I walked two miles out and two miles back on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail this morning, between mile markers 36.5 and 38.5, averaging 13:25 per mile. Only six miles and change to go, and I will have covered the complete length of the trail.

The trail peaks at an elevation of 610 feet in this part of Loudoun County at Clarke's Gap, where route 9 peels off for Charles Town, W. Va. The trail climbs the shoulder of a ridge along with Dry Mill Road, which turns out to be designated a Virginia Byway. These days, in this part of the Commonwealth, that means a two-lane highway that runs past housing subdivisions that were farms three years ago. Dry Mill Road provides access to the still quite active county fairgrounds.

posted: 2:12:29 PM