Olympic Interuptus

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Cozyflier 

Crack Me Up, DC

Any reasonable person would tell bike or foot is the most effective way of getting around Washington, DC. Segway is another great way, more on that later. But, in all my years and all my travels I've never seen this:

I'm familiar with bike lanes, I just never seen a bike light before!! Like I said, this trip was very educational for Amelia and her Driver's Ed program!


Please tell me if you have ever seen one, and if so, where.


Cozyflier

GeorgeTown Bridges

So yesterday on here I mentioned about bridges! Now, let me explain, these pictures are NOT great. I was driving, they were taken by Amelia through the car window, and the car is moving! But this winding, green tree lined bridge covered road was amazing!! I'm sorry, maybe to some of you it isn't, but even in Chicago we didn't have cool bridges like this! I guess in old age, 51, I'm becoming enamored with cool architecture. These bridges 'spoke' to me. I've always liked taking pictures of tall buildings when I was in the big city, getting unusual angles and such, but in DC the buildings are so neat :-) So here are the bridges, again, I'm sorry I couldn't stop in traffic. This road had no exits, no turn lanes! I had to drive 5 miles just to turn around to get back to where I wanted to be!!!! But, wow, what a view!!!

I so wished that there would have been a place to park so that we could take pictures under, around, on, and at the bridge!!  Or at any of them! 

Do you like bridges??


Cozyflier

GeorgeTown & GeorgeTown Cupcakes

After we dropped AJ off we drove 2 miles over to downtown Silver Spring and we got checked into our motel. Then we drove into DC to get a feel for the city. YIKES!!! We drove around muddled and confused. Parking was NON-existent and after 3 laps around the Washington Monument, I pulled into a parking lot that was for employees only! I talked to some rather non helpful park rangers that basically said I was S.O.L. So much for WALKING around the Washington Monument on our 1st day in the city! We drove around and saw many of the sites from the car. I could tell the kids were getting anxious, so I changed my attack. I saw the Potomac, and I remembered my niece had just been here the prior week or so and had found a really neat place in GeorgeTown. Amelia and Alex found driving UNDER the Kennedy Performing Arts Center really cool, and when I explained about the Water Gate Hotel, that was mildly interesting to them! The place we needed to turn into  I couldn't make a left turn! We ended up driving about 5 miles down this amazing road before I could legally make a turn. (I will do a bridges post). When we got to the parking lot, Amelia and Alex got out of the car and below is their expression:

They had never seen a parking meter before!!!!!!

This is the reason I wanted to come over to G-town, this amazing little water play area!  It was hot and we needed to cool down and have some fun and de-stress!

When it comes to water, I'm a kid at heart!

Amelia didn't want to get soaked!

A giant sun dial!  Wish Kevin was with us, he loves Sundials!!!

The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, magnificent!

The Water Gate Hotel, if those walls could talk!

Virginia skyline

The Potomac

I'm a drenched rat, but oh well, it was fun!!!  You can see the Kennedy Center and Water Gate in background.  Kennedy Center was going to be named something else, but when Kennedy was shot, He and Jackie were such great supporters of the arts, the city decided to name it after Kennedy.

Amelia loves her JUMP pictures!

On our last day, we picked up AJ and brought him over here.  In the middle of the afternoon when it was over 100*  the water fountain was NOT on to play in!  Can't imagine why???

More jump pictures!

I like the shadows!

So, in the HEAT we hiked the 2-4 UPHILL blocks to G-Town Cupcakes, well known to TLC fans!!!

My they look good!

And guess what?  They were De-leesh!!!!  Made for a nice snack in the car leaving town in RUSH hr!

We are happy consumers!!


GeorgeTown is high rent district according to the tour driver that we were on.  But it is a wonderful area to visit and explore if you are in area.  We also highly recommend visiting the cupcakes, but be prepared to stand in line!  Luckily, we only had to wait about 5-8 minutes.  Usually the line wraps around the block!


I'll tell you about the bridges next post, they are amazing!!


Cozyflier

The Great 10 Day 11 State Adventure

AJ, my youngest was nominated for Jr. National Young Leaders Conference (JNYLC). A teacher at school nominated him, and we were so proud. We were able to get into the week of July 14th-19. Kevin decided he had been to Washington, DC 3 times prior so he stayed home and continued working. Amelia helped me drive, she got a lot of good interstate experience for her Driver's Ed, but she would NOT drive in DC! All I can say, is I survived a week of driving in DC without a WRECK!!!! My excellent driving record is still in tact!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will have several posts over the next week showing you all about our adventure! It was a 27 hour drive from Lubbock to DC! We left on the 12th and had to be Silver Spring, MD by 1pm on the 14th. AJ had to be checked in and I had to fill out paper work. Alex, Amelia's boyfriend, came along with us. He loves history and had never been to the capitol. Alex and AJ spent many hours playing games in the car. The kids watched movies and were amazed by the beautiful trees when we got out of TEXAS!!!!!!!

 Ready to hit the road!

 Amelia gets driving experience!

 Funk tradition, stop at Braums!

 I think we've got Alex hooked on Braums!

 It takes all day to get out of the state of TX!!!!

Day 2 we rolled into Memphis!

 Disney's monorail is better!!!

 We don't have tall trees like this in TX!!

 Virginia split rail fence.  When you drive along the road and see the fence, all the land it is around is protected land.

 AJ, ready to check in for his conference.

My he looks sharp!!

So if you are inclined, check back frequently and you will find out all about our adventure.  It was exhausting, thrilling, fun, and tiring!!


Cozyflier