Urban Sketching

A few years back, Amazon created a new TV show about the Tom Clancy character Jack Ryan. Somewhat infamously, [Jack Ryan's Morning Commute](https://dcist.com/story/18/09/04/jack-ryans-commute-to-work-makes-ab/) makes no sense. So this walk is inspired by the route he should've taken Part 1 (9.5 miles) - https://maps.app.goo.gl/2pmXJaixbXQxnvfv8 1\. Foggy Bottom metro 2\. Potomac Boat club 3\. Chain Bridge 4\. Potomac Heritage Trail 5\. Turkey Run Trailhead Part 2 (\~2 miles) 6\. Turkey Run Trail \- https://www\.trailforks\.com/trails/turkey\-run\-trail\-759628/ 7\. Langley Fork Trail \- https://www\.trailforks\.com/trails/langley\-fork\-trail/ Part 3 (4 miles) - [https://maps.app.goo.gl/4n54jMK1q2xbefix5](https://maps.app.goo.gl/4n54jMK1q2xbefix5) 8\. McLean Metro **Millage:** \~16.0 miles **Start Location:** Foggy Bottom Metro Station **End Location:** McLean Metro Station **Time:** 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM **Terrain:** This will be have a solid amount of uphill (\~700 feet) elevation gain) with a mix of paved, gravel, and trail surfaces

Let's meet under the Hirshhorn Museum! There are benches or places to sit, and plenty of shade. The architecture is interesting and there's plenty to draw there. There's a tulip event happening and though there's a fee to get in, chances are good that we'll be able to see them from outside of the barrier. You can find Christopher in one of the chairs with a meetup sign. By Gunnar Klack - Hirshhorn Museum, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=84222994

**\*TO ATTEND GET TICKET At** [https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13306#tix](https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13306#tix) (Multiple Meetup groups are co-organizing so the RSVP's shown are just a very small portion attending. We'll have at least 20 registered.) Our last online Bingo Night Party was such a BIG hit, we're doing it again! Do you like to play BINGO or want to just do something different?! Then you will LOVE this event! Here is your opportunity to have some fun playing our Live "Bingo" game. You will also get to socialize and make other friends from the comfort of your home. Prizes included Amazon gift cards, free future events and more! This completely online event will be LIVE and you will be able to see and hear the other participants while playing. You will either need to print or draw out your bingo cards. We will email you with how to get it after registering. You can have more than 1 person on your team as long as they're from your house and use same device. Friends/family around the country can also play. They would just need to also register for a ticket. This event will be held on Zoom which you would access through your computer/webcam, or via your phone/tablet. On day of the event, you will get a secured Zoom link and link to print out Bingo cards. \*RSVPS ON HERE ARE NOT REFLECTIVE OF ACTUAL ATTENDANCE as this is a multi group event. Cost: $15-$20 depending on how early you register. **\*TO ATTEND GET TICKET AT -** [https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13306#tix](https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13306#tix) To find more fun events: Follow: [https://www.eventbrite.com/o/new-york-city-social-events-10797526283](https://www.eventbrite.com/o/new-york-city-social-events-10797526283) Join: [https://www.meetup.com/NYC-Social/](https://www.meetup.com/NYC-Social/) Click: [https://dljparty.ticketleap.com/](https://dljparty.ticketleap.com/)

**NOTE: AN RSVP ON MEETUP DOES NOT SERVE AS A BOOKED SPOT. YOU MUST BOOK VIA LINK BELOW TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT.** **You must book your spot through our website: [[Booking Link Here](https://www.lesbifriendstravel.com/events/clay-and-connection-pottery)]** Spin your creativity and your connections into something unforgettable. We are teaming up with Moonlight Studios again to guide you through an afternoon of hands-on pottery wheel play, laughter, and community connection. Cheer on your Lesbifriends as you rotate through small-group turns at the wheel. This isn’t just a pottery class; it’s a relaxed, social gathering where creativity flows freely. No perfection, no pressure, just the joy of trying something new in a warm and welcoming space. Come with a friend or come solo; you’ll be embraced either way. **Event Details You Should Know:** 📅 **Date:** Sunday, March 15, 2026 ⏰ **Time:** 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM 📍 **Location:** Moonlight Studios in Beltsville, MD 💸 **Cost:** $70 Experience \+ Keep Your Piece \(includes glazing\, kiln firing\, and pickup\) \| $15 Ship Your Finished Piece Add\-On **What to Expect:** 🎨 **Spin & Shape** – Hands-on pottery wheel experience with guidance from expert instructors 😃 **Socialize** – Fun icebreakers and great conversation between wheel turns 🌟 **A Day to Remember** – A no-pressure, judgment-free evening to relax, laugh, and create **Who This Event Is For:** Black queer women and non-binary folks seeking a fun, creative, and community-focused night out. No pottery experience required! ✨ Lesbifriends Travel invites you to create art, feel joy, and be connected. Learn more details and claim your spot here: **[Clay & Connection](https://www.lesbifriendstravel.com/events/clay-and-connection-pottery)**! **Note:** By attending this event, you agree to being photographed. However, if communicated, we will try our best not to capture you in photos and post you publicly. That request must be communicated ahead of time/at the beginning of the event to photographer and host.

ike Turkey Run Park- Pho Lunch, VA Sunday March 8 With winter weather receding, this is a great way to fight cabin fever and head back outside with views of the Potomac. This is a 3 to 4 mile loop hike along the Potomac River just below the American Legion bridge off the GW parkway. The trail is mostly easy and flat, but there are some slightly rocky areas. Be aware that this time of year where segments along the river can be muddy and there are some rocky areas we must maneuver around. Bring a mascot! The park is dog-friendly, but must be on a leash. For more info and maps (see side links): [https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/turkeyrun.htm](https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/turkeyrun.htm) What to Bring: Good hiking shoes Water Meet: 9:00 am Where: Parking Lot C-1. (First parking lot when entering park. See map at link below for details) Park Trail Map: [https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/upload/Corrected-Turkey_Run_Park_Trail_Map_11242023_508c.pdf](https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/upload/Corrected-Turkey_Run_Park_Trail_Map_11242023_508c.pdf) Departure: 9:10 sharp. We should return to the parking lot no later than 11:15 am. For those interested, we can later head over to nearby Pho 75 (1721 Wilson Blvd) for a great hot pho - one of the best in the area. **Note: Cash Only!** **In the comments section please indicate if you need a ride. If you are coming by car and wouldn’t mind picking someone up at a convenient metro stop, please indicate how many people you can take. Hopefully we’ll have enough room for everyone. I can pick up three at the Braddock Road metro (yellow), located in Alexandria, VA. Or, I can pick up folks at Rosslyn metro (orange/blue). Carpoolers, please chip in generously for gas.** Note: This event is cross-posted with other Meetup groups.

New Start Time: We are moving the clock up! We now meet at 10:00 AM and roll at 10:10 AM. Meeting Spot: With Freedom Plaza still closed for renovation, we are meeting at the entrance to Pershing Park (World War I Memorial) at the corner of Pennsylvania Ave & 14th St NW. This 11-mile loop is a classic. We’ll head through Shaw and LeDroit Park before the big climb up to the Basilica. From there, it’s all about that long, rewarding descent down Rock Creek Church Road, cruising past MacMillan Reservoir and Howard. We’ll finish strong with a run down 17th Street right past the White House. Distance: \~11.2 miles Meet: 10:00 AM @ Pershing Park (14th & Penn) Roll: 10:10 AM The route: [https://onthegomap.com/s/67sa96kv](https://onthegomap.com/s/67sa96kv?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExTjVTVHJTUjUzQ25CTGdubnNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4L1KeWWG8ihcr8L2wv6cBFZXJfo6iso1eGQtrVeV7b2ZxD3-ba7tNKUL0zRg_aem_52rvF-gprHB5e1LwClZ2cA) See you this Sunday!! 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 soon!

[https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41342369](https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41342369) 17.8 miles paved; lunch @ 9.5 miles @ Fletcher's Boathouse. Bathroom at start, Peirce Mill, Fletcher's boathouse; Bethesda outdoor pool (port-a-potty). Arrival is 10:00. Cycling starts at 10:15. For this e-biking extravaganza we begin at the Nature Center in Rock Creek Park and e-bike down Beach Drive, which is closed to cars. After a short stop at the waterfall and Peirce Mill, we continue on the trail past the National Zoo, take the Zoo Loop, and follow the trail toward the Potomac. After an optional stop at the Georgetown Waterfront, we'll wind our way onto the Capital Crescent Trail going north. Then on to Fletcher's Boathouse for lunch in the park. After lunch (you bring your own) we head north toward Bethesda, then make our way east through Chevy Chase and back to the Nature Center. The ride affords ample scenic vistas, multiple Kodak moments, and dare we say it, abundant E-Bike love. Please bring some snacks, lunch and plenty of water. Our bikes will be always in our sight. No additional locks are required to keep your bike safe on this trip. The group stops a few times for slower riders to catch up. The distance will be around 18 miles or shorter any time you are fully satisfied with biking for the day. **Please charge your battery. While much of the ride is flat or a gentle grade, be aware there are some hills on this route. As usual, non-assisted bikers are most welcome.** **Free Ride With GPS for E-Bike Lovers** The Ride With GPS E-bike Lovers club membership is now free as www.ebikelovers.com generates sufficient income from ads to cover the costs. Here is the link to activate your free membership: https://ridewithgps.com/auto_approve/Club/6746/Zwa5jhttF5mJrFbN **More information about using GPS files:** https://ebikelovers.com/2021/03/15/download-our-trails-and-never-get-lost/ **More information about e-bike ranges:** https://ebikelovers.com/2020/12/31/e-bike-longer-and-happier-15-smart-strategies-to-reduce-your-e-bike-range-anxiety/ **DISCLAIMER** LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE PURSUANT TO APPLICABLE LAW, NEITHER GREGORY MAASSEN, NATHAN MERRIS, RICHARD CAMER, TRIP COORDINATORS, THEIR AFFILIATES, FAMILY AND FORMER AND CURRENT EMPLOYERS NOR ANY OTHER PARTY INVOLVED IN CREATING, PRODUCING, OR DELIVERING E-BIKE LOVERS GUIDES, OUR MEETUP EVENTS, AND THE GPS E-TRAILS IS LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF A USER’S ACCESS TO, OR USE OF THE E-BIKE LOVERS GUIDES, OUR MEETUP EVENTS, AND THE GPS E-TRAILS. See for full disclaimer: https://ebikelovers.com/disclaimer

**Spring Coed Kickball Newbies Open Play** **Sunday\, March 15th \| 1:00pm \- 4:00pm** Henson Creek Park/5601 Old Temple Rd. Camp Springs, MD 20748 Sunday is kickball day and we're inviting everyone to come out and learn how to play coed kickball at our Newbies Kickball Open Play. All skill level players are welcomed and participants will learn how to kick, catch and run. Please make sure you dress in play clothes and prepare to have fun! *We will also have three more open plays: March 22nd \| March 29th \| April 5th*  **OPEN PLAY IS FREE WHEN YOU RSVP AT WWW.GOOMBAY.NET** ***Click the direct link to sign up:*** [http://goombaydc.leagueapps.com/events/4909344-spring-coed-kickball-open-play-1-2026](http://goombaydc.leagueapps.com/events/4909344-spring-coed-kickball-open-play-1-2026) **__________________________** **League Information:** If you're interested in playing in our upcoming Spring Coed Kickball League, go to [www.Goombay.net](http://www.Goombay.net) and register as a Free Agent or Team Player if you already know which team you're playing with. The cost is $90 for the season and the league begins on Sunday, April 12th at Tucker Road Sports Complex. Games are 50 minutes and each team will play 7-8 games (1-2 games per week). **For more information contact Butch at (202)210-1957 or Godwin at (240)476-2224.**

Join us for **[Judy’s Altered Minds](https://artisticartifacts.com/pages/judy-s-altered-minds)**! Bring your fiber & mixed media show & tell; many members also enjoy making ATCs (**[artist trading cards](https://artisticartifacts.com/pages/judy-s-altered-minds)**) for exchange each month. **Come early to shop** (JAMs attendees receive a 10% discount on their purchases) — Artistic Artifacts is open Sundays 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. The JAMs meeting starts at 1:30 pm. New members are always welcome! A $3.00 contribution is requested at each meeting. An advance **reminder that we will NOT host JAMs in April** due to the Creative Minds Summit classes — please join us for our exclusive mixed media event: [https://artisticartifacts.com/pages/about-our-creative-minds-summit](https://artisticartifacts.com/pages/about-our-creative-minds-summit) JAMs members are art quilters, collage artists, art journal keepers, surface design enthusiasts, paper crafters, art doll/assemblage artists and more! All levels of expertise are represented, and all are welcome. During JAMs meetings, attendees gather support and encouragement for their art through show & tell and enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded friends.

Now that it's getting warmer, it's time to get outside and connect 🌸 We're a group for women who want to move, explore and enjoy the season together. We take the DMV one stride at a time; fresh air, good conversation and even better company. All paces welcome. Just show up. 👟 Join the ladies group for more details on meeting place: https://chat.whatsapp.com/H533SlZi8h70XjkN6iSEws?mode=gi_t

Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 7:00pm on Wednesday, March 25 at Streetlight Guild. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. **SCHEDULE:** 6:45ish - Quick introductions 7:00 - Timer starts: write for 1 hour 8:00 - The End **OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING** happens before and after the writing hour. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. **BEING LATE IS OKAY:** just show up and get settled! If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing & I look forward to seeing you at Streetlight Guild! **WHAT SHOULD I BRING?** Whatever you need to be able to write! You're welcome to bring earplugs/headphones if noise will bother you! **OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS:** * **RSVP:** Please RSVP by 6:00pm the evening of the meeting. This helps me know how many to expect, and if we'll need additional space! * **COVID:** While masks are not required, please be mindful of the other writers around you and their comfort levels. * **WIFI/OUTLETS:** Outlets are limited, so please ensure your devices are charged when you come! But Streetlight Guild does have free WiFi! Yay! * **PARKING:** There is free public parking at Streetlight Guild.

Free at Bexley Library Adventures in Ecological Horticulture with Rebecca McMackin Wednesday, March 18 1:00pm - 2:30pm Gone are the days when a garden could be ornamental alone. We now recognize the impact that our land care practices have on the ecosystems around us, and can see the importance of encouraging biodiversity. Thankfully, we do not need to sacrifice beauty when we invite butterflies and songbirds into our gardens. Rebecca McMackin has cultivated gorgeous landscapes in the toughest environments possible: urban parks, school playgrounds, and the sidewalks of New York City. She will take lessons from her work at Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Brooklyn Museum, and decades of research to share how those of us who are fortunate enough to care for land, can do it beautifully and ecologically. Rebecca McMackin is an ecologically obsessed horticulturist and garden designer. She writes, lectures, and teaches on ecological landscape management and pollination ecology, as well as designs the rare public garden. She is currently Lead Horticulturist for the American Horticultural Society, an Associate with the Harvard Divinity School’s Thinking with Plants and Fungi Initiative, and Consulting Arboretum Curator for Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, NY. Rebecca spent a decade as Director of Horticulture of Brooklyn Bridge Park, where she managed 85 acres of diverse parkland organically. Their research into cultivating urban biodiversity and ethical management strategies has influenced thousands of people and entire urban parks systems to adopt similar approaches. She has been published by and featured in the New York Times, Gardens Illustrated, on NPR and PBS. Her garden for the Brooklyn Museum recently won the PPA’s Award of Excellence and her TED Talk has been viewed over a million times. She holds M.Sc. from Columbia University and University of Victoria in landscape design and biology and recently completed the Loeb Fellowship at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. This program is presented in partnership with Rooted in Bexley and generously funded by the Bexley Community Foundation and Bexley Community Author Series Fund.

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Sunday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at noon on Sundays. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 12:00 - quick intros. 12:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 1:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 1-1:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Sunday!

Let’s meet and discuss this fun but moving collection of wildly creative short stories. (Photo credit: TimesNowNews.com)

The topic for March is "Our Bodies, Ourselves" Speak Easy: true stories, told live. The idea is simple: an audience, an open microphone, and great stories. Hilarious, gripping, poignant- it's up to you. Audiences are invited to come to listen or come to tell as folks from all corners of Columbus offer their stories live on stage! Held at Wild Goose Creative's warm, intimate space, this night of tales occurs on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Doors open at 6:30 pm, show starts at 7:00 pm. Please arrive early if you want to tell, as we generally only have room for a limited number of tellers, and the sign-up sheet has a tendency to fill up fast. Formed around the idea that people need stories--they're what hold and draw us together--SpeakEasy celebrates the strangeness and commonness of being human. And in a world of smartphones, Facebook, Twitter, and more . . . it gives people a real, breathing, in-person way to connect. The night is geared for true stories of all kinds, taking the best tales told around kitchen tables, in darkened pubs, on the street corner, and at late-night parties and giving them an audience. Speak Easy is also a great outlet for performers, writers, and artists looking to share their favorite stories and perfect their skills. We strongly encourage tellers to please tell the story rather than read it so we keep within the spirit of good storytelling and stay engaged with the audience. All are welcome. Hang around after the show for a drink and build community!