Al Kamen offers a returning congressman a "hiker's guide" to Our Nation's Capital

View of the Potomac River from Weverton Cliffs

Over forty miles of the Appalachian Trail travel across Maryland, with most of the AT following the ridgeline of South Mountain.  Many call this stretch of the AT easy compared to other areas, however there are some steep climbs.  The low point in the state along the trail is 261 feet at the Potomac River and the highest point is near High Rock with an elevation of 1905 feet.

This section of the Appalachian Trail takes hikers to its closest point to the nations capital, Washington, DC. While the AT in Maryland is called easy by some, it still offers plenty of challenges and some impressive scenery. For beginning backpackers or those getting in shape for longer trips, and those with just a few days to spend on the AT, the entire length of trail in Maryland can be done in a four to five day backpacking trip. Trail shelters and backpackers' campgrounds are spaced where most can be reached in a day's hike. Camping is only allowed at designated sites along the AT in Maryland.

-- from the CNY Hiking Web page devoted to
"Appalachian Trail Maryland"

"As your Governor, I abused your trust. And as God is my witness, as your congressman, I will abuse it again."

-- Mark Sanford, on his reelection to Congress, quoted in the
Borowitz Report "Sanford's Comeback Gives Hope to Liars"

by Ken

Now that voters in his CD have decided that they are stinking garbage and deserve to be represented by stinking garbage, former SC Gov. Mark "A Disgrace to Humanity" Sanford is going to have to relearn his way around Our Nation's Capital. Fortunately, the Washington Post's Loop-master Al Kamen has put together a customized guide to some of the basics. (Lotsa links onsite.)

A hiker’s guide to D.C.

A very warm Loop welcome to Mark Sanford, the scandal-scarred former South Carolina governor, who will be returning to our fair city as a bona fide member of Congress.

Sanford, who won a special election Tuesday, served in the House from 1995 to 2001. But things have changed since then — for both Sanford and Washington — so we offer him this handy guide to the city.

● Argentine food. Sanford famously jaunted off to Argentina to consort with his mistress (now fiancee) while he was governor, and so we can assume he and his bride-to-be might like to sample the cuisine of her homeland. In D.C. proper, there are few true Argentinian joints, though we have some fine pan-Latin American restaurants, including Ceiba (try the ceviche, Congressman!). And for the real deal, he might head out to the Maryland ’burbs to try El Patio, which is said to serve some of the most authentic grilled steaks around.

● Sports bars. Sanford got into a spot of trouble during his congressional campaign when it came out that his ex-wife had slapped him with a trespassing charge. The irrepressible Sanford claimed that he was only visiting her home to see his son and watch the Super Bowl with him.

But he need not resort to lawbreaking to catch the big game in Washington. There are many local sports bars with big screens and good brews, including the Pour House, a short walk from the House office buildings.

● Pelosi, in the flesh! One of the weirder moments of Sanford’s campaign was when he debated a cardboard cutout of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). But now that he’ll be her colleague, perhaps he can visit her office in the Capitol (second floor, not far from the House floor) and actually converse with her in person.

● Hiking trails. Perhaps Sanford’s most memorable stumble was when he claimed to be hiking the Appalachian Trail when he was, in fact, visiting his Argentine mistress. Since Sanford is a lover of the outdoors, he’s in luck. Our area is rife with lovely hiking trails. Rock Creek Park is a great place to start.

And, hey, we’re not far from . . . the Appalachian Trail.

#