Don't Go Back to Rockville

And waste another year... (R.E.M. - 1984)

After taking Claire to London a while back, it was time for Joey to get a little time in the big city. He was agreeable to travelling to Washington DC since they have a subway (Metro) and lots of cool things to do. The thing that excited Joey the most about this trip is there would be a pool at the hotel.

I have realized that at this age, a trip to learn things actually takes a back seat to going to a hotel that has a pool. So I figure, if I have to sucker them into a learning situation with the lure of a hotel pool, so be it. Plus we had enough hotel points from the move to State College that it was going to be a free stay.

The drive down went fast. It was raining for the first half of the trip but didn't dampen the cool mountain views. Most of the drive goes right through the heart of the Appalachians. Each mountain ridge gets lower and lower until you get into central Maryland where the terrain settles into the Chesapeake coastal plain.

If you don't know where Washington DC is, I can't help you.

Hey, is that Johnny Appleseed?


The first order of business after checking in was to make sure the pool was acceptable. The familiar "Ooooh!" from Joey told me that this was going to be a good trip. We quickly changed into our suits and Joey was "swimmin' like a fish" in no time.

After dinner and a ride around the town of Rockville, MD to familiarize ourselves, it was time to relax and fall asleep. Awaiting our adventures to come.

Thursday was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and all the clouds and rain moved well out to sea. The temperature was much more comfortable than the 99 degrees the day before. Good thing, because Joey and extreme heat don't go well together. Especially if we had to walk around all day in it.

Joey reminded me of the IHOP that we saw the night before right across from the Metro station. He said we could have breakfast there...if I wanted...

I wanted.

After breakfast, the adventure began in full force.

If Joey had been wearing a suit and tie, he would look like a majority of the passengers going to work. Except most of them probably weren't listening to Madonna on the Ipod.

After a quick train change at Metro Center, we were disembarking at the Smithsonian stop.

The pen is empty.

Joey learns that the Soviet Union was the ying to America's yang during the space race of the 1960's at the Air and Space museum.


Joey learns how weather satellites work. Of course...


You hit 'em, we git 'em.

Different size buckets as drums and a shopping cart for cymbals. This guy was absolutely sick. Joey and I listened for about 20 minutes under a shady tree.

The pen is NOT empty.

I figured if I looked at these things long enough, they would start talking to me ala Sid and Marty Kroft.

Try wrapping your brain around this during your formative years.


Joey makes his way to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing only to find that the tours are filled for the day. So he listens to the Ipod while navigating the nation's capital.

After walking for about 5 miles and not trying to overdo it, Joey said that the pool is calling him and we have to go back. We head back to the Metro station and call it a day.

I gave my cousing Wes a call after Joey wiped out another evening in the pool. He was playing in a softball tournament so Joey and I drove into our fourth state of the trip, Virginia. Joey got to see (for the first time in about four years) his second-cousins. Andrew and Brent were there at the softball field and after a little shyness, Joey was whooping it up riding a scooter and tossing around a softball with his new best friends.

After the game, we all went back to Wes's house and chilled. Joey got to see his other three cousins - Courtney, Ally and Tori. (yep, that's five in all) Joey and Brent did their own thing all evening and Joey proclaimed that he was going to spend the night. I told him that if we're going to swim in the pool before we leave tomorrow, that we should probably go back.

That was met with the stink-eye. Joey demanded that we come back to visit soon so he can sleep over. But he also realized that the pool was a good option as well. We made it back quite late and Joey was sound asleep.

Friday was check-out day but we had one more important stop to make before going home.

One of eleven 7-11 convenience stores across the country ceremoniously converted to a Kwik-E-Mart for the opening of the Simpons movie later this month.

After leaving with a box of Krusty-O's and a can of Buzz Cola, we were on on our way back to Pennsylvania.

The summit of Polish Mountain on I-68 in Maryland is actually a valley. Go figure.