Evening star., 1914-04-20
OVER NINE HUNDRED
TAKEPART IN HIKE
Marchers Enjoy Beauties OF
Nature in Woodlands Ad-
iacent to Washington.
ALPINE CLUB MEMBERS
OFF1CIATE AS LEADERS
Plans Already Begun for Repetition
of the Program Next Sunday
Afternoon.

The Washington Wanderlust began its
career yesterday afternoon with big
crowd of happy walkers. Some, Wearied
by the march lotered by the wayside
i1l the cool and quiet woods. some re-
tired from the hike at the end of three
miles. others at the end of five miles con-
| cludcd that they had enough of the joys
and beauties of nature for one Sunday.
and more than 200 of the 'lusters" fin
ished in frst-class condition at Forest
Glen the end of the walk.
The number of persons in the great
community walk. counted as they turned
from the Military road northward through
the woods bordering the creek in the up
per part of the valley of Rock creek, was
1886 One-third of that number. it is esti-
| mated were women ranging from youth
| to middle age Among the men those of
middle age appeared to be in a majority.
but there were many young men and a
| large representation of elderly men.
The meeting place. as announced by
the chief wanderluster, John Boyle.
was at the junction of Georgia avenue
and the Military road, at BrishtWood
hike was 80 o'clock. AS early as
! 80 oclociS a small group of men gath
cred there. The group gradually in
= y
few minutes after that time street cars
jammed with people began to discharge
| their loads. Members of the Alpine
Club gave welcoming hand to the
pilgrims as they streamed out of the
cars-that is, they gave welcoming hands
to as many as they could reach for by
2:l5 o'clock the cars were bringing pas
sengers by the hundreds At 80 the
wide space where the Military road,
Georgia avenue and 18th street converge
was closely covered by people bent on
q nature hike
Walk Begins at 2:4O.
AS pilgrims. somewhat tardy con-
| tinued to arrive the start of the hike
| was delayed for a few minutes, but the
chief wander1uster led off at 2:40 O'Clock,
| followed by about 500 men and women.
| Belated busters" were met UP at j
| o'clock, and trailed after the joyous
! procession, increasing the number 10
! about 900. After the last of the Alpine
Helcomers left Brightwood several score
| pf men and women who meant to join
| rhe walk arrived, but they were too far
| behind for hope of overtaking the main
body. and were left to their own re-
| sources.
| The walk led through wooded and pic
| turesque country. The rate of march
| of the leaders was somewhat brisk and
| many people not Yet seasoned to country
|
| urging on and Strengthening out the
| straggiers and the best was done that
! could be done to prevent anybody los
| ing the way. 1t may be. however that
| a few escaped the vigilance of the Al
| pino rear guard and got off the track
| but there were no serious consequences
On a hill back of the old Shepherd
place near the District line many of the
pilgrims who had covered three miles and
did not care to proceed farther were di-
rected to the car line on Georgia ave-
nue. and returned to the city.
From the point indicated the route lay
to the northwest through country beauti-
full and not especially rough, and which
was very smooth and easy walking for
the veterans of the trail TO point no,
far from Chevy Chase. \ good many ol
the pilgrims began their return trip tC
the city there. At another point along
the route ii short and easy road led ovel
to Chevy Chase lake and some more OF
the mixers ended their trip there. The
| rest of the crowd, more than two hun
dred, more than one-third of which were
| women, continued on to Forest Glen
where cars We're boarded for home.
Repetition Next Sunday.
The first outing of the washington
Wanderlusters was a success and plans
for walking trip next Sunday are al
ready being made. Yesterdays expert
ment in the line of inviting every body in
Washington 20 walk was the first of Its
kind in Washington. The experiment
has been found successful and practica-
BILE, and resulted in giving a heaIthful
outing to nearly LOCO persons. These
that were tired at the end of three miles
will feel better throughout the week for
their exertion, and many of them will
come again. The ''six-milers'' all re-
turned to the city tired and dusty. but
as they look back on the trip they will
remember that they had a good tine and
will be ready for the hike next Sunday
Those who finished the full course to
Forest Glen were enthusiastic
The reasons which persons gave for
turning out with the wanderlusters were
| various. The most numerous ones We're
| "I like to walk in the country, but /
didn't know which way to go to find the
finest scenery; Il like to walk in the
country, but could not find anybody To
20 with me-" and Il like walking. but
/ am afraid if 1 get too far away from
the beaten track 1 might get lost.
Some persons turned out because they
| saw kn the plan a chance to walk with