The Wilson's trip to Washington DC

[mwilson]

I am going to share our journey to Washington DC if any are interested. I know many of you don't post but still like to read the threads so hope you enjoy the trials and tribulations of the Wilson family leaving the wilds of Maine bound for Washington DC...
i will add to this when I get my laptop out later today, don't want to do this all with my thumbs....

 

[mwilson]

Jumping ahead for a minute I do want to mention my excitement to arrive at the campground and find a cardboard Trump just inside the office...

It's gonna be alright!!!

*

My two oldest grandchildren, Tyler and Camden..

 

[mwilson]

From the beginning...

We were saddened to hear that one of our former neighbors passed away in Colorado. He was very kind to Tyler and Camden plus they were very fond of him..we knew that he had retired from the Pentagon but didn't find out until his passing that he was a decorated fighter pilot and had also flown KC135 refueling tankers. His widow informed us that he was to be buried at Arlington and that we were welcome to attend...asked the boys if they were interested in attending and of course they were. So begins the journey...

 

[AEdelheit]

The wife and I are heading to D.C on Thursday so will follow this thread for places to visit!

 

[BSeyler]

Are you planning a trip to the Pentagon? They have some great displays there. My son in law was doing an internship there some years ago and I told him about the Girandoni air rifle and showed him the video someone posted here a few years ago. We tried to see it at the NRA headquarters. It wasn't there anymore, but my son in law found one in the Pentagon (By accident because he was lost - It was his first week working there!). Apparently, they think there were at least three on the Corps of Discovery. If you go, be sure to have two forms of ID. Here is a link to the video, in case you're interested. NRA has a great museum, also - many one of a kind firearms there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pqFyKh-rUI

 

[mwilson]

The wife and I are heading to D.C on Thursday so will follow this thread for places to visit!

Are you staying in the city or out in the burbs???

 

[mwilson]

The plans to attend the service are firmed up in March. We check on rooms and flights but much dollar on short notice like that. Especially for four people. Get surfing around for RV parks and luck would have it one exists just above D.C. ...who would have thought it...talk it over with the wife and decide that's the way to roll. Made reservations, now we are committed...

 

[mwilson]

Truck still in storage in a garage with snow piled up against the overhead door. Truck needs alignment and four new tires. Camper down on other lot behind snow bank. Still winterized.It needs tires, the ones on it are eight year old USA mfg Goodyear Marathons and I ain't stupid enough to try those on a 1600 mile plus round trip.

Now it will be a race to readiness.....

 

[jhenderson]

If you can spare the time there's nothing I've ever seen like the Smithsonian. Air and space is great but what surprised me was how much I enjoyed the musium of American History. I think the kids would enjoy it too. The national zoo is great also. We' ll need pictures. Lots of pictures.

 

[Wayne M.]

Sounds like it'll be a nice trip. Please share everything. Arlington itself is no joke either.

 

[Northfork]

The services at Arlington will be an amazing experience. One of our must-dos is to get there and to the Smithsonian once the wife retires. will be following this thread for sure.

 

[AEdelheit]

Are you staying in the city or out in the burbs???

In the city, friend has an apartment so will be staying there for free.

 

[mwilson]

In the city, friend has an apartment so will be staying there for free.

So you have a tour guide right there!! Excellent!

 

[mwilson]

Got the truck out on April 8th, brought trailer home on the 9th. Road soft but I got it to the house without incident...

Take truck to Bangor, get alignment and tires put on that Weds....take truck on an overnight the 13th for a shakedown run, change fuel filter in Bangor before leaving for Portland that night...
Get truck back home Saturday morning, change oil and filter, grease job, look stuff over real good. Then decide I have time to install air bags and compressor if I hustle...air bags on Saturday night, compressor and related plumbing/wiring Sunday the 16th. Never tested compressor, installed and it would not start up. Took it back out and it had stuck from sitting. Got it freed up, put it back on and it worked...
De-winterized camper Sunday night as well....Monday and Tuesday worked late getting everything possible ordered and ready before leaving out Wednesday the 19th. Helped the wife finish packing, loaded up Grandkids and headed out. Stopped in Bangor about 12.30 to get new tires slapped on the trailer...

Left Bangor about 2.30pm....raining and wind just screaming....cold and damp....

 

[bigceltic]

If you can spare the time there's nothing I've ever seen like the Smithsonian. Air and space is great but what surprised me was how much I enjoyed the musium of American History. I think the kids would enjoy it too. The national zoo is great also. We' ll need pictures. Lots of pictures.

The new (relatively) Air & Space Annex (Udvar-Hazy Center) is a great place to see as well (out near Dulles). I actually liked it better than the one downtown.

 

[Jim W]

If you have the time try to get down to Gettysburg and visit the civil war battlefield. It is a very moving experience. Also make time to visit the tomb of the unknown soldier and changing of the guard. Than there is the World War Two memorial and the Vetinam war memorial, the list go on and on. We spent four days in Washington and this was not enough time for us.*

Good luck.
Jim

 

[mwilson]

Where was I?? Oh yeah, it was a windy, rainy start out of Bangor. On all new rubber and fighting a headwind....twitchy, twitchy....

Fueled up in Kennebunk, Maine on the turnpike. Checked wheels and carried on..got into Mass and headed across I-495. Bridges had been rough in years past but were in very good shape now. Rolling along about 65 mph and just before the I-93 interchange I spot a yellow sign that says "Rough" and the next thing I know the trailer is catching air...and then it goes airborne again...I didn't even have time to swear.....got through Lowell and stopped at the pull out to survey the damage...springs and equalizers looked ok, time to open the camper door....
What a mess, broken crap on the floor everywhere...
Three broken coffee cups scattered everywhere. One hit the cabinets so hard that there is a chunk of porcelain imbedded in them that we can't get out. 4 plastic stacking tumblers, top one cracked and can't get the other 3 apart....clothes rod bent in closet...wow....

Get underway again and plan was to push though to NY State before stopping. I'm good as the traffic is dying down and I want to get across Connecticut. Explain to wife that you want to be on one side or the other..pushed through and made it to Maybrook about 11.30 pm. 465 miles since leaving home. Pretty good for first day...


Closet Rod Carnage....went to Hope Depot and replaced with a piece of 3/4" Black Iron...probably will rip the closet walls out next time it lets go....

 

[TFucili]

If you cross the Tappan Zee bridge when it is windy, hang on!

 

[NIsaacs]

.pushed through and made it to Maybrook about 11.30 pm. 465 miles since leaving home. Pretty good for first day...

I would call that a day and a half...you can't see anything at night, no fun in that, sounds like too much work for a vacation

Nick

 

[mwilson]

Wanted to get clear of the heavy traffic zone. Now we'll calm down and look around..