable options, we can sing while we do that!
From DC area: Take the beltway to I-270 North toward Frederick. There will be a sign for Black Hill Regional Park at Exit (#18 ) which is MD Rt. 121. Follow Rt. 121 west to "West Old Baltimore Rd." where you will see another sign for Black Hill Regional Park. Turn left and continue on "West Old Baltimore Rd." to the park entrance on the right. (If you go under the freeway overpass you went too far.) Follow Lake Ridge Drive to Shelter "C" at Parking Lot 2.
From Baltimore area: Take I 70 from the Baltimore Beltway to I-270 South. Exit at Rt. 121 and follow the directions above.
| Black Hill Regional Park | Boyds, MD 20841 |
| Click on image for interactive map from MapQuest | |
To register for the second annual K9Trailblazers Holiday Party and to get the details on meeting time, or for anything else about this hike or the hiking club in general, please contact Pat Fuhrer or Jeff Bolognese
