Sledding

The whole trip will be about 32 miles (10/16/6) but if we all vote to hike farther, we can do 40 mile version instead (10/16/14). Here is the itinerary: We will meet at 3 pm on Thursday at Grosvenor-Strathmore metro parking area (https://maps.app.goo.gl/RfWpd3f8LSg1dM9w7). Then we will drive to Whisky Spring Parking area (32 mile-version) or York Rd (PA Rte 74)(40 miles version) depending on how far we want to hike the last day. Then we will shuttle back to our starting point at Caledonia State park (https://maps.app.goo.gl/wkq6VTMwKHsDgS1s5). Then we will hike 10 miles to Birch Run Shelter. Friday : We will hike to James Fry at Tagg Run Shelter 16 miles Saturday: Hike out to either Whisky Spring Parking area - 6 miles or York Rd (PA Rte 74) 1127- 14 miles I need to be back by 2 pm on Saturday so if we vote to do 14 miles, we will have to start hiking out early (\~6 am). This trip is for member only since I am still learning how to organize a trip. You can learn about membership ranks [here](https://dculbackpacking.com/about/membership/). Read about DCUL's trip ranks [here](https://dculbackpacking.com/about/tripranks/). **Waiver**: By RSVPing to this trip or any other DC UL trip, you agree to these guidelines and to DC UL's waiver liability terms ([https://dculbackpacking.com/about/liability-waiver/](https://dculbackpacking.com/about/liability-waiver/)) **Carpool**: As per our carpool policy, riders should pay drivers $0.10/mile. Total driving distance is around 220 miles, so all non-drivers should expect to pay $22 or so to their driver.

I've got a three-day weekend for Juneteenth and I really want to hike the Loyalsock trail. Never been and I love PA in June. Please join me!! **Plan** This is a long drive with a shuttle at the end, so I'd like to meet at Grosvenor around 3pm. We'll drive up to Williamsport and leave a car at the western terminus, then drive another 45 minutes or so to the other end and hike westward, finishing Sunday morning. The splits will be 6/24/21/6 (with lots of elevation change!) and we'll need at least 3 vehicles. **Resources** Loyalsock SF Map: https://bit.ly/3DUvtgo CalTopo: https://caltopo.com/m/N3MMD Weather: https://bit.ly/45rpY4I Driving Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/NiZzvC2DEkbJ8Q4T6 **Disclaimers** * Liability Waiver: *By RSVPing to this trip or any other DC UL trip, you agree to these guidelines and to DC UL's waiver liability terms: https://dculbackpacking.com/about/liability-waiver/* * COVID-19 Policy: *https://dculbackpacking.com/about/covid-19-guidelines/* * Dues: *Members and above, don't forget to pay your annual dues. You can check if you need to pay dues by seeing if the current year is listed next to your name in your DC UL profile. Applicants do not need to pay dues for their first trip. To pay your dues via PayPal, use this link: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JenniferAdach/15 ($10 annual dues plus a $5 suggested donation to City Kids Wilderness Project.)* * Carpool: *As per our carpool policy, riders should pay drivers $0.10/mile.*

📚 Do you love reading, but wish you had a structure and a community to share your insights with? Join our small circle of curious minds (just 4 members per gathering) as we come together for an hour of focused reading—in the calm setting of a library or the cozy atmosphere of a café. Here’s how it works: First part: Quiet reading on your own—bring a book you’re exploring, whether it’s philosophy, history, psychology, literature, or anything meaningful to you. Second part: We regroup and each person shares key takeaways, insights, or questions sparked by their reading. This sparks a structured yet free-flowing conversation around ideas, perspectives, and personal reflections. Why join? Add structure to your reading habit. Discover new books, authors, and ideas through others’ choices. Build real connections by sharing and listening deeply. Socialize around something meaningful instead of small talk.

Join Susan at Ledo Pizza & Pub (Bowie Rt 197) for some last-minute weekday evening gaming. The main game will be Harmonies starting by 7:15. This will be a teaching game, so it's okay if you haven't played it before. Harmonies is a great weekday game: it plays in about an hour and has a nice level of thinky-ness without a lot of rules overhead. If you're familiar with Azul and/or Cascadia, it's kind of like those two games had a baby. **If you'd like to order dinner, please arrive by 6:30** to have time to order and eat before we start playing. (If you need to come a little later, you can message me your order ahead of time and I'll put it in with our server for you.) I'll bring some quick games so we'll have the option to play something while we're waiting for food, but I find it's often nice to just chat and be social for a bit. **If you'll only be getting a drink or ordering takeout for later, please arrive by 7.** **Location:** Ledo Pizza & Pub is a full-service restaurant with a casual atmosphere. There's also a full bar. Everyone is expected to order something, even if it's just a soda: we want to support the business and make sure we're welcome back! I'm limiting RSVPs to one table tonight; I'm in the mood to actually play and not just host. :-) The dining area is self-seating. Please walk in and look for the board game boxes and the Bowie Board Game Group table sign.

**Note 630 start time.** Loop around Lake Accotink. **Meet at Lake Accotink Park carousel parking area.** Trail is fairly flat, paved and gravel, easy, brisk walking. A few steep sections Views of Lake Accotink About 4 miles. We will leave promptly at **630 pm**, please arrive early so you are ready. We walk briskly, not this is not an evening stroll. There are rest rooms at the meeting spot. Make sure to bring water. We will meet at the traffic circle near the carousel. Goggle maps calls it Lake Accotink Park. You can park at the Hemming Ave lot, or under the railway bridge. the lot at the carousel is small and usually full.

Join us for MORE Women's MTB Ride at the Cabin John Trails in Potomac, MD. Beginner-level riders are welcome and encouraged to join in the fun! A mountain bike in good condition and helmet are required. **Sign up at Golden Volunteer here:** [https://x.gldn.io/e/jgkrtQUn21b](https://x.gldn.io/e/jgkrtQUn21b) ***Please do not sign up on Meetup! If you do, you won't be alerted if the ride is cancelled!*** **Meet** at 6:00 PM with wheels down at 6:10 PM. We will not ride if the trails are wet or muddy. Check your email from Golden Volunteer in case the ride is cancelled due to weather/trail conditions. **Description** \- The event is open for women age 18\+\. You must sign a waiver on the Golden Volunteer link\, wear a helmet\, and be able to comfortably ride your mountain bike\. We expect to ride about 4\-5 miles on single track natural surface trails\. Bring your mountain bike\, helmet\, and drinking water\. This ride is **not suitable for hybrid bikes**! As space is limited, please update your RSVP if you cannot attend. **And support your trails and join MORE! www.more-mtb.org** **Where** – Meet at the parking lot for the Cabin John Group Picnic Area at 7701 Tuckerman Lane, Potomac, MD. Follow Google Maps at: https://goo.gl/maps/aumXoQnD2qAp3iNp9

Join us as The Washington Area Roadskaters lead you on a different adventure every week, skating through and around our Nation's Capital! Skate description will be placed here as the route is published. For up to the minute details, check Facebook and Instagram. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/WashingtonAreaRoadskaters/events Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weareskatedc/ We hope to see you Sunday!

📚 Do you love reading, but wish you had a structure and a community to share your insights with? Join our small circle of curious minds (just 4 members per gathering) as we come together for an hour of focused reading—in the calm setting of a library or the cozy atmosphere of a café. Here’s how it works: First part: Quiet reading on your own—bring a book you’re exploring, whether it’s philosophy, history, psychology, literature, or anything meaningful to you. Second part: We regroup and each person shares key takeaways, insights, or questions sparked by their reading. This sparks a structured yet free-flowing conversation around ideas, perspectives, and personal reflections. Why join? Add structure to your reading habit. Discover new books, authors, and ideas through others’ choices. Build real connections by sharing and listening deeply. Socialize around something meaningful instead of small talk.

Bring your lights for the “Friday Night” Skate! **Join us for the Friday Night Skate!** See the monuments of DC all lit up at night! We will meet at the National World War I Memorial “Pershing Park” at 7pm. We’ll warm up with a nice easy skate to the Capital and skate along the mall and museums to the National Monument. We will then head to the Lincoln Memorial through the World War II Memorial. Those interested in just a 5.5 mile skate can backtrack to Pershing Park. The group will then proceed from the Lincoln to Haynes Point via Ohio Drive with the option to take the 3 mile loop (12 mile total skate) or sit by the water and enjoy the crisp air (8.5 mile total skate.) There are three options to loop back to the Pershing Park WWI Memorial and our path back will depend on the preferences / skill of the group. The skate is mostly flat on good pavement with a small slope coming down from the Washington Monument and a 40 yard small slop from the Lincoln to Ohio Drive. If skaters are more advanced we will cross the 14th St bridge, enjoy a few up and down hills and finish with a downhill through the 12th St. tunnel. Please feel free to jazz it up with lights, I wear a helmet bike light, a fun set of lights and lighted wheels! Wear your lights so you have fun, can see and be seen! In case of bad weather, I will cancel the skate by 6pm on this post. **Of course, all skating is at your own risk.**

Title: What Is Progress? Knowledge Aggregation, Living Textbooks, and the Automation of Scientific Discovery Date: June 20 2026 Noon - 14:00 EDT Summary: Our collective knowledge infrastructure — the textbooks, professional training resources, and literature syntheses that define what professionals across disciplines believe to be true — is quietly accruing a structural liability. Compounded confirmation bias, stacked citation-by-citation into the foundations of formal knowledge, means that breakthroughs can take decades to reach the classrooms, clinical workflows, and decision-making frameworks where they matter most. Meanwhile, the deepest friction is rarely acknowledged: before any field can build meaningful consensus on "why" or "how" a phenomenon occurs, it must first establish honest, consolidated agreement on "what" has actually been observed. That prior step is routinely skipped, assumed, or fragmented across siloed literatures that never cross-pollinate. This talk introduces a framework called "Knowledge Aggregation" — with two distinct but complementary ambitions. The first is descriptive transparency: algorithmically mapping what has been said, measured, and documented across a problem space, without imposing causal interpretation or narrative. The second traces the boundary between empirical observation and explanatory claim, building systems that can separate the "what" from the "why/how" — because consensus on mechanism cannot be meaningfully constructed until consensus on phenomenon is first established. Both ambitions are now within reach. By composing tools already at our disposal — large language models, classical NLP pipelines, public data repositories, and engineering-grade automation frameworks — it becomes possible to model knowledge itself, rather than merely imitate individual experts. One concrete expression of this is automating the writing of living textbooks: compressing the lag from bleeding-edge discovery, through replicated evidence, all the way to professional training resources. But the deeper aspiration reaches further — toward automating the discovery of scientific insights that have never previously been conceived, by systematically surfacing hypothesis combinations that no single siloed researcher would have had the cross-disciplinary vantage point to even ask. Drawing on ongoing systems biology and computational research — with ME/CFS research demoed as a use case for what siloed, fragmented knowledge infrastructure costs in practice — this talk maps the conceptual architecture, the real-world friction, and the data science toolkit for building it. Speaker: As a systems biologist at heart, Sam specializes his biomedical research on interactions and connections in biology - rather than just one domain of expertise. He wears many hats and collects skill sets across disciplines, with degree studies and industry experience acquired across Chemical Engineering (BSc), Bioinformatics (MSc), Systems and Synthetic Biology (M2), Biomedical Sciences (MSc), and beyond. Even more important to him than niches or fields of work, comes down to the synergistic approaches that allow us to move beyond reductionism. The notion that a question can only allow for one answer, is inherently reductionist. By resisting many norms in science and engineering which can get overly reductive, his current role as Principal Investigator of Research for DMV Petri Dish (501(c)(3) non-profit local to the DMV region) embraces computational frameworks that aide scale-up and automation - not only around the processes which already exist with established workflows, but also taking a keen interest in attempting and accomplishing ambitions which have never been perceived to be possible previously. Sam carries a passion for the synergy of computational biology - fused with wet lab validation. This way, one can build a beautiful knowledge base in the theoretical sense, and then test to see if said computational prediction might actually be able to stand in the real world with wet lab validation. Translational modeling starts to become possible once biological experiment design can be iteratively looped alongside computational model design, optimization, and analysis - empowering the design of a better wet lab experiment, followed by a better computational model, back and forth until science is done!

Let's go for a hike at Lake Accotink Park! ❶ **What we'll do:** * Starting from the railroad trestle at the foot of the dam, we'll walk clockwise around the lake. The total distance is 4 miles and should take about an a hour and a half, so we should finish before noon. The trail is a mix of fine gravel and paved paths, with a short stretch on sidewalks halfway through the walk. There may be some patches of snow and ice and snow left from Winter Storm Fern. There are some inclines here and there, but overall it's pretty flat. * Google map: [http://tinyurl.com/zk8qo6n](http://tinyurl.com/zk8qo6n) ❷ **How to get there:** From I-95, take Old Keene Mill Road west. (If you are coming from Franconia, note that Franconia Road becomes Old Keene Mill Road in Springfield.) Turn right on Hanover Avenue and drive north about a mile. Turn left onto Highland Street and drive west about a quarter of a mile to a slight right turn onto Accotink Park Road. Follow Accotink Park Road and watch for the entrance to the park on the left; then follow the road through the woods to the parking lot by the railroad trestle at the foot of the dam. See [https://goo.gl/maps/UodjwqQx1MH2](https://goo.gl/maps/UodjwqQx1MH2) ❸ **What to bring:** Water, comfy shoes with some tread on them, and your furry friend if desired (leashes please). ❹ **Weather:** The forecast is partly cloudy and a high of 86F, with light W winds and a 10% chance of showers. Updates: [https://tinyurl.com/y6o9tgqq](https://tinyurl.com/y6o9tgqq) ❺ **Advisory:** As a reminder, this is an adult group, and you are ultimately responsible for your own safety and well-being during events. No one under 18 years of age is allowed at this event, either as members or as guests, to include babies in carriers and/or strollers. ❻ **Administrative stuff:** There are public restrooms and drinking fountains near the park marina. ❼ **Notes:** * Lake Accotink Park, 7500 Accotink Park Rd, Springfield, VA 22150, 703-569-3464. [http://tinyurl.com/d928nn9](http://tinyurl.com/d928nn9) * Park trails: [https://tinyurl.com/y7mn8h3r](https://tinyurl.com/y7mn8h3r)

Join Sarah and Willow for a walk at the Arboretum! We will meet at the Visitor Center Parking at 9:00am and plan to go for an hour or so depending on how hot it is. We will mainly do the trails in the woods, with some short stretches in full sun. We will do a big loop to end up back at the Capital Columns. Time: 9:00am - 10:30ish. Plan on getting there a little early so we can be ready to go on time. Location: Visitor Center Parking lot by R street entrance What to expect: This walk will be on leash. Don't forget to bring water for you and your dog. The walking surface will be a mix of paved road and grass/dirt. More info and directions here: https://usna.usda.gov/visit/hours-and-directions/

**Important Note: Everyone who registers will initially be placed on the waitlist. I will reach out to participants, in the order of sign up, with further information on how to pay the trip deposit. Once the deposit is received, your status will be updated to Going.** Join us for a weekend adventure as we explore America’s newest National Park and raft the iconic New River Gorge! We’ll depart mid-morning on Friday, June 19 and make our way to the outfitter’s campus near Fayetteville, West Virginia. Along the way, we’ll stop at Virginia's newest tourist attraction - Buc-ee’s - and enjoy the scenery as we cross from the Virginia highlands into West Virginia. On Saturday, we’ll spend the day rafting the Lower New River, a classic Class III–V rafting stretch known for its big waves, warm water, and stunning scenery through the New River Gorge. This guided trip typically lasts 5–6 hours and includes periods of intense paddling, calm pools for swimming and a riverside lunch break. *Participants should be comfortable in moving water, able to paddle vigorously as part of a team and capable of sitting on the raft’s outer tubes for extended periods. Good mobility, balance and the ability to climb back into the raft if needed are important. This trip is recommended for individuals in good physical condition who can handle moderate to strenuous activity throughout the day.* The evening will be free to explore the amenities, relax or enjoy the on-site dining options. On Sunday, we’ll check out and head to the Canyon Rim Visitor Center and partake in a short scenic walk into the Gorge—an excellent opportunity for photos of the famous arch bridge and panoramic views—before returning home. Note that the walk to the lower observation deck involves descending 178 steps. We expect to arrive back in the metro area early Sunday evening. **Transportation** Carpooling details will be worked out among participants and a meeting/departure location will be set; drivers will receive a reimbursement. In the event we don't have enough drivers, we will utilize rental vehicles. **Lodging & Sleeping Arrangements** Once we arrive at the outfitter's base camp on Friday, we’ll check into their historic Truman Lodge, which features a full kitchen, porch and hot tub and is conveniently located within walking distance of their water park, restaurants, bar and rafting check-in. Sleeping arrangements will be coordinated among participants; options include queen-sized beds, a futon, roll-aways, and foam mattresses in the sleeping loft. **Meals** Lunch on Saturday is included with the rafting trip but all other meals will be on your own; group coordination will be encouraged. We’ll make a lunch stop on both the trip down and the return trip. The outfitter has two restaurants on site and the cabin has a kitchen; we’ll bring a cooler and make a brief stop for groceries on the way down. **Trip Costs** The total estimated trip cost is $325-375. This includes transportation, lodging, rafting (includes lunch) and the Adventuring trip fee. **Important Registration Information** Participation is limited to individuals who have participated in least three prior Adventuring events. Everyone who registers will initially be placed on the waitlist. Participants will be contacted in the order they signed up in order to submit a **$200 deposit** which is needed to secure your rafting spot. You will have **one week to respond** before your spot is offered to the next person on the list. The balance payment will be due by no later than June 1. If you must cancel, your deposit and any other fees paid will be refunded in full only if your spot is filled. **Maximum group size: 10 participants.** Please [click here](https://adventuringlgbtq.com/Adventuring_Release_Form.pdf) to review our release form. When you RSVP to an event, you affirm that you have read and agree to the terms of the release.

# 🎈 Meet Someone New: Toledo Speed Dating on Zoom _An evening of face-to-face Zoom rounds, Toledo singles your speed, and your matches landing in your inbox by morning._ **How it all works:** 1. Sign up and answer a few quick personality questions 2. Hop onto Zoom right as we kick off 3. Chat one-on-one through guided rounds 4. Wake up to your mutual matches in your inbox --- **Pick your group below and you're in:** 💘 **Ages 18-32** → [Grab your spot](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=574&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Toledo&groupurlname=cityscape-navigators-park-orienteering-team&ar=18-32&face_v=9.0) 💘 **Ages 30-46** → [Grab your spot](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=574&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Toledo&groupurlname=cityscape-navigators-park-orienteering-team&ar=30-46&face_v=9.0) 💘 **Ages 40-58** → [Grab your spot](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=574&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Toledo&groupurlname=cityscape-navigators-park-orienteering-team&ar=40-58&face_v=9.0) 💘 **Ages 55+** → [Grab your spot](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=574&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Toledo&groupurlname=cityscape-navigators-park-orienteering-team&ar=55+&face_v=9.0) > ⚠️ One thing: hitting RSVP here doesn't reserve anything. You're only in once you register through your age link and finish the quiz — and seats are limited. **Show up curious — the rest is on us. 💕**

Short North Street Skates return Saturday, April 4 and we’re excited to get back rolling together. These weekly rollouts are a chance to move through the city as a group, build community, and create more visibility for skating and small-wheeled movement in Columbus. Details: Meet: 1160 N High St 9:30 AM meet 10:00 AM rollout All wheels welcome We’ll be skating through the Short North and surrounding areas at a steady, social pace. Routes will use a mix of streets and bike lanes, so comfort navigating the city is helpful, but you don’t need to be an expert. If you’ve been meaning to come out, this is a great place to start. Come solo or bring a friend!

Sleep, Rest & Connection: Building Our Community Together Join us for the next gathering of The Pause Collective — a supportive meetup for neurodivergent women navigating perimenopause, menopause, burnout, overwhelm, and life transitions. Since many of us haven't yet had the opportunity to meet, we'll begin by getting to know one another and sharing what brought us to this community. We'll also explore one of the most common challenges many women experience during this season of life: sleep. Whether you're navigating insomnia, waking up in the middle of the night, racing thoughts, night sweats, exhaustion, burnout, or simply not feeling rested, you're not alone. This will be a relaxed, low-pressure coffee shop meetup focused on connection and conversation. No need to prepare anything. No pressure to share. Come as you are. Together we'll: • Introduce ourselves and get to know one another • Share what brought us to The Pause Collective • Discuss sleep, rest, and energy during perimenopause and menopause • Exchange ideas, experiences, and support • Explore what topics we'd like to discuss in future gatherings • Continue building the kind of community we'd like to create together This space is neurodivergent-affirming, self-diagnosis-friendly, and supportive of different communication styles and energy levels. Quiet participation is welcome. Listening is participating. Whether you're looking for support, learning, friendship, or simply a place where you don't have to explain yourself, you are welcome here. I look forward to meeting you. — Dawn