Falls Church Virginia via Philadelphia, July 16th

Falls Church Virginia and I’ve gone as far south as I need to, covering almost all the states but one, West Virginia and it’s gonna be for the moonshine. Covered 6 states today, some that I’ve already hit, but left New Jersey, went thru New York back into Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and ended up here in Virginia…wow and in less than 90 days. Ok, for those who don’t know the 90 day rule, well, how’ bout for those of us who do, if you get past 90 days with something or someone, it deserves a different level of respect and better treatment than it otherwise might be getting…hey, still working on that therapy thing.

Found out something pretty interesting the second Sunday traveling the east coast and that is none of the country music stations here play music, not on a Sunday cuz it’s NASCAR. Yep, have been jamming to country music along the way, but it’s not really jamming, hell, that music can be downright depressing…you know like a Texas tornado or divorce - you loose your dog, your house and your car, but the divorce…it takes the wife too. Well, have found out a lot about the music in certain areas along the way and had thought I left the Spanish in California, but around New York, got all sorts and I’m not talking English or Spanish. Got off to an early start and a big thanks to Dale for letting me stay in the apartment for the weekend, I had a great time in New York and it’s definitely a place worth visiting again, and of course hitting McSorley’s. Figured I better get on the road early since there’s a lot of history to see in Philly although I saw it years ago, but forgot just how quick you can get around and see everything there is to see. Found the visitors center right away and they gave me the map which listed out what to see for a half day or full day tour and although I’m probably shooting for more a half day, saw pretty much everything. The only tour where you needed a ticket was Independence Hall, but since I was by myself the ranger gave me the earliest available…that was easy, and again didn’t even have to start with the travel spiel. Things have definitely changed around here since the last time I was here, but hell that was almost 20 years ago that it’s a good thing they have a new visitors center, museum and house for the Liberty bell, of course you have to get a picture of that and notice my photographic eye, got the steeple it use to be in in the background...now that’s some good photography.

Figured since heading to Washington DC, have to give the first city of government the recognition it deserves and there is plenty to see…the other nice thing, it’s all within walking distance and a small area that it’s easy to cover in a short period of time – the only thing it’s missing is the red line like the Freedom trail in Boston or the trail in Salem, oh well, the map did the trick. There’s definitely a lot of history to see here, and it was great seeing it all and am not going to title all the pictures of what you’re looking at, but had me thinking along the way how some of the self help books you read now a days tell you how to let go of the past and live for the now…gotta be talking about something completely different – hey still working on it and today it actually hit me how I missed Colby Cheese days for the first time in a very long time… well, hopefully this’ll be the once and only, but then again, that depends on whether I can turn this trip into something more....you know, get the bike to the island, Britain, and cover all of Europe from there. I know the money would run out by then, but I’ve heard how easy it is to get a job overseas, right?

While in Philly have to eat something they’ re known for and that’s the cheese steak sandwich and found just the place, Sonny’s, well they advertise as famous and it was definitely a good sandwich. Ok, more site seeing and you know that Ben Franklin was pretty big around town in those days that saw more history on him than anyone else…kinda like those who are a big fish in a little pond and although a change would do them good, they’d be lost any other place…ok, enough already. Well, got to see a lot and Ben’s saying about ‘Speak little, but do much’ still sticks with me…how so few words can mean so much. Checked out the oldest Catholic Church in Philly, yea, didn’t do the oldest bar in Pennsylvania, but the City Tavern could have been it if it hadn’t been tore down in 1854 and rebuilt in the 1970’s still an interesting place to visit and I learned something new today. You know where the term ‘Bar and Grille’ came from? it was the taverns in those days. They use to have heavy lead goblets that drinks were served in that when ever a fight broke out in a bar…I mean tavern, the bar tender…again, tavern tender would close the grille and put a bar across it so they as well as the liquor would be safe. They’d also stand in the back so no swords could reach them. Apparently those lead goblets were pretty heavy that they could do quite a bit of damage and ya gotta save the liquor and bartender…I mean tavern-tender. Now if anyone already new that, hat’s off to you, but that must mean you’ve already been here and had a waitress so willing to tell you the history that you learned something…well, in my case, I ask a lot of questions.

Got a picture of the old original Bookbinder’s which is where I had my first full lobster dinner some 20 years ago. Like I mentioned before have already been here and that was with the first company that I worked for, Cenex, that it was great going to a place like that and having work pick up the bill, pretty spendy and thought about having dinner here again, but after that cheese steak, will save it for my share visit…you know, when I get to share this experience with someone. I’ve found a lot of places along the way that are definitely worth sharing with someone else that I could probably write a book on just that, but you never know, maybe there’s a book in the future from this trip. Still more Philly to see and took plenty of pictures and check out the ‘Heat’ sign…definitely hot here and although not as hot as back home…hey, had good weather with record breaking heat still following me. Oh, and notice the car duct taped together…it’s true that duct tape’ll fix anything – wonder whether that car leaks in the rain or not?

Ok, have seen it all according to Andrew and Nick that it’s time for me to head here, you know, Falls Church and wouldn’t you know it, ran out of gas on the freeway and was so close…well, 3 miles from the nearest gas station. Yea, kept trying to get the thing to go a little further, but this time it was bone dry. So, the only thing to do is hoof it until I can find the nearest gas station which must be just up the ramp, but not my luck today…well, that was until a guy on a crouch rocket stopped to help. Nope, you’re not going to see any pictures of me riding bitch with some guy on a bike cuz I’m just not going to take it, but he did get me to the nearest gas station…what’d I say, 3 miles away? I can imagine what people were thinking seeing me on the back of that bike. Got a gas can from the attendant that all I have to do is get back to the bike so I started hoofing it, with my thumb out – someone’ll help a hitch hiker with a gas can won’t they? Well, came across a guy walking my way and on the cell phone that maybe he knows of a taxi service in the area and can call one for me, but no, he sounds as upset with this place as I could be, but what’dya know, a taxi was just coming along. Ok, so it was an $8 ride, but that saved me what it otherwise would have taken me to walk and I still have a ways to drive today. Got enough gas into the bike that I can make the nearest gas station so finally did what I need to do on this trip…filled the can and attached it to the bike so if I ever run out again, this time I’ll be prepared. Maybe not, but thought attaching the can to the bike to get it back to the station was a good idea and hey, had you going there for a while, didn’t I?

Traffic wasn’t the greatest, but on bike can even white line it here that got up to the tolls sooner than most, yep, cost me extra to ride the road, but made pretty good time getting here…and this is another curling connection. Remember Port Orchard and how Ann who had never met me put me up for a few nights because of the word from someone I’ve curled with? Well, Mary Ellen is gracious enough to do the same thanks to George putting in a good word for me – remember New Hampshire. Well, there’s plenty to see in the DC area that having someone to stay with for a few nights will really make a difference…thanks George and especially Mary Ellen for putting me up for a few nights. Ok, you caught me, sitting at a bar with Mary Ellen and Andrew having a few thanks to Mark and Keely, hey, that’s a cool name. Ok, have the first capital city outta the way that lets see what the current one has to offer. Philadelphia Pictures.