Washington DC and the Outer Banks

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Hello from the Atlantic Ocean.

Todate we have traveled over 4,600 miles, along the way we attended the "Honda Hoot" in Knoxville, TN their 15th Annual. We met up with Pat and Cheryl Barret and rode together on a beautiful ride doing the Cumberland Gap also we took a Riverboat ride for breakfast and the highlight of the closing ceremonies was an unbelievable concert by Wynonia Judd. The concert was worth the price of admission.

On Sunday we said so long to Pat and Cheryl as they had to make their way back to WA State. We decided to spent our time between Honda Hoot and Wing Ding doing some sightseeing. So we headed North with WA DC as our initial destination. Along the way we managed to find the Shanondoah Parkway and rode several miles along this hill top route. As we were entering the WA DC area we got caught up in a heck of a thunder storm. The rain drops came in buckets and they were bigger than your thumb and we were soaked for the first time on our trip. We made it to our hotel in Alexandria and settled in for the night.

The next morning we headed off to DC after about an hour and a half driving around in circles around the White House and the monuments looking for a place to park. We found our selves a parking spot in the parking garage at Arlington Cemetery. This was a perfect place to park the bike and a short walk got us onto the Metro system. Thinking we were close to the White House we got off at the Federal Triangle Stop which opened up into the middle of the Ronald Reagan Building and found a fantastic restaurant and had lunch here. We started walking towards the White House and were disappointed that we couldn't get within 500 yards of the White House fence, but we got our pictures and we continued walking. The Washington Monument can be seen almost everywhere and between the WA Monument and the Lincoln Reflection Pond we found the new Memorial which was dedicated to the WWII Veterans. We should mention that all this walking was done in over 90 degree temperatures with matching humidity.

Hello from the Atlantic Ocean we just came back to the mainland from the Outer Banks.

Todate we have traveled over 5,500 miles, along the way we attended the "Honda Hoot" in Knoxville, TN their 15th Annual. We met up with Pat and Cheryl Barret and rode together on a beautiful ride doing the Cumberland Gap also we took a Riverboat ride for breakfast and the highlight of the closing ceremonies was an unbelievable concert by Wynonia Judd. The concert was worth the price of admission.
On Sunday we said so long to Pat and Cheryl as they had to make their way back to WA State. We decided to spent our time between Honda Hoot and Wing Ding doing some sightseeing. So we headed North with WA DC as our initial destination. Along the way we managed to find the Shanondoah Parkway and rode several miles along this hill top route. As we were entering the WA DC area we got caught up in a heck of a thunder storm. The rain drops came in buckets and they were bigger than your thumb and we were soaked for the first time on our trip. We made it to our hotel in Alexandria and settled in for the night.
The next morning we headed off to DC after about an hour and a half driving around in circles around the White House and the monuments looking for a place to park. We found our selves a parking spot in the parking garage at Arlington Cemetery. This was a perfect place to park the bike and a short walk got us onto the Metro system. Thinking we were close to the White House we got off at the Federal Triangle Stop which opened up into the middle of the Ronald Reagan Building and found a fantastic restaurant and had lunch here. We started walking towards the White House and were disappointed that we couldn't get within 500 yards of the White House fence, but we got our pictures and we continued walking. The Washington Monument can be seen almost everywhere and between the WA Monument and the Lincoln Reflection Pond we found the new Memorial which was dedicated to the WWII Veterans. We should mention that all this walking was done in over 90 degree temperatures with matching humidity.

We made our way to the Vietnam Memorial "The Wall" and paid our respects. Next we went to the Lincoln Monument and we read the amazing Gettysburg Address. We were so tired and what seemed like miles of walking in that unforgiving temperture that we broke down and got a taxi to take us to the Capitol Building. After taking pictures of the Capitol we found the nearest Metro to take us back to Arlington and back to our bike.

We got out of Washington DC in the nick of time after spending the night in Fredricksburg we left the next day for Colonial Williamsburg. Another day of hiking in the heat to see Colonial Williamsburg .... I thought we were on a motorcycle ride.

After seeing the sights at Williamsburg we stayed on the Colonial Parkway and headed over to York Towne for those of you that don't know York Towne is where the British surrendered and this countries Independence was finally won. It just so happens this is also where the Coast Guard has its training center and where 23 years ago Doug was an instructor at this Engineing School. We stayed on the base in the guest housing for $29. We visited Stueben Hall and were amazed to find that behind this glass of exhibits of all different styles of Coast Guard Uniforms thru the years there was Doug's uniform which he had donated still in cased. What a treat.

After a quick visit to James Towne which is the site of the first settlement dates back over 400 years we headed South and tonight find ourselves in the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the town of Kitty Hawk where we stood in the Atlantic ocean.

We visited all the lighthouses on the Outer Banks including the famous Hatteras Lighthouse the tallest lighthouse and we also visited the first light house in North Carolina, Ocracoke Lighthouse. Where all the names came from that they have chosen for their lighthouses we do not have a clue.

It is so hot and himid today you can cut the air with a butter knife. We go into an airconditioned room and come out and our glasses are immediately fogged up.

We traveled on two Ferries today, one was free and was about 45 minutes from Cape Hatteras Inlet to Ocracoke Island. On Orcacoke Island, a beautiful place, with lots of grassy bogs and beautiful white cranes. From Ocracoke Island we boarded a ferry to the mainland to Morehead City, this ferry was a 2 1/2 ride and you needed reservations. We didn't know about the reservations until we were almost to the ferry so when we arrived we played dumb and were let on. Said there wouldn't be a problem as the ferry wasn't full and they let the bikes on first. We not only put our feet in the Atlantic Ocean we were on a ferry in the Atlantic how awesome is that!!! After doing a load of laundry we headed to a restaurant that was recommened by the locals. Oh my goodness ..... they said it was like home cooking ... home cooking that is if you live in the South. Doug ordered their special, Pork Chops. They came to him on a sizzling platter so hot that the knife was too hot to handle with two very large pork chops, stuffed potatoe and the biggest salad that you have ever seen. The said had so much home made blue cheese dressing I was using it to spread on my hush puppies. Boy am I glad that I just ordered Crab Soup. The soup had so much crab in it they must of used 3 crabs just for my bowl .... ummm ummm good!!! The hush puppies where just like my great-grandmother from Georgia used to make.

Well enough for now its late and I still need to had some pictures for you to see.

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Photos

Metro Station
Doug getting ready to head to the Metro Train.

Doug's Uniform
Doug's Dress uniform that the donated in 1985

Uniforms at Steuben Hall
Uniforms thru the years including Dougs.

Doug
Entrance to Coast Guard Reserve Training Center York Town Virginia where Doug was an instructor