Interesting travel story. (Eagle 5)

[RussellCasse]

Wife and I took Eagle 5 to DC the week before the election. We actually stayed in virginia, but took a day trip to DC.

Had never been before, but we put on our Trump 2024 hats and loaded up. Arrived around 10 am and parked near Washington monument. FWIW DC came in at over 90 percent Kamala and 6 percent Trump. We were in the belly of the beast to be sure.

It was crowded as we were there the day after they have a very large marathon of some sort. Anyway, walked to Washington Monument, the Capitol, White House visitor center, Lincoln Memorial, and The Smithsonian. Tons of walking.

We were the ONLY people wearing Trump gear. Got lots of looks, and had two of my people threaten us. I just laughed at them and shook my head. There is a miniature statue of Nancys desk with a turd on it and a phone. On the monument there is BS transcription of lies about J6 that portray Trump as a traitor. There is security around it so that no one vandalizes it. More security around it than Lincoln monument. When I asked the guard if that was privately funded or if our tax dollars were paying for it, he shrugged and said I don’t know.

Oh, DC is trash in the surrounding areas: There is alot to cleanup fellas, and our country needs us to continue our efforts and not just think things are fine now. Now the real work begins and we gotta stay vigilante.

Video of monument. No, this isn’t me.

 

[gator1776]

I've been to DC many times. I was there most recently for the American Thoracic Society Annual Meeting in 2023. I enjoyed DC very much. I walked the American Mall and enjoyed it tremendously. I did not encounter anything like you are describing. I found it to be clean and pleasant and devoid of much drama. I walked to the North of the Capital area and walked from behind the Supreme Court all the way to the Lincoln Memorial and found very few protesters of any type. Everywhere I went the city was mostly clean.
That said, that was not an election year and early in 2023 (April) so it was a less polarized environment at the time.

 

[RussellCasse]

I've been to DC many times. I was there most recently for the American Thoracic Society Annual Meeting in 2023. I enjoyed DC very much. I walked the American Mall and enjoyed it tremendously. I did not encounter anything like you are describing. I found it to be clean and pleasant and devoid of much drama. I walked to the North of the Capital area and walked from behind the Supreme Court all the way to the Lincoln Memorial and found very few protesters of any type. Everywhere I went the city was mostly clean.
That said, that was not an election year and early in 2023 (April) so it was a less polarized environment at the time.

Again, the city outside of the capitol tourist attractions are trash.

The poop monument is on video. Never been there other times, but the tension was palpable one week before election. Again, my wife and I were both threatened twice for wearing Trump gear. With our children with us. I would be willing to bet you weren’t wearing Trump gear.

 

[gator1776]

Again, the city outside of the capitol tourist attractions are trash.

The poop monument is on video. Never been there other times, but the tension was palpable one week before election. Again, my wife and I were both threatened twice for wearing Trump gear. With our children with us. I would be willing to bet you weren’t wearing Trump gear.

I was also referring to the city outside the Capital area. ATS was at the Washington Convention Center. I traveled throughout the beltway walking most everywhere. I didn't see it, but we may have been in different areas, and it was 18 months ago.

 

[RussellCasse]

I was also referring to the city outside the Capital area. ATS was at the Washington Convention Center. I traveled throughout the beltway walking most everywhere. I didn't see it, but we may have been in different areas, and it was 18 months ago.

Fair enough. I wouldn’t expect the elites to allow their Capitol area or convention center area to look like trash. The Hunger games wouldn’t allow for it. I honestly don’t have a clue what area we were in after our tourist walk, but they weren’t unlike other major cities.

 

[DCandtheUTBand]

Use the metro and buses.

I passed through in 2023. Was there long enough to change trains. Our great Amtrak, Maine, Prince Edward Island adventure. Side Note: You have to let my wife plan a vacation. Amtrak to Boston, Rental car to Maine and Canada. Best AirBnB ever on Prince Edward Island. Fishing the Atlantic off the coast of Canada. Tons of lobster in Maine. Pics of the Texas flag flying over the Bush compound in Maine. Sent that pic to Nail

Avoid Boston!!! Drivers are maniacs and do NOT obey ANY traffic laws.

Was last in DC as tourist in 2019 I believe.

First trip was 42 years ago. I think I rode Metro then. But for sure I rode it when my uncle a W4 in the Army worked at the Pentagon and we went to visit. He lived in Fairfax when it was Republican LOL.

I believe it was spring of 1987.

Metro is worth the money.

 

[SwampRock]

Use the metro and buses.

I passed through in 2023. Was there long enough to change trains. Our great Amtrak, Maine, Prince Edward Island adventure. Side Note: You have to let my wife plan a vacation. Amtrak to Boston, Rental car to Maine and Canada. Best AirBnB ever on Prince Edward Island. Fishing the Atlantic off the coast of Canada. Tons of lobster in Maine. Pics of the Texas flag flying over the Bush compound in Maine. Sent that pic to Nail

Avoid Boston!!! Drivers are maniacs and do NOT obey ANY traffic laws.

Was last in DC as tourist in 2019 I believe.

First trip was 42 years ago. I think I rode Metro then. But for sure I rode it when my uncle a W4 in the Army worked at the Pentagon and we went to visit. He lived in Fairfax when it was Republican LOL.

I believe it was spring of 1987.

Metro is worth the money.

That trip sounded awesome DC!

 

[DCandtheUTBand]

That trip sounded awesome DC!

It was . My wife took two weeks. We did a sleeper car from Atlanta to DC and rode coach the rest of the time. In Atlanta we did Ikea and went to the Melting Pot. Train pulled out late at 1 am. First night in Boston we had a hotel. Got a rental in Boston and drove to Maine. Got a hotel there and went exploring the area and eating lots of cheap seafood. Did the Portland Naval Observatory first day. Did some driving around, ate lots of lobster and went out on lobster boat. Drove from Maine to Prince Edward Island. We had two story AirBnB to ourselves. We got on a whale tour but never saw any whales. Captain let all of us fish and everyone left with mackerel that the crew cleaned for us. I mentioned that my son had earned his motorboating merit badge and he let both my son and daughter take the helm. We saw lots of other sea life. We took the mackerel back, cooked it and ate it for supper and lunch the next day. PEI is home to Anne of Green Gables homes. Three of them. We explored the Island. We went to the beach. Water was surprisingly warm. We also made dirt shirts by submerging T-Shirts into the red sand until they were stained. Again lots of Seafood. Then it was back to Maine. We had an AirBnB on the return trip. We explored various things, ate even more seafood and ended up in Kennebunkport. I got some Reagan-Bush merch there. We returned to Boston and had a hotel. We did a self directed scavenger hunt there. Turned in the rental and took uber to the Amtrak terminal. Returned to Atlanta, did the Ikea again and picked up the car and drove 3 hrs home to TN. Our Disney trips are very nice vacations. Our non-Disney stuff are adventures. This was an adventure.

Now this summer was Texas another adventure complete with our van breaking down in Austin on a Sunday afternoon. I will spare everyone.

 

[SwampRock]

It was . My wife took two weeks. We did a sleeper car from Atlanta to DC and rode coach the rest of the time. In Atlanta we did Ikea and went to the Melting Pot. Train pulled out late at 1 am. First night in Boston we had a hotel. Got a rental in Boston and drove to Maine. Got a hotel there and went exploring the area and eating lots of cheap seafood. Did the Portland Naval Observatory first day. Did some driving around, ate lots of lobster and went out on lobster boat. Drove from Maine to Prince Edward Island. We had two story AirBnB to ourselves. We got on a whale tour but never saw any whales. Captain let all of us fish and everyone left with mackerel that the crew cleaned for us. I mentioned that my son had earned his motorboating merit badge and he let both my son and daughter take the helm. We saw lots of other sea life. We took the mackerel back, cooked it and ate it for supper and lunch the next day. PEI is home to Anne of Green Gables homes. Three of them. We explored the Island. We went to the beach. Water was surprisingly warm. We also made dirt shirts by submerging T-Shirts into the red sand until they were stained. Again lots of Seafood. Then it was back to Maine. We had an AirBnB on the return trip. We explored various things, ate even more seafood and ended up in Kennebunkport. I got some Reagan-Bush merch there. We returned to Boston and had a hotel. We did a self directed scavenger hunt there. Turned in the rental and took uber to the Amtrak terminal. Returned to Atlanta, did the Ikea again and picked up the car and drove 3 hrs home to TN. Our Disney trips are very nice vacations. Our non-Disney stuff are adventures. This was an adventure.

Now this summer was Texas another adventure complete with our van breaking down in Austin on a Sunday afternoon. I will spare everyone.

I stepped away from your post thinking “what a great experience for those kids too” even after the glorious experiences. Can’t imagine one going much better, great memory for all I’m sure. kudos to your wife as a planner was understated here, lol and well done!