What do you get when you combine:*lots of uncommitted free time
*a late-model car with low mileage and in excellent condition
*much-lowered gasoline prices (especially when compared to just a few months ago)
*a strong desire to get out and experience a change of scenery
*good weather conditions
*newly-opened venues for tourism in...
*a city not so-terribly-far away filled with free things to see?
A much deserved vacation to Washington, D.C.!
The previous FLASHBACK post was thrown up here because I had already planned to go and was reminded of the last time I was there.
This time I plan to take my time. It's not like I have a job to rush back home to.
I flirted with the idea of delaying my journey for a month or so in order to witness what will be a historic inauguration of President Obama, but then I thought of all these added negatives thrown into the equation:
*Most obviously: it would be probably 10 times as crowded. Lines for everything would be exponentially increased and I'd hardly have time to see anything.
*It would be unlikely I'd be able to attend any inauguration event up close so I'd be relegated to standing in the cold weather peering at outdoor TV monitors. Um, I can see it on TV from the comfort of my Florida home much better.
*Will I still be unemployed in late January? Could be, but I don't want to defer employment opportunities just to go on a road trip. That'd be irresponsible.
*The cheap hotel rates I have now would likely have risen by then, specifically due to the influx of would-be inauguration tourists.
All these things would make the trip less appealing.
So here's the plan...and the estimated costs since I must say, I think I did well...
*I booked accommodations at Motel 6 (yeah a bit low-end but I'm unemployed dammit - besides, it's not something like the Hotel Capri, I would hope)....$33/night: sweet! I reserved 3 nights.
*The hotel is much cheaper than usual mostly because it's 50 miles south of Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. So, to save parking fee costs and hassle of city traffic, I'll take the commuter rail into the city....$9.10 each way. Parking at the Fredericksburg train station, less than a mile away from the hotel: free.
*It means an almost 2 hour train ride each way but I like trains. Of course, most commuter rails I know of don't have cafe cars.;) No Bloody Mary's this time.
*The train terminates at Union Station, close to the Capitol and the National Mall. Yes, I looked into possibly getting a hotel room closer to town near a Metro (subway) station but the rooms were much higher-priced, and parking at the subway stations is not free.
*I'm planning on leaving very early tomorrow morning (4am or so) so I will take some Benedryls around 7 o'clock tonight, watch The Amazing Race (rooting for Andrew and Dan, the frat boys BTW...woot, woot, go underdogs!) and catch about 6 or 7 hours of sleep.
*I should make it to the hotel about 6pm or so, accounting for food and piss stops. It's Nugget and I's first long trip...wish us luck! It should be fine. I remember from years ago when I drove this section of I-95 going back and forth from Rhode Island and Florida that it was a breeze...light traffic, mostly through rural areas and well-paved. Note of caution though, if I remember correctly: heavily patrolled, especially in Georgia and South Carolina, so I'll be watching that speedometer.
*The weather should be fine. Forecast calls for very cold temps for tomorrow, but that's just a travel day...Nugget's heater works fine.:) But Tuesday and Wednesday it's predicted to be highs in the 50s...that's more like it...though more rain chance so I'm bringing my umbrella. Just please let there be no snow. Living in Florida for so many years (and some jaunts in New Orleans, of course) I haven't driven in snow since 1997. I will freak out if it snows! I'm only bringing my fleece jackets, BTW. It's all I have that can be considered "winter" outerwear. I hope it's enough. I figure since when I am outdoors that I'll be walking a lot so I'll be generating enough body heat from, what for me amounts to heavy exercise.
*I want to see the newly-opened Capitol Visitors center, the just-reopened and renovated American History Museum, the American Indian Museum and the WWII Memorial, which weren't there in 1991. Of course I plan on hitting up the other museums as well...I have 2 full days.
*Thursday, after checking out in the morning, I may divert to the Williamsburg area, some 50 miles out of the way, but I'd wanted to visit there for a long time. We'll see what my budget will allow, and my stamina!
In any event, no matter what, I'm taking plenty of video and still pictures that, of course, I'll throw up here next weekend.
Stay tuned!