Into the heart of the Governmental seat

Add to the Journal!

This is a collaborative effort. Mail your comments and thoughts to share on John's trip to me (click for email), and I'll collate them into the Voyeurs' page.

John's Journal

Day Nineteen

Mileage- 336

Route- Blue Ridge Parkway, I-66 East,

Ahhh, a good night's sleep. You know, I might be more amenable toward camping out in, say, July or August. I wonder what the weather will be like out in the Rockies in a few weeks.

Once, again, I missed the rain. I awoke sometime in the middle of the night to the sound of light rain. Luckily, by the time I awoke, it was gone. The skies today are just like some of the others I have had with big patches of blue with white puffy white clouds. And, once again, the temperature is cool. Pretty good for riding.

I decide that I have a lot more time today than I thought, so I am stopping at more of the overlooks. Man, I am telling you, this part of the country is extremely gorgeous. California is nice, but this is outstanding! I am cruising at much lower altitudes today, which means everything is noticeably greener. There are a lot more farms and towns down here, too. I have seen some wonderful houses tucked away up in the hills, not just shacks, either.

At this little stop I made, 2 Harley-riders roll up. Brigitte and Eddie are from Quebec and riding down to Florida. Well, technically, since it was snowing when they left, they put the bikes in a pick-up and drove to Georgia, left the truck and rode the rest. What a couple of wimps! Why should snow hold them back!

I started to realize that I actually squandered my free time today. Boy was it nice, though, to just stop for a while and hang out whenever I wanted. Wait a minute, you'd think with 6 weeks off I would be doing this all the time. Well, you know me (or at least some of you do), I seemed to have scheduled too many stops and didn't really build in enough free time. I think that I will be trying to change some of this as the trip goes on. And, the second half of the trip (Geez, is it already half over? Not quite, almost) has a few more days of time to hike and stay in one place.

So, I started to move a little faster after I took time to actually make a few business phone calls. It was good to talk to Connee and Jeff (and get a comment or 2 passed on from Doug via Connee, even if he was criticizing the way I always mentioned my stomach and food on the first part of the journal). I feel like I am gloating when I tell others about the fabulous weather I am having and the great, great time I am having. But then, at least they have a job!

As I moved off the Blue Ridge Parkway, the clouds disappeared and gave way to clear blue skies. Unfortunately, I had to get back on the freeway, but it moves pretty well. I am excited about seeing my sister, Susan, and her husband, Jack. Susan has cleared most of the day tomorrow and we can catch up and maybe see an exhibit somewhere. Also, I am excited about riding in over the Potomac to DC and checking out the city from the motorcycle. I just I hope I don't get lost!

No, I didn't get lost, the directions were flawless. I was so thrilled when I caught my first glimpse of the Washington Monument. It was around 8:30pm when I rolled over the Potomac River into DC. I raised my left arm in the air triumphantly as I crossed the bridge. This marks the "coast-to-coast" part of my trip. Interstate 66 takes you right into the heart of downtown, with monuments and historical buildings all around. I felt a sense of awe being in the heart of our country's government. It may sound corny, but is is very impressive.

My brother-in-law was ready and waiting upon my arrival, thanks to a quick cellular call after I was in town and only 15 minutes away. We quickly grabbed the pounds of stuff I have on the bike (I wonder exactly how much all this stuff weighs?) so I could then figure where to park. It's funny being in a big city, again, worrying about where to park. Of course in SF I would just pull up next to the building on the curb, but this is not San Francisco. I simply pulled around the corner on the street. I have until 9am before I must move it somewhere else.

It was great, once again, to freshen up after a full day on the road. Plus I had tome to relax a bit and have a beer before my sister came home from work. It was great to see her, again! It's been a while since I have been here. I feel right at home, after being here twice before. They live in this great 2 bedroom apartment right in DC between Adams-Morgan and DuPont Circle (I think that's right). There are many delicious ethnic restaurants nearby and there is so much else within walking distance.

Tomorrow we plan on walking around the area. And maybe go to a gallery in the neighborhood. I must remember to check and see if the motorcycle is still there in the morning. Just in case, I do have the BMW dealer listing with me (just kidding!).

Well, I'm pooped, so that's it. Nighty night.