W&OD training hike

I finally had the chance to join the Sierra Club for a training hike for the upcoming One Day Hike. This one was on the W&OD trail, starting in Ashburn and going as far west as one pleased up to Purcellville, then back. For me that was 20 miles, 10 each way.

The W&OD is best known as a bike path, with its suburban eastern end and more green western end. The section we did was mostly a thin green corridor. At first, there were high-tension power lines overhead, as I know from experience there also are at the far eastern end. Eventually, the trail diverges from them. It passes through Leesburg, then heads into the countryside.

Since it's a paved greenway, well, it's hard in one very literal sense. Gravel bridle trails run parallel to much of it, and I preferred those on the way back. But the trail is flat, so it's easy in that sense. Still, the miles do add up.

I could see myself doing the final leg to Purcellville some day, but it wasn't an interesting enough trail to redo this section.