Washington D.C. to Bowie

July 19
35 miles

When we woke up at 6 am it was already hot and humid. The group had breakfast at the Hotel Harrington and then headed out of the city at 7:30am.

Breakfast in DC

Riding out of D.C


Six of us rode out of D.C. as a group for three miles but we made a wrong turn and had to back track a bit.

Then we got on several trails and caught up with Nancy. There were many turns to pay attention to so I asked Sean to follow Nancy all the way to the hotel. At this point we joined up with Susan, Ziva, Margaret, and Karen.

On one of the many trails


Checking directions


After 10 a.m. it got very hot and we were now sweating a lot. We stopped at a mall with a grocery store and walked our bikes in the mall. After having cold drinks we hit the road again.



We finally got to the Hampton Inn in Bowie, Maryland. Sean and I tried to go to a movie in the cinemas next door but the times were not convenient. For dinner, Sean and I waked over to TGIF. And then went to the nightly meeting around 8 p.m.

July 18

24 miles

Today everyone in the group could choose whether they wanted to do a check out ride or go see the sites in D.C. Since Sean and I have been here for 3 days we decided to ride our bikes to make sure things were working properly.

Most of us had breakfast in one of the hotel's restaurants and then we all headed west on the Mt. Veron Trail. We first stopped at the White House and then the Lincoln Memorial

We wanted to ride a ways on the trail until we found Ed. Once we located Ed, Sean and I rode back to DC for lunch. Seven others rode to Mt. Vernon.

Sean wanted to go back to Five Guys as his cousin said it is better than "In and Out" in Calif.

It was pretty muggy in the afternoon so we went to the motel to hang out before dinner. Ed got to our room around 4.


Sean at the White House



At the Lincoln Memorial


The group on the Mt. Vernon Trail

July 17

I woke up very early because I had to put the bikes together. The Trek store in Santa Rosa packed them very well. Everything was protected with packaging material. It took me about 1/ 1/2 hours to get each bike ready.

Unpacking Sean's bike


Before breakfast I walked back to the Whitehouse to get a view of the south side.

Another visit to the White House


We the walked up the street to Starbucks for breakfast. In the afternoon we met Paul again and went to 5 guys hamburgers. Then the three of us went to the "Spy Museum".

At 5 pm the bike group met in the lobby and went to a Thai restaurant for dinner.

Meeting the group in the hotel lobby


The group at the Thai restaurant



Thai Restaurant


First bike meeting

July 16

I planned on getting up again at 7 am. However, I guess we were both tired from walking about 7 miles yesterday in the heat.

We got up around 9 and went back to the bakery a block from the hotel. Then we walked to the metro center to ride the subway to Arlington Cemetery. There were many people visiting the cemetery around this time.

We wanted to see at least two sites here. John Kennedy's grave and the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers.

After walking around the cemetery we took the subway to the next stop, The Pentagon. We walked around the south side and went to the memorial for 9-11 victims. Photography was prohibited around the Pentagon.

Kennedy's grave site



Soldier on guard at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers


Our hotel in Washington


Paul called us around 5 to see if we wanted to get together. He arrived at our hotel around 5 and we went to dinner at a restaurant he used to work at in Chinatown.
Then we walked south of downtown to the Jefferson Memorial.

Paul and Sean at dinner


View of the Washington Monument from the Jefferson Memorial


Sean and Paul walking to the Jefferson Memorial


Inside the Jefferson Memorial




Around 8:30 pm we got back to the hotel.

First Full Day in Washington D. C.

July 15

We woke up around 7 a.m. and walked to an nice bakery down the street from the hotel. It had a variety of freshly baked things. A little farther down the street we came upon the White House grounds. There was a huge line of people to take the tour so we just walked on the north side to take a look.
The White House


Next we walked west toward the Lincoln Memorial. We hooked back onto the Mall. On the way we stopped at the Vietnam War Memorial. There was hardly anyone there at around 8:30 a.m.

Vietnam Memorial





Next it was a short walk west to the Lincoln Memorial. We stayed there and admired the beautiful building.





As we walked east on the Mall we stopped at three Smithsonian museums. Space and Air, Natural History, and American History museums.

Spirit of St. Louis


Lunar lander


At around 1 pm we headed to the Hart Senate Building where Paul, my nephew is working. He took an hour out of his day to give us a private tour of the Capital building.

We also saw the Supreme Court Building to the east of the Capital.

United States Supreme Court


Paul discussing the detail of the Capital Rotunda


Capital Dome

Arrived in Washington D. C.

July 14 2011

We flew from SFO to Wash. Nat'l today. The flight was in two stages. The first was to Chicago where we changed planes and then went on to Wash. As we were boarding the plane in Chicago one of the pilots asked if Sean wanted to come into the cockpit and sit. It was a great treat for him to check out all the equipment.

Sean in the cockpit of a United Airbus 320 at Ohare Airport with one of our pilots. The other is standing next to me.



We arrived in DC around 8 pm and took a cab to the Harrington Hotel. Then we got a bit to eat and walked to the Washington monument. It was about 9 when we arrived an a park service employee let us go up to the top without waiting or getting a ticket. What a lucky break. We had great views from the top of the White House, Capitol and the Lincoln memorial.

July 11

July 11

Three more days before we fly to Washington D.C.

This morning I called the hotel we will be staying at in Wash. and was informed that our bikes made it there and are being stored until we arrive on Thursday.

I have most of my stuff packed and am also packing most bike stuff for Sean in his suitcase.

Nancy informed us that she will be arriving by train on Friday and Ken and Blaine on Saturday.

Hopefully Sean and I can see the sites Friday and Sat. and also hook up with my nephew Paul who lives near D.C.