D.C., Finally!

It was a long day of traveling, starting at 4:55 am PST this morning and finally ending at 7 p.m. EST. Flying in to Reagan is pretty unique. I got my first glimpse of the Pentagon and Washington Monument at the Constitution Gardens from the air. I anticipate riding the Metro back to D.C. tomorrow evening to see the historic landmarks first-hand. The Metro lived up to its billing and getting to Bethesda was relatively easy. A tip for travelers, ride in the back of the train car so you aren't in everybody's way with your luggage. I'm glad I decided to ditch the gearbag on this trip, which means I won't be able to ride dirt bikes in North Carolina next week. Oh well, it can't be all pleasure and no work, but it would be nice if it was!

I'm off to a local cafe for dinner, but check out the view from the Doubletree Hotel! I'm on the 12th floor, there's a full moon view out one window and downtown Bethesda from the other. The coolest part is the room has a balcony, which is pretty trick. You don't get those much anymore at hotels. Oh, and I strongly recommend using Priceline's name your own price. I typed in 3.5 stars out of 4 and scored two nights at the Doubletree for $90 each night. That's $150 less than the listed call-in price for a one night stay! Usually the hotel lives up to the star rating. Tracy and I stayed at a 3 star hotel in La Jolla last April, but it was more like a 2.5. Always bid on the highest star level and start really low, you'd be surprised what hotels will accept!