Oct 13, 2020 - Assateague National Seashore

Drove down to the Maryland section of Assateague Island. Overcast all day. Some mist in the morning, then in the afternoon the sun tried to break through a few times w/ out much success. Parked at the National Park Service Visitor Center which is just before the bridge going over to the island. The jurisdictions for the island are a bit confusing. At the federal level, the entire island is a National Seashore. The Maryland section is run by the National Park Service. In Virginia, it is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the Fish and Wildlife...

Aug 30, 2020 - Stormy Weather

Not much going on here in Grantsville as we've had a lot of rain over the last couple of days. I guess the remnants of Hurricane Laura passed through the area on Friday and Saturday and produced lots of rain and some thunderstorms. We are enjoying the visit with Kyle, Annie, Finn, Ozzie, Cindy, and all of the dogs. We'll be here until Tuesday and then move down to Blackwater Falls State Park in West Virginia. Stay tuned.

Aug 26, 2020 - COVID Cruise Part 2

Rather than start a new journal, I decided to continue with Part 2 of our 2020 COVID-19 Tour since COVID has really put a dent in our travels this year. We headed to western Maryland to spend some time with grandsons, Finn and Ozzie, who are holed up in grandma Cindy's house in Grantsville with Annie while Kyle commutes back to Baltimore. It was good to see them for the first time since January. We'll be spending the week here before moving south to West Virginia for a while. The trip out was not without some drama. We made an unplanned...

Oct 20, 2019 - Baltimore

Today we left Washington DC and followed I 95 to Baltimore in the pouring rain. We found parking, went for coffee and waited till 10:45a to take a trolley tour. We had a private tour in the rain with Tim, the bus driver, and Allen Paul, the tour guide. Mr. Paul started by offering us water and a lollipop. Tim drove us from one area to another as Mr. Paul told us the history of Baltimore. At one time there were 1.7 million inhabitants working in the steel industry, textiles, ship building etc. Railroads moved west....so did the...

Sep 20, 2019 - National harbor

Today we went south and only had stop and go traffic at one section of the drive to National Harbor this is a very new development. We did see the Capitols baseball stadium on the drive and can't imagine how Charles Krauthammer was able to get to it from the Fox studio in time to see the games. We rode the Wheel that gave a great view of Washington Dc and thankfully it was a clear day for this. We walked around some of the interesting shops in this development as well as the Gaylord Hotel. The Air force Once attraction has just closed, well...

Sep 19, 2019 - C & O canal Great Falls Tavern

Today we drove north west of Washington DC to see part of the C&O canal. There is a lock in Georgetown where mules take people on the canal boats that is closer in but it's now closed for renovation. This was again a way to be out of the city and see an important historical site. George Washington had envisioned a canal from the Atlantic to the interior and the Potomac River was part of that route - went by Mount Vernon as well. There was a walking path that took us the views of the very rocky and turbulent rapids here, easy to see why a...

Sep 18, 2019 - Lincoln cottage and night monument tour

Ray does not want to take the Metro again so it's great that this RV park has the night tour pick up here. We decided to go to President Lincoln's cottage as it's north of Washington DC and something I've wanted to see for quite awhile. Lots of traffic - the roads are good and this is just how it is. We did drive through some old neighborhoods where the Cottage is located with historical street signs and odd intersections. There is a national cemetery at the Cottage that we did not have time to see but was sobering to contemplate. We went...

Sep 17, 2019 - White House visitor center and Trump Hotel tower

We took the Metro to downtown Washington DC. I had checked out the stop but when we got off it takes time to get oriented. We were able to find the Trump Hotel that was the old post office building. Such a fancy building to have been used as a post office but that's how they did it. There is an observation tower at the hotel that is open to the public, the hotel is not. We did go through minimal security and took the elevator to the top. Had a good view of Washington DC to include the White House, the Potomac River, the Washington Monument...

Sep 16, 2019 - College park

We made it to Cherry Hill in College Park north of Washington DC. Traffic heavy but not too awful and the RV park is just great. We are in the lower area and looking at the upper section I think we have a better spot. Close to the bus pick up and visitor center. I went to a seminar put on by the campground about how to navigate the Metro, tours of Washington DC and where the station is closest to get onto the Metro. They sell the Metro passes here and there were at least 40 people at this orientation. She does this every day! This is the...

Sep 4, 2019 - St. Michaels, Maryland

If you have time to take an overnight trip from Washington D.C., one of the best places you could choose would be St. Michaels, Maryland. It is one of our very favorite places to go for the weekend. It is about an 80 mile trip west of DC, across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and south about 30 miles. Photo 1 A good itinerary would be to start early from DC, stop for the day in Annapolis and then go on to St. Michaels and stay overnight. St. Michaels is located on what is known as the Eastern Shore where several quaint towns are located, with...

Sep 3, 2019 - Annapolis, Maryland

Another day trip about 50 miles east of Washington D.C. is Annapolis, the capital of Maryland, and an historic jewel. It is located directly on the Chesapeake Bay. It is defined by both its history and its nautical character as exemplified by the presence of the Maryland State House and the United States Naval Academy. ACCOMODATIONS If you have time to stay overnight, there are numerous bed and breakfast accommodations that can be found on the internet. The main large and only hotel in the city center and right on the bay is the Annapolis...

Sep 2, 2019 - Baltimore, Maryland

There are several excellent day trips from Washington D.C. or, if you have the time, overnight trips. Baltimore, Maryland is one of them, only 50 miles northwest of D.C., about an hour by car. The primary reason for visiting Baltimore is the Inner Harbor. This was previously a shipping port and harbor, but has been renovated and filled with hotels, restaurants, shops, museums and a multitude of other activities. Fort McHenry, the place where the Star-Spangled Banner was written, is at the far end of the Inner Harbor, accessible by an...