POOLESVILLE DAY

As regular readers know, it doesn't take much convincing to get me to head out to our rural areas in Montgomery County. This past Saturday was Poolesville Day, and I was in the parade at 10 a.m.

If you haven't been there before, don't wait for the next Poolesville Day to make a visit. Taking Route 28 to get there, you will gradually pass into a simpler time. After riding past the site of the irresponsible "Science City" megadevelopment approved by my opponents - which is currently a pastoral farm - you will soon find yourself in Darnestown (which happens to be the hometown of fellow Republican At-Large candidate Brandon Rippeon). One of the odd juxtapositions on 28 is in Darnestown, where a new Harris Teeter store sits in the center of a historically agricultural town.

Anyway, around the bends and up and down the hills. Including one dangerous curve where a burned-out, once sizable farmhouse stands at a distance from the road. Is it a haunted house?

Once on White's Ferry Road, the Poolesville water tower eventually appears over the trees in the distance. It's a more traditional tower than my favorite, bulbous Damascus water tower. So, for those keeping track at home, Poolesville and Germantown have traditional towers; Damascus has the most interesting one; and Mount Airy is somewhere in between (the new one by the Greene Turtle and California Tortilla). Then there's that one near Germantown on Rt. 27...

Finally, Poolesville ES was around the bend. I pulled up to the check-in table, and found out I was number 50. Then I had to go around the circular driveway to get back out. There were dozens of cheerleaders and band members warming up in the lots in front of the school. I followed the directions to get into the right spot in the parade lineup. I have no way to know for sure which candidates were there, but the only other County Council candidates I saw were Robin Ficker and Craig Rice. Aruna Miller, a Democrat running for Delegate in District 15, was directly behind me in the parade. Scott Graham, a Republican running for the same seat was there somewhere, too. More on that later.

Once the parade started, it turned the corner onto Fisher Ave. You will find a wide variety of buildings along this main street, everything from shopping malls and McDonald's to the historic John Poole house and Bassett's restaurant.

There was a great turnout, and lots of supportive people. Like Damascus and other rural areas of the county, Poolesville is Robert Dyer country. I saw a lot of familiar faces, too, in the crowd and at the booths that lined the parade route. You could smell the fresh pies being sold by the Our Lady of the Presentation Catholic Church. Among other appetizing scents was the grill of Republican District 15 Delegate candidate Scott Graham. If you want to know about cooking, ask a firefighter, they are usually great chefs. I think he was in the parade at that moment and other people were working the grill. Another District 15 Republican candidate for Delegate, Sylvia Darrow, was in the parade as well. I also saw council candidate Robin Ficker along the way (and his ROBIN FICKER - TERM LIMITS signs along the way on Rt. 28).

Just past the town hall was a collection of tractors. I heard loud mooing coming from an animal exhibit. Republican cows in Poolesville are supporting Robert Dyer, but unfortunately, farm animals cannot register to vote.

There were guides in historic clothing outside of the John Poole house. The parade ended by Bassett's restaurant. When you continue down the street, you pass the water tower, which actually has homes right beneath it. I also spotted a classic Monte Carlo SS.

I'm looking forward to my next visit to Poolesville, and remember the candidate who will protect these rural towns - that are the real America and the real Montgomery County - from urbanization and massive development: Robert Dyer.