“Long is the road an old ‘Merican roves.” – Old Sean
Vast States
Driving. Driving. Sometimes steering. Driving. Listening to Podcasts. Driving.
My car rental company is going to be daunted when I return to Texas next month. The sheer tonnage of miles I’ve unloaded onto this poor Elantra is slightly harrowing, considering I’ve only been renting for about a week.
But what a week it’s been. After my series of small adventures in the South, I worked my way up the East coast. Over the next few days, I’ll be going from DC, to Baltimore, to Pennsylvania to New York before turning my headlights towards Canada.
The first thing that strikes me on this journey is boredom on some level.
In Europe, Asia and Australia, transit between locations was downtime. But in the US, I’m the sole captain of this exceedingly long journey.
I can’t get paperwork or watch videos while I’m traveling now. Instead, I’m consuming podcasts at an inspiring rate. I’ve amassed a small cache of useless, interesting facts which will be mostly forgotten soon, but occasionally spouted off in random future conversations.
What’s equally challenging is the scenery, or lack thereof.
I’m driving in the winter, when days are strangled short. Even when I’m driving in daylight hours, it always feels like the world is on the verge of sunrise and sunset. Long shadows scar concrete at all waking hours. The hypnosis of it is seductive.
I roll down my windows frequently, slapping myself away with bursts of cold air.
Long Road Thoughts
I’m good at traveling, generally speaking. The distances and hours spent don’t bother me. I can slip into a tempo of thoughts or nothingness easily enough.
But for the last week, I’ve felt like my own ghost.
I keep getting ambushed by thoughts born of pure, crystalized boredom. Flyaway abstractions I wouldn’t have bothered with otherwise:
US roads are a defiant sort of concrete. They cut through the land alone, embedded in walls of sliced mountains or dense woods. They’re nothing but miles between and the only other pockets of civilization visible ninety percent of the time are the cars directly in front or behind.
Or:
In this tiny car is the most stuff I’ve owned in nearly 3 years.
Or:
Who gets to decide what’s real butter?
Visiting Washington DC
Regardless, my first real stop following my time in Charlotte was Washington DC. And I’ll say this freely right now:
Disappointing.
I’ve been to DC a few times in my life, and the place is usually a crowded hodgepodge of tourists. Often, there are history buffs strutting around reciting textbook trinkets. Elsewhere, steely-eyed joggers are doggedly dodging to continue their laps.
But DC at the moment is a ghost town.
The government shut-down has closed all museums, half the tourist attractions and a good number of businesses.
There’s simply nothing here worth doing for the time being.
I lamented about this with the sole food truck driver I could find and he nodded sagely.
Regardless, I still had a job to do.
Work Hops
Prior to doing anything else, I found a café and contacted my company. It was still early in the US, so the London office had an hour before wrapping up work. I asked if DC should be bypassed, but it was high-priority enough to merit a drive-thru photo-op. Plus, I had interviews in the area.
I met with a few people at some tepid cafés and did a lap of the city, focusing on outdoor attractions I was able to get close to despite the shutdown.
I spent a few minutes along the Potomac and the United States Botanic Gardens were luckily open. The Capitol Building was close enough to easily glance at, as was the Grant Memorial, the Peace Monument, the Washington Monument and the L:incoln Memorial.
I quickly learned the National Museum of the American Indian was closed, as was the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden was accessible, even if the Hirshhorn Museum itself wasn’t. I always enjoy walking past the Smithsonian Castle, even when it’s not especially open. I eventually left the monument district after passing the Korean War Veterans Memorial.
Perhaps I should’ve stayed visiting Washington DC longer. But the silence was making me glum. Grey clouds continued to marshal overhead and my many useless weather apps were in agreement. A snowstorm was on the horizon.
Deciding that foul weather and the continuous lack of governing capabilities didn’t merit an extended visit, I went back to my car.
I don’t plan on lingering or spending the night here. I’m heading to Baltimore today, where I hope to meet an old University friend for an ice festival.
Off to Baltimore.
Best regards and excellent trails,
Old Sean
Written January 12th 2019
Want to read more about visiting Washington DC? Check out the Leftfade Trails Destination Info Page
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