Good morning! (Or whatever time of day it happens to be for you!)
We have been very busy recovering from our trip to Maryland, while also preparing for our upcoming road trip to Michigan. However, I wanted to share our pictures from the Maryland trip before we embark on our next adventure.
Thursday: The Adventure Begins!
We had a delayed flight, some issues with the car rental place, and a very, very late dinner, once we arrived in Baltimore! But arrive we did!
Friday: Sight Seeing!
We had planned to arrive a day before the competition, to allow for any unexpected “adventures.” Since all was going well, we headed to the train station!
We arrived at a station near a familiar landmark…
Next it was time to visit Honest Abe…
On our walk back down, Iliana (who has been to D.C. before, with her fifth grade class) showed me where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his speech.
And we ended our night with a trip to the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History.
Saturday: Sea Perch Time!
Saturday morning, we were up before the hotel started their breakfast!
The kids had a lot to do once we arrived at the University of Maryland for the competition.
Have I mentioned that in Texas, we love group photos?
There were teams from all over the U.S….and the world!
The kids set up their display…
…And headed outside for some water testing!
The next event was the obstacle course in the pool. Only three team members participated directly in that event, so the rest of us kept ourselves entertained in the bleachers until it was time to cheer them on!
After lunch, the kids did a presentation and Q and A session. They did very well.
Later on, we would learn that our team placed 9th in their division, which had about 60 other teams! That was especially impressive, considering that it was their first year.
Sunday: Back to D.C.!
The competition was initially supposed to be a two-day event, but they condensed it into one long day. This gave us an unexpected day of sight-seeing!
This time, we got off the train at Arlington National Cemetery.
We saw JFK’s grave…
…The changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
What struck me the most about Arlington was how absolutely huge it is. Regardless of your views on war, this is a sobering reminder of the inevitable cost.
After Arlington, we made our way to a more light-hearted stop–the White House. We didn’t go inside, but in front of the lawn, we were met with a rather interesting cross-section of humanity. There were people selling flags for various causes, people quietly protesting, and one protestor giving a very impassioned speech…while a man right next to him led a group in the “Cha-cha Slide!”
After that, we were off to the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History, where we saw the actual Ruby Slippers!
Monday: Off to the Capitol!
The next morning, I had a treat. There was a national park across from our hotel in Baltimore, so I enjoyed a walk through nature! I didn’t have time to do much exploring, so I decided I would revisit it later.
Then it was time for another train ride!
At the Capitol, we were hosted by the staff of our Congressman, Randy Weber. Mr. Weber was not there at the time, but we met his staff in his office.
And, of course, a group photo!
Our first stop on the tour…
It is important to note that dogs have been allowed in the Capitol for the past 10 years. Many of the Representatives had pictures of their dogs on their doors.
The most interesting part of the tour, by far, were the statues. Each state is allowed two statues in the Capitol. The first statues we saw were in the basement.
The old Senate chambers…
The old Supreme Court room.
The Rotunda…
And one last train ride, back to our hotel.
Tuesday’s Side Quest: Lost in the Woods
Since we were due to fly out on Tuesday, I decided to get up early and go on a 5 mile hike before breakfast. I headed out at 6:00 am. The first mile was uneventful, except for a road barricade marking the trail.
The scenery changed a bit as I veered away from the highway during the second mile.
The third mile brought with it a boardwalk over a swamp, plenty of ferns, and an interesting carved tree.
The fourth mile brought more beautiful scenery.
I planned to drink a bottle of water every two miles, so I was due to drink my last one at mile 4. The trail thus far had been very well marked, and I was making perfect time as I passed marker 3.2, 3.4, 3.6, and 3.8. There were a couple of unmarked forks, but I stuck with the obviously better-worn path.
Still no marker for mile 4. I was seeing more hikers at this time, mostly heading in the opposite direction. At an unmarked fork between two very-worn paths, I asked a local which one was the perimeter trail. He looked confused, then pointed me in a direction that he said would take me to that trail.
I crossed a marked fork, which I was able to find on my trail map. There was a loop, and if I took the shorter end, it would take me back to the perimeter trail. Sure enough, it did! I was seeing mile markers again.
In .3 miles, I was back at the beginning of the loop. Mission accomplished!
I had plenty of time to eat breakfast, which was a yummy omelet made-to-order by the very friendly hotel staff. Then we returned the rental cars and boarded to bus to the airport.
Everybody kept busy at the terminal.
On Southwest, the seats are first come, first served, based on the time that you check in. This was a very full flight, and it became apparent that our group would not be able to stay together. The kids found seats in the back, and I volunteered to find a seat back there, as there were not enough for all the adults.
Happily, I found the last available window seat!
Bye bye, Baltimore! We crossed the Mississippi.
Three hours later…
We had a fun trip, and it was a great opportunity for the kids! And our dog is very happy with her sourvenier from the Capitol!
We had two weeks to recover, and now we are getting ready to leave for Michigan tomorrow. Stay tuned!
Happily Loco 