The Arrival into DC: Just Point Me to the Beer

Leaving work just after 2:00, I was able to swing by home, pick up Kino, throw a few last minute things together and manage to be on the road towards Youngstown by 3:30. I've done this part of the trip probably close to a million times, so to actually try and write about it is a bit of a challenge. Though this time around, I decided to play it somewhat stupid and slipped onto the Turnpike with less than eighth of a tank left in the car. With thirty miles to go before I got off at my exit, the low fuel light popped on and I made the decision to see how far I can push my car. Needless to say, everything turned out allright, and I was able to make it to the gas station off the exit 33 miles later, but I had never seen that needle drop so low. Those last few miles were surrouned by a few silent prayers that I wouldn't run out of steam on the Turnpike. My parents, who were patiently waiting at the exit to grab Kino, wouldn't appreciate it very much. I did drop him off with them though without incident, gave my thanks and hug goodbye, and jumped back on my way towards DC.


My drive into Washington was fairly uneventful, but extremely beautiful. I've driven through this part of the country in the mid-fall, when the leaves are at their peak, and if I were to come back, I would probably choose that time of year to do it, simply for the scenery. However, this time around I found myself passing through the lush laurel of mid-Pennsylvania and the red soil of northern Maryland, only to descend into DC sometime around 9:30pm. My GPS wove me along a few winding roads around the Chevy Chase neighborhood, through a long series of traffic lights and roundabouts, to finally, the front of Nick's condo in Columbia Heights, just adjacent to Mount Pleasant.


I found a parking spot just outside Nick's building and with his help, carried my bag and my bike up into his apartment. There I met his girlfriend Sarah again, whom I hadn't seen since about 2006 when all of us met in Cincinnati for the famous Labor Day fireworks. About fifteen minutes later, the three of us headed around the block to an English Pub in their neighborhood called The Common Wealth, where indulged ourselves on a basket of chips and a few pints of English ale. About 48 ounces in, Sarah decided she should head home while Nick and I hit up a few more of the local bars in the area. We actually only managed to make it one, a small indie dive bar called the Raven, which was mostly populated by Virginia students and random hipsters. We found an open two stools at the bar, where we sat and drank Yeungling until just before closing.

As of now, we're showered and ready to grab some south American breakfast before exploring the town. The weather is a bit spotty, but we're prepared to make the most of it. I'm more than sure that a little rain would hardly dampen the experience.