I never got a chance write about Day 2. The amazing thing about the rest of the ride to DC was going through the mountains in Pennsylvania. Indiana and Ohio are relatively uninteresting but Pennsylvania was worth the wait. The views were incredible. The mountains, valleys, rivers, and foliage were gorgeous. It was a great view with better weather than the first day of riding.
Getting into the Washington D.C. area was a bit stressful. The traffic moves at an unbelievably quick pace. If we were not going 20 mph over the limit, it was way too slow. Trying to navigate a map and not know where we were made it pretty tense. Once we got to the hotel, we just collapsed from exhaustion. The mileage on the bike was at 795.
Day 5
We got on the Metro very early. Our first tour of the day was the Library of Congress. What an amazing place. Every nook and cranny was developed and defined with deep meaning. Every decoration, statue, and painting had a reason for being there. I was truly in awe and the tour guide was so intelligent and detailed in her explanations. She injected humor into her descriptions and her love of the place was apparent in every word she spoke.
The next tour was the Supreme Court. The room was empty as there were no proceedings going on at that time. When the court is in session the public is welcome to listen in. The room was quiet and dark and I could feel a sense of how important this place was. There is so much history in this room.
Today we went to Arlington National Cemetery. We missed President Bush's speech at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by less than an hour. The procrastinator strikes again. We took the Metro to get around town. The city is so complicated and so crowded it's impossible to get around.
The cemetery was an amazing place. We started in the Women's Memorial where there was a tribute to those killed in Iraq. Each soldier was memorialized in a portrait. There were so many. They were arranged by date of death. We found a local girl's portrait and I took a picture of it.
I've read most articles written about her and I've seen the HBO special that her family was in. I feel like I know her, although superficially. I can't imagine the pain of such a loss.
We left the Women's Memorial and headed to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier followed by John F. Kennedy's grave and the eternal flame. We toured the place feeling a sense of enormous loss. Seeing the magnitude of the many rows and rows of tombstones gave me a heavy heart.
We ended our day at the Marine Memorial, the statue of Iwo Jima. It was stunning and impressive and larger than life.
The end of the day was spent at the Kennedy Center. We got a special tour and it was inspiring and more interesting than expected. The history of how the center was started and the events that led up to where it is now captivated us. President Kennedy's death brought the center many gifts from foreign countries. From the Italian tile, the Waterford crystal chandeliers from Ireland, the silk curtains from China, and the many, many other generous gifts, the Kennedy Center has become a place of world friendship and cooperation. It's too bad it had to take such tragedy to make this all happen.
The cemetery was an amazing place. We started in the Women's Memorial where there was a tribute to those killed in Iraq. Each soldier was memorialized in a portrait. There were so many. They were arranged by date of death. We found a local girl's portrait and I took a picture of it.
I've read most articles written about her and I've seen the HBO special that her family was in. I feel like I know her, although superficially. I can't imagine the pain of such a loss.
We left the Women's Memorial and headed to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier followed by John F. Kennedy's grave and the eternal flame. We toured the place feeling a sense of enormous loss. Seeing the magnitude of the many rows and rows of tombstones gave me a heavy heart.
We ended our day at the Marine Memorial, the statue of Iwo Jima. It was stunning and impressive and larger than life.
The end of the day was spent at the Kennedy Center. We got a special tour and it was inspiring and more interesting than expected. The history of how the center was started and the events that led up to where it is now captivated us. President Kennedy's death brought the center many gifts from foreign countries. From the Italian tile, the Waterford crystal chandeliers from Ireland, the silk curtains from China, and the many, many other generous gifts, the Kennedy Center has become a place of world friendship and cooperation. It's too bad it had to take such tragedy to make this all happen.
Today Jeff and I did the Rolling Thunder motorcycle event. It's a legal demonstration to promote the importance of benefits and government support for Veterans and more importantly to remember the POW/MIA's that are still not home. Jeff is very proud of his military experience and this event reinforces the already strong sense duty and honor he feels for his time served. Last night we sat outside the hotel watching bikers come in from around the country. Most staying in our hotel came from New Jersey and Ohio but there were a few other states also represented. Some older men were sitting on a park bench next to us discussing their military experience and comparing stories. When the conversation turned to Rolling Thunder they talked about how they preferred to go down by the mall and watch the motorcycles come in instead of actually do any riding in the event. One guy was pretty negative about the whole thing. He said he spent 5 hours just waiting in the Pentagon parking lot to ride the 30-minute route to the Vietnam Wall because there were 400,000 bikes there for the ride. He also said that the parking lot was enclosed by highway on all sides so it gets unbearably hot just sitting on the black asphalt as the sun beat down with no air circulation. On a positive note, he did mention the reward as you ride past about 150,000 clapping and cheering people lined up along the streets.
We were told by another rider to meet at the local Harley dealer at 10 AM for a police escort to the Pentagon parking lot. We thought that was a good idea so we didn't have to figure out the way to the Pentagon on our own. And a two hour wait for the start didn't sound so bad. The old man told us that it was a good idea to ride with the Harley group as they would end up in the North parking lot and the North lot goes first. With 400,000 bikes going down the streets in pairs, it would obviously take a long time for all of them to get out. So if we were located towards the beginning of the pack, the wait might only be a few hours instead of more than 5. The old guy claimed that he was still waiting at 4 in the afternoon to get to the Wall. Good thing we were going with the Harley group, because that sounded awful. He also mentioned that the ride from the Harley dealership left at 9, not 10 so we needed to be aware that if we got there at 10 we would be too late. Sounds like all good information to me.
We stopped at a McDonald’s for some coffee, as it turns out, their new coffee is fantastic. We met a couple from the area, Mike and Sippi. They were enthusiastic about Rolling Thunder but since they were locals they did mention that if it was raining they would have stayed in bed. Not an option for us. Mike gave us some good information for the touristy part of our visit then the couple headed out to the Harley dealership. We finished our coffee and looked forward to meeting up with them again.
We headed to the Harley dealer, but our directions from the HOG website were not quite accurate. Good thing we left way early because it was 8:40 by the time we got there. There was just enough time to hit the porta-potties and get back on the bike. As we waited in the line of bikes we were approached by Mike and Sippi. As it turns out, his tire blew out on the ride over to the dealership. Luckily they were ok, but unfortunately that was the end of their ride. I took their photo just before we rode away. I was disappointed that we wouldn’t get to know more about them.
The police escort was great, only I wish I would have paid more attention to how we got there to make the ride back easier. Oh well. When we got to the Pentagon lot we parked in the order that we arrived. We got off the bike and started to walk the lot checking out all the vendor booths along our path. As we crossed the road to the other parking lot we were in for a rude awakening. The North lot was not the first lot to go through the parade route, it was the last! This meant a long, long wait for our time to ride. But to bide our time we found a nice grassy spot to sit and view the bikes. We took lots of photos and met some people from Orlando. The conversation started out with, "What branch were you in?", followed by a discussion of service, the military, and the experiences encountered during that time. Over the years, I've discovered that this is as standard with veterans as the phrase, "how are you today?". The good conversation and the people-watching really made the time go by. We got there around 10 and here it was 11:45 already. The Rolling Thunder dignitaries were mounting their bikes, the blessing at the beginning of the ride was said, by then it was noon and they were off.
We watched the bikes start their ride to the Wall and said goodbye to our new Orlando friends. We sat on the divider wall in this grassy area for a long time, realizing that it wasn't as hot as the old man had mentioned because of the breeze blowing off the highway. This wasn't as bad as he had made it out to be. Before you knew it, most of the bikes were cleared out of the first lot and we thought we better head over to the North lot by our bike. We stopped in the shade for a while to watch the final bikes move out of the South lot. We met a man from Maryland while we were hanging out. He gave us great directions back to our hotel and we had an interesting discussion about September 11th and the events following the attack. He was really interesting. He showed us where the plane hit the Pentagon and talked about how tough his wife's commute to the city was. Before you knew it, we were running back to our bikes because it was our turn in the parade. And believe it or not, it wasn’t even 2:00. The old man was wrong again.
We rode down the city streets to a cheering crowd. There was a Marine in full dress blues standing in the middle of the street at attention, rifle and helmet strategically placed in front of him - a symbol of missing in action. The Marine was saluting as we passed by. He stood in that pose for the entire parade. Just the discipline to stand there for hours was pretty amazing but the intense heat with the temperature hovering around 85 must have made it more difficult. It has a moving effect that reminds us why we’re there. It was really fun to slap hands with the spectators, the interaction made it feel more personal. The streets weren’t as crowded as I had anticipated, again the old man was wrong. I would estimate the crowd in the low thousands but there’s no way 150,000 were watching us go by. Maybe that can be attributed to the heat and the length of the parade. Maybe there were more people during the first hour.
So far most information we’ve been given has been wrong. But that’s ok, his unhappiness in the experience was our gain. We really enjoyed being part of something as monumental and dramatic as this.
We parked our bike at the end of the parade and it was only 2:30 in the afternoon. We spent the rest of the day touring the mall. The Korean War memorial was impressive, to me even more so than the Vietnam Memorial Wall. Maybe that’s because my dad was in the Korean War. Just take a look at this picture and you can decide for yourself.
The World War II Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial Wall are both meaningful and unique in their creation. All of the memorials have their distinct features. I found the Korean War Memorial a passionate reflection of those who served; the World War II Memorial was massive in its representation, which really gave you this sense of the enormity of that war. The Vietnam Wall is a sight to behold; the seemingly never-ending names on the wall reflect those who have given their lives for our freedom and the somberness of the crowd is moving in itself. I traced the name of a co-worker’s dad; he was one of the early casualties of the war so he is located on the very first panel. I was sobbing by the time I finished.
We walked to the top of the Lincoln Memorial and strolled by the Washington Monument. 
Jeff just had to stick his hand in the reflection pool. Then we headed back to the hotel for a swim, dinner, and relaxation. It was a memorable experience that would remain in our hearts and minds for many years to come.
Day 1
I got up at 4, showered and dressed, had my morning coffee then headed out at 5:45. It was officially 5:46 when the motorcycle headed down the driveway. Jeff says it wasn't as early as he would have like, but then he is the only one to blame for that. He is such a procrastinator. We rode down I-94 to I-294 to avoid the Chicago construction and the major traffic jams that occur there. The traffic was still too heavy for my liking but we got through. We made a few stops along the way, always worrying about the weather. It was cool and overcast, rain threatened all day. Since the sun wasn't shining, the ride was on the chilly side, and full leathers were worth their weight. We hit a downpour for the first time around 1:30 so we put on the rainsuits and helmets and continued on. The rain cleared within half an hour but it still loomed. At 4:30 it started to rain again so we pulled off the road to find a hotel. We were in Newton Falls, Ohio. We were hoping to get to Youngstown but the rain put an end to that.
Day 1 is done and we logged 491 miles. We're more than halfway.
I got up at 4, showered and dressed, had my morning coffee then headed out at 5:45. It was officially 5:46 when the motorcycle headed down the driveway. Jeff says it wasn't as early as he would have like, but then he is the only one to blame for that. He is such a procrastinator. We rode down I-94 to I-294 to avoid the Chicago construction and the major traffic jams that occur there. The traffic was still too heavy for my liking but we got through. We made a few stops along the way, always worrying about the weather. It was cool and overcast, rain threatened all day. Since the sun wasn't shining, the ride was on the chilly side, and full leathers were worth their weight. We hit a downpour for the first time around 1:30 so we put on the rainsuits and helmets and continued on. The rain cleared within half an hour but it still loomed. At 4:30 it started to rain again so we pulled off the road to find a hotel. We were in Newton Falls, Ohio. We were hoping to get to Youngstown but the rain put an end to that.
Day 1 is done and we logged 491 miles. We're more than halfway.
I have a job interview in 15 minutes. I hate this, I am nervous, I have a zit on my chin, and I feel gassy and bloated. Can anything else go wrong? I just hope I don't make a fool out of myself. And do I really want this job? My job is so easy and I get paid plenty. Some days I really want more of a challenge but this coasting thing can be pretty cool too. I just don't know....
What am I saying? I am not a slacker, and I won't let my brain turn to mush. It's time!
What am I saying? I am not a slacker, and I won't let my brain turn to mush. It's time!
Why am I so compelled to chuckle at my friend's angst? Could it be because she brought it on herself? Is it that her overt bragging about her new important job with the big money increase and great benefits like 4 weeks' vacation isn't quite the bed of roses that she anticipated it would be? I know it sounds like jealousy but it's not. I've had my share of luck in the job market so I am grateful for where I am on my career path. And I want nothing but success for her too. But it takes a certain temperament to handle stressful situations on a daily basis and I'm not sure she is emotionally equipped to handle it.
From the beginning, I worried. She described the job in great detail. Running a department, managing other's schedules, planning weekly meetings, all while getting the responsibilities done that she is and always was qualified to do. Now I know there are many people who can fit the bill, after all, someone quit this job and moved on to a better one in order to make it available. But you have to understand my friend's personality traits. She is like a rollercoaster. The mood swings go up and down at an extremely fast pace. As soon as you get over a hill, we're flying down the opposite extreme. I've always labeled her as passionate. Whether good or bad, the emotions are clear, sharp, and distinctive. You will always know where you stand with her.
When she got the job I was happy for her. Working at Aurora is an awful thing. Every slacker and loser employee that I worked with at my last job got in with Aurora, they took all the leftovers nobody else wanted when our employer went out of business. That is why I will never take a job there. Don't want to be lumped in with all those crappy people.
With her emotions on her sleeve, my friend is clearly going to have trouble managing many, many tasks at one time. She is a hard worker, but one thing at a time is a better pace for her and the concept that you cannot possibly finish a task all at once will eventually put her over the edge. I think she's getting close to that edge.
When I mentioned my up-coming vacation to her today, her response was, " At least you can go on vacation."
What does that mean? I wondered.
So I asked her: "I thought you got lots of vacation in your new job."
She responded: " I do. Can't ever get away from here. I have committee meetings 3 times a month.....and different weeks and a million other tasks. If I'm not getting ready for some meeting, I'm working on credentialing. I have been pushing for an extra body. We are dealing with a change of command right now so nothing is really getting dealt with. "
Closer and closer to the edge.
The problem as I see it is that she has to let go. Come to terms with the idea that you cannot possibly complete everything and make that known to those you work with. Delegate back to others the stuff you can and try not to take control of everything. Things may not turn out exactly as you like them to but then you are not driving yourself crazy either. It takes a certain demeanor to be able to handle a multi-task environment and I'm afraid that she doesn't have what it takes. I do wish her well but when you're losing sleep over getting your job done, you have to ask yourself if it's all worth it.
I bet she starts looking for another job within the next year.
From the beginning, I worried. She described the job in great detail. Running a department, managing other's schedules, planning weekly meetings, all while getting the responsibilities done that she is and always was qualified to do. Now I know there are many people who can fit the bill, after all, someone quit this job and moved on to a better one in order to make it available. But you have to understand my friend's personality traits. She is like a rollercoaster. The mood swings go up and down at an extremely fast pace. As soon as you get over a hill, we're flying down the opposite extreme. I've always labeled her as passionate. Whether good or bad, the emotions are clear, sharp, and distinctive. You will always know where you stand with her.
When she got the job I was happy for her. Working at Aurora is an awful thing. Every slacker and loser employee that I worked with at my last job got in with Aurora, they took all the leftovers nobody else wanted when our employer went out of business. That is why I will never take a job there. Don't want to be lumped in with all those crappy people.
With her emotions on her sleeve, my friend is clearly going to have trouble managing many, many tasks at one time. She is a hard worker, but one thing at a time is a better pace for her and the concept that you cannot possibly finish a task all at once will eventually put her over the edge. I think she's getting close to that edge.
When I mentioned my up-coming vacation to her today, her response was, " At least you can go on vacation."
What does that mean? I wondered.
So I asked her: "I thought you got lots of vacation in your new job."
She responded: " I do. Can't ever get away from here. I have committee meetings 3 times a month.....and different weeks and a million other tasks. If I'm not getting ready for some meeting, I'm working on credentialing. I have been pushing for an extra body. We are dealing with a change of command right now so nothing is really getting dealt with. "
Closer and closer to the edge.
The problem as I see it is that she has to let go. Come to terms with the idea that you cannot possibly complete everything and make that known to those you work with. Delegate back to others the stuff you can and try not to take control of everything. Things may not turn out exactly as you like them to but then you are not driving yourself crazy either. It takes a certain demeanor to be able to handle a multi-task environment and I'm afraid that she doesn't have what it takes. I do wish her well but when you're losing sleep over getting your job done, you have to ask yourself if it's all worth it.
I bet she starts looking for another job within the next year.
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