Washington, DC - (College Park, MD) - May 20 - 28, 2007

We had an easy Sunday drive from Gettysburg, PA to Cherry Hill Campground in College Park, MD, the closest campground to Washington DC.  The location provided us easy access to our friends Fran and Michael in Springfield, Virginia and we could hop a transit bus to the Metro right at the park.  The campground has a lot of amenities and provided a pleasant stay in spite of the considerable freeway noise.

We were in DC over Memorial Day Weekend so it was quite crowded; including a record number of bikers in town for the 20th anniversary of the annual "Rolling Thunder" pilgrimage to the Capitol in support of past and present members of the U.S. military.  There was a large open camping area across the road from our site that was occupied by about 30 bikers and their support vehicles and families.  They were amazingly quiet.  We didn't know that Harleys could actually be quiet - a happy surprise.

While in the DC area we took a drive over to the Delaware beach town of Rehoboth.  We were actually headed for Annapolis, but Susan said, "Hey, lets drive over to the beach for lunch, it's not much farther, and you've never been to Delaware."  Well, it was over 100 miles farther - but who's counting.  We had a good time strolling on the boardwalk and visiting with local characters at a beach dive before starting the long trek back.

On one perfect day we put the bikes on the car and headed for Great Falls Park and the 185-mile long - Chesapeake  Ohio Canal Path .  Based on our 20-mile ride, we highly recommend the pathway for its beauty.  However, be prepared for a crushed limestone surface which can be a bit rough on the butt.  The portion we rode was wooded, with herons and egrets patiently fishing and frogging the calm, clear canal waters.  Great Falls Park where the Potomac cascades down a series of falls and through a narrow gorge is a beautiful destination and a great hiking and picnic area.

On another day we took the Metro into DC to see the new World War II Memorial and the Capitol Mall.  The WWII Memorial is very impressive and substantial tribute to the many people who fought and died in that war.  However, it was somewhat imposing and almost too much.  For us, it did not evoke the same emotions as the smaller, more intimate Vietnam or the Korean Memorials.

We also visited the recently reopened Reynolds Art Center, which houses the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.  The beautifully restored building and the collections are both very impressive.  Work is being completed on glass-covered atrium that will include gardens, sitting areas and a café.  If visiting DC, include a visit to the art center, wear comfortable shoes and allow at least half a day.

On Thursday we went to Alexandria to tour around a bit, watch artists working in their studios in the Torpedo Factory Art Center, and enjoy the sun set along the Potomac River.  The big event for the day was meeting Fran and Michael for dinner at Café Salsa, an excellent Puerto Rican restaurant on Kings Street in Alexandria.  It was wonderful seeing our friends again after nearly three years and the food was quite good. 

We all got together again on Saturday to attend a party outside of Leesburg, VA.  Our hosts, Jerry and Arlene, have a fabulous home in the rolling hills of western Virginia including an expansive lawn and pond.  In the evening we watched as deer emerged from the woods to warily graze along the edge of the pond. 

We planned to observe Memorial Day with Fran and Michael at the annual celebration on the steps of the Capitol.  We took the Metro downtown to meet our friends, then walked over to the Capitol, went through security, claimed our perfectly located little patch of lawn and settled in for the show.  We got a show, but not exactly what we expected.  About 45 minutes before show time a severe thunderstorm rolled in and we were all herded into the shelter of the Senate's underground parking garage.  (You know all those black Suburbans the FBI and secret service always drive in the movies?  We now know where they're parked.)

After a thunderous hour we were given the all clear and herded out of the garage.  It was still raining, but we returned to the concert area to await security screening, however there was no screening going on.  We were getting pretty soaked so the four of us slogged over to Union Station for a drink.  After visiting for a bit, Bill and I decided to catch the Metro back to Maryland from Union Station.  Fran and Michael luckily caught the end of the concert on the way back to their car.  We were disappointed that we missed the Memorial Concert but still it was a fun and unexpected adventure in our nation's capitol.

On May 29th we tethered Kermit to the Beast and went out to brave the traffic on the Beltway, then turned east toward Delaware Seashore State Park.  We planned to reunite with Fran and Michael over the weekend at their beach house in Bethany, DE.