Diving

GRASP started on April 27, 2022 - exactly 4 years to the day and at this very location! (formerly Mod Pizza) Don't miss this opportunity to celebrate our community and see friends old and new while enjoying pizza that has become quite a hit in the DMV area! Andy's serves pizza by the slice and also wine by the glass or bottle. Two slices of pizza and a coke cost about $12. It all started with a ball of Trader Joe’s pizza dough. Over nearly a decade, Andy Brown has refined his recipe from semihomemade to a from-scratch crust that ferments for 72 hours before it’s baked in a hot stone oven. This location, in Kentlands, is the newest but Andy’s is quickly mushrooming around DC and NoVA. With its pliable crust, tangy tomatoes, and high-quality cheese, this is one of the most awarded pizzas in the DMV.

LIFT (Learn, Inspire, Fuel, Transform) Session Ever wanted to start lifting weights but weren't sure where to begin? LIFT is a welcoming, beginner-friendly group designed to help women build strength, confidence, and consistency together. Join this session for a structured strength workout and the accountability that comes from showing up alongside other women towards similar goals. **Agenda** * Brief welcome and introductions * Review of the day's workout plan * Guided group strength workout using free weights and machines * Cool down and check-in **What to Bring & Wear** * Water bottle * Comfortable workout clothes * Athletic shoes **Location Details** Meet by the cubbies at the front of the facility inside Pump24. First attendee to sign up will attend for free.

***Feel free to come earlier to ensure we have enough courts!*** **Remember to bring a can of new or lightly used tennis balls.** By signing up to this Meetup event, you agree * To practice effective social distancing and hold yourself 100% responsible for protecting yourself against exposure to Covid-19 and any other cooties. * To not hold anyone (including Meetup.com) liable should you be exposed to Covid-19 by attending this event. * To decline attending if you suspect you have any of the Covid-19-related symptoms (we can wait until you're better to show your tennis prowess). Please bring a can of NEW tennis balls. As usual, this meetup is cancelled if the weather doesn't permit us to play If you see others waiting to use the courts, please limit your play to one short set (best of 5 games), where the losing team rotates out. Thanks in advance!!

This is introductory meditation for people who wants to learn basics of meditation. It's a free event held every week and everyone is welcome to join.

New players are always welcome to come try it out! What you need: A bathing suit. Preferably something light and tight. We have extra gear for new players. But if you have your own pair of flippers, a snorkeling mask, and a snorkel then bring them along. Please bring this signed and completed form to practice: https://cdn1.sportngin.com/attachments/document/c7dc-2321473/USOA_Waiver_2022-07-07.pdf Unless you are already a member of USOA: https://www.underwater-society.org/page/show/4284471-usoa-registration To find us: You can tell the front desk that you are here for underwater hockey and they will let you in for free. You can ask them for help finding the pool. If no one is at the front desk just walk past it and there will be a set of stairs on the left. Take the stairs and take a right at the bottom of the stairs. The men's and women's locker rooms are straight ahead, and you will need to go through them to access the pool deck. Once you are out on the pool deck you will be exactly where we practice. Agenda: First 15 minutes: Arrival at the pool, getting gear from the shared gear bin, dividing into two teams, getting gear on. Minutes 15-30: Getting in the water, teaching any new players the basics Minutes 20-70: Scrimmage/practice. Minutes 70-75: Putting away club gear, putting the lane lines back in place, clearing the pool deck. (optional) afterwards: Go to a local restaurant for food, drinks, and socializing.

**Vienna Toastmasters Club:** https://viennava.toastmastersclubs.org/ "Speaking in front of a group of other people is a natural human state, which is probably the reason so many of us are frightened of doing it." *\~ Elliot Essman* **Where and When We Meet** USUALLY, our meetings are on the SECOND and FOURTH Tuesday of each month at **Vienna** **Community Center, 120 Cherry St SE, Vienna, VA 22180, as well as online via Zoom link.** Occasionally the meeting location changes, so please "Contact us" to confirm before coming.

The[ Simplicity Living Study Circle of Northern VA](https://www.coachingwithdanijk.com/blog/important-community-update-join-our-new-meetup-group-simplicity-living-circle-of-northern-va) meets on the first Saturday of each month from 4:00 to 5:30 PM at Lacey Woods Park in Arlington, Virginia. **This is a rain or shine outdoor event.** This free community group offers a unique and empowering space for individuals seeking to live a simpler, more intentional life. Through participant-driven discussions and facilitated activities, our circle fosters connection, reflection, and mutual support. Hosted by members of the Simplicity Living Circle of Northern VA, we welcome those who are curious about simplicity, mindful living, and environmental care. Whether you are just beginning or deepening your journey, you are warmly invited into this inclusive and supportive space. Logistics: * Feel free to bring what’s part of your life: kids, dogs, food, and musical instruments are all welcome. * Arriving at the start gives you the fullest experience, since the opening activities help create the group’s shared connection. If you arrive later, it may feel harder to fully step into that once the group has already begun bonding. *Note: Our official Meetup group changed due to administrative complications. This new group is now our verified and active community hub, which you can confirm at our in-person events.*

**This talk is completely sold out in advance and no door tickets will be available. You must have purchased a ticket to be admitted.** [Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Exploring the Deep Sea,”** a scholarly dive into an enormous and little-understood ecosystem, with Melissa Betters, deep ocean explorer and deep-sea biologist at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-deep-sea](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-deep-sea) .] If you’re afraid of the deepest, darkest reaches of the ocean, you aren’t alone. For centuries, humans have imagined the ocean’s depths to be inhabited by all manner of monsters, from the Kraken to Godzilla. But what is the cost of viewing over 70% of our planet with fear and aversion? Who benefits from that? Come to see the deep sea as far more worthy of fascination than fear with the help of Dr. Melissa Betters, a biologist and marine ecosystem researcher who has made nine trips to the bottom of the ocean and taught at Bryn Mawr College and Temple University. She’ll take you on a scholarly exploration of various deep-sea ecosystems around the world such as deep coral reefs and boiling-hot hydrothermal vents. We’ll get to know some of the deep ocean’s captivating biodiversity, examining where it lives, what it does, and why it matters to us. With her help you’ll come to see the deep ocean as a tapestry of different environments, each of which host their own forms of life and present their own suite of ecological challenges. Importantly, we’ll also look at how the deep ocean is portrayed in both myth and media, considering how our perceptions are skewed by the rhetoric used to describe it and the images used to depict it. Despite appearing far-removed and out of reach, the deep ocean is still a part of our planet, subject to all the same challenges and human impacts as life on land. The final part of this talk will examine the variety of human impacts affecting the deep ocean and actions we can take to protect Earth’s final frontier. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: Magnoteuthis magna, the most common deep-ocean squid, as photographed in Kinlan Canyon off of Rhode Island (NOAA Ocean Exploration photo).

Four years ago, I did the 50km ODH as part of my 8 month training program for "Founder's Kili Climb for Veterans" on Mount Kilimamjaro, Tanzania. I successfully summited Uhuru Peak, elevation 19,341 ft in Aug 2022 :)! Last year, 5 walkers from our Walking group joined me. I warmly invite you to join us on 50km/32 mile walk on the C&O canal from White Ferry, VA to Harper's Ferry, WV on Saturday, May 2, 2026 REGISTERING: Registration is online at ([https://endurancecui.active.com/event-reg/select-race?e=96406605](https://endurancecui.active.com/event-reg/select-race?e=96406605)) on Feb 11, 5pm and will be "Sold Out" within a few hours, when it reaches maximum 350 walkers. During your registration period, there will a “Register Now” button to click; until then, “Oops!” Event is "SOLD OUT" Plan to register as soon as regular registration opens. FEE: The cost for both 100K or 50K is approx $95 per registrant. It covers food, drinks, medical support, and hike support. Here's official Sierra Club's ODH website: https://www.onedayhike.org/ ROUTE: For almost the entire hike, you will be going upstream on C&O Canal National Historical Park. The 50k route starts at Whites Ferry, MD and ends at Harper's Ferry, W. VA. At canal mile 60.6, there is a railroad bridge with an adjacent footbridge that crosses the Potomac River to Harper's Ferry, WV. We made it to this point by sunset. The final 1.5 miles is uphill to **High Street** (which becomes Washington Street) to the endpoint at the Bolivar Community Center on Panama Street.

You must read the following NVHC Sign-in Sheet Statement/Liability Disclaimer, **[https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf](https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf)** and then answer the question that you will see when you RSVP with "**I Accept"** to be permitted on the hike. **8.00 mile circuit hike with 500 feet of elevation gain.** **Description:** Our Hike will begin at **Pennyfield Lock 22** along the **C&O Canal** in the **[Pennyfield Lock Parking Lot](https://montgomeryparks.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Montgomery-Parks-Blockhouse-Point-Trail-Map-letter-2024_a11y.pdf)** , and heads over to the **[C&O Canal Towpath.](https://www.canaltrust.org/plan/co-canal-towpath/)** While walking along the water’s edge, keep an eye out for sunbathing **[turtles](https://www.canaltrust.org/2020/10/top-5-photographed-turtle-species-on-the-co-canal/)**, elegant **[Blue Herons](https://potomac.org/blog/2022/7/11/5-large-birds-you-can-easily-spot-along-the-potomac-river)** and yes, **[snakes](https://www.nps.gov/choh/learn/nature/reptiles-amphibians.htm)** too, all the while soaking in sweeping views of the **Potomac River.** From there the hike heads up into the **[BlockHouse Point](https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/block-house-point-conservation-park/)**[ ](https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/block-house-point-conservation-park/)**[Conservation Park](https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/block-house-point-conservation-park/)** offering spectacular views of the **[Potomac River](https://www.americanrivers.org/river/potomac-river/).** **Facilities:** Portable bathrooms at the trailhead **Hike Pace**: Pace will be about **2.0 – 2.5 mph** while moving. **Bring:** Adequate water/hydration, snacks/lunch, insect repellant and sturdy hiking shoes since there are some rocky areas/tree roots, stream crossing. Hiking poles if you normally use them. **Fee:** None **Dogs:** dogs are welcome on this hike in accordance with the **[NVHC Dog Policy](https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy)**. Please be sure your dog is able to hike the distance, **Where to Meet:** **GPS Coordinates**: **39°03'14.7"N 77°17'20.4"W** **[LINK](https://maps.app.goo.gl/1eeDTXwpeV94x4cC8)** **Address:** Pennyfield Lock Road Parking Lot, **12400 Pennyfield Lock Rd · Potomac, MD** Pennyfield Lock Road is about 5.5 miles northwest of Potomac Village on River Road. Turn left onto Pennyfield Lock Road, take it to the very end, then turn left, and continue a few hundred feet to the Porta-Johns where we will park. **CONTACT INFO:** Any questions, please message me here or text me at 703 533 9231 Dawn K. Hike Leader **MAPS:** **[BlockHouse Point Conservation Park](https://montgomeryparks.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Montgomery-Parks-Blockhouse-Point-Trail-Map-letter-2024_a11y.pdf)** **[AllTrails](https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/maryland/blockhouse-point-loop-trail)**

It's the last Wednesday of the month so that means Lake Anne Brew House Beer Run. After the run, we'll meet in the brew house for a beverage and Nordic knot yum! Laps around the lake are almost exactly 1.5 miles. Do as many or as few as you like. Our thumb rule is one beer per lap. :o) Runners of all skill levels welcome! See you there.