Roughing It in DC

On the 28th through July 3rd I stayed in Chevy Chase, MD.

So we plan on getting back on trail in Harper's Ferry on Thursday. This allowed UV to get some things done and start feeling better. It also allows us to experience the 4th in DC which seems like a good thing. It should have nice fireworks.

Conveniently we arrived in DC in the middle of a horrible heat wave. It has been reliably in the high 90's or low 100's. To try and avoid some of the heat we went to go do some monument sightseeing on the evening of Friday. People that have been following the news realize that that might not have been the best idea. Everything was going quite well, we got a parking spot right next to the FDR memorial and decided to go counterclockwise around the tidal basin. We got to the World War II memorial at about 9:30 or 10. While there, the wind started to blow. Moments later, it was blowing quite strongly and there was debris in it. Then it started pouring. As we walked backed to the car, it was like walking through a hurricane. Large branches and trees were coming down all over the mall and the rain was blowing horizontally. We passed a line of porta pottys on their sides; hopefully no one was in them at the moment of tipping. After dodging a tree that landed six inches from us, we made it back to the vehicle.

Although the storm was letting up by that point, the journey home was harder than expected. While navigating through downtown streets with traffic lights all out and littered with branches large and small, we continued to come to roads that were completely blocked by downed trees of significant size. After detouring two or three times, we finally found a route home to discover the entire area was without power. This didn't cause me to pause overly since I'd been living without power for three months and, being from Maine, I have experienced power outages frequently enough. What surprised me was how accepting natives were to it. Since this is now the 5th day without power I guess I see why...

With so many people around here expressing their displeasure with the utility, it is surprising how long people routinely go without power. Where I'm from in Maine, if you lose power for multiple days it is a pretty big deal. The last time I remember widespread outages that lasted for any real length of time was the ice storm that happened in '99 or something like that. While I understand there are far more people affected here than in Maine storms, Maine residents are usually more spread out. Wouldn't a utility company that employed a similar ratio of employees to customers have an easier time in a more urban area than a rural one? I'm sure there is some reason for it, but it is a bit amazing.

The other major high point was going to see a play by the Shakespeare Theater Company. The play was Servant of Two Masters written by Carlo Goldoni. It was remarkably good and entertaining. It helped to make it feel like we are really back in the normal world. It has been nice to come back and experience things that normal people do but I am about ready to get back to the woods. The woods are calm and peaceful and quiet. You don't have to hear traffic, sirens and the neighbor's rather loud generator. Your days are an interesting combination of planned out yet completely open. The downside is, in the woods, you can't decide to walk and get ice cream on a whim or go and watch talented Shakespearean actors. All in all, the woods are amazing. It is nice to escape from them now and again but such escapes just reinforce in my mind how great they are. Ending the trail could be a rough transition...