Monthly Archives: September 2021

Chasing A Rooster Down A Rabbit Hole

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My friend Nichola and I have similar travel philosophies. In fact, I trust her judgment so much that I happily stepped aside as she and her husband planned the entire DC trip. They gave me some choices here and there but I more less asked when to arrive and how much money to bring.

We both are of a mind that you can sleep when you’re dead and that you never know what the next bend in the road may bring. As long as you’re already there, you may as well find out.

Her husband asked me if I’m a destination person or a journey person.

Regular readers here likely know the answer to that question. While I’m capable of going straight to a destination I’m much happier when the journey IS the destination. It’s far more fun when you’re free to go off chasing rabbits as opportunities present themselves.

I think he was appalled when I explained this. “Jesus, Mary and Joseph! You two will never get there,” he exclaimed.

We did make it with a few stops here and there and I don’t regret a single one. That’s how I got to experience the dappled light of a late summer morning as I emerged from tree cover and onto an overlook created by the Civilian Conservation Corps. That’s how I got to buy juicy, fresh peaches from a farm stand and see a geological wonder while the rest of the world zoomed by on the interstate below.

Stories on these and other rabbit hunts to come soon.

Meanwhile, here’s a picture of another fun experience – a giant blue rooster. It’s by German born artist Katharina Fritsch. You can see it from the street as you pass by the National Gallery of Art on the East Building’s rooftop terrace.

It was a gift to the museum earlier this year after being created for a project in London in 2013.

The rooster is often associated with awakening, resilience and strength. For this reason, the 14-foot tall piece was donated to the national museum by Glenstone Museum. It’s to honor the American people as a symbol of hope and resilience during the darkness of the pandemic.

I like to ask employees about something they like in their museum. From ticket takers to security guards and docents, most people have something they like to mention to visitors. I befriended an employee who recommended seeing the only Da Vinci painting in America as well as this crazy blue rooster.

Nichola and I were all in for both pieces even though they literally could not be more different.

Seriously, friends: a 550 year old Florentine girl portrayed by one of the world’s masters versus a giant acrylic and steel blue rooster not even a decade old. They are vastly different.

Visiting the rooster gave access to two more things of note- an installation of giant numbers and a fabulous view of the Capitol building grounds.

So, yeah, having a destination is great. Just remember that some of the greatest finds and most fabulous experiences come as you chase that rabbit, or in this case a rooster, around the next bend.

Click here to read about that Da Vinci painting.

Not Just An Interstate Exit

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Most people think of Wytheville, Virginia only as a stop along the interstate. There’s a great Cracker Barrel there and it’s easy to get in and out of quickly.

Venture off the interstate exit and you’ll find a beautiful small town with a college, lots of history and culture. There are murals, some good restaurants, gorgeous old churches and a great antique mall too.

Check out the giant pencil outside the office supply store.

Plus this paint can on the paint store sign.

There’s a lesson to be learned here. As you travel through this world, remember to take those interstate exits and explore the small towns across this fine country of ours. That’s where the living is done – not at the cookie cutter interstate exits with the truck stops and the Cracker Barrels but along the byways and village streets.

A Memorial Fit For A King

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One stop on the nighttime bus tour that we took in DC was the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial.

There are few places that strike awe in my heart these days but this is one of them. It’s a newer memorial, opened in 2011, and one that I had not seen. Visiting at night was a great choice.

Visitors approach through two enormous boulders called the Mountain of Despair, emerging to find themselves facing an enormous rock called the Stone of Hope. Walk around that boulder and you’ll find the likeness of Dr. King breaking through the stone. It’s as though he is stepping out of the rock and into a realm of freedom.

He stares across the Tidal Basin, looking toward none else than the Jefferson Memorial. The Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial are visible from here too.

At thirty feet tall, Dr. King is imposing and the expression on his face is one of determination. At least, that’s how I see it.

A 450 foot inscription wall surrounds Dr. King and features fourteen quotes from his sermons, speeches and other writings. Justice, democracy, hope and love are the themes here and the guiding principles that are his legacy these 53 years after his death.

I especially appreciate when memorials use the person’s own words to relate their story.

Perhaps it was the lighting and the darkness playing tricks on my eyes but it appeared he could begin speaking or even take a step forward at any minute.

I stood in awe of this man who was larger than life in his lifetime and who has been immortalized as a giant among men all these years later. So many times I have wondered how different our world might be if not for that terrible day an assassin’s bullet silenced this brilliant soul at the Lorraine Motel .

This memorial is open 24 hours but note that it isn’t super well lit. That makes it a little hard to read some of the inscriptions but it also makes the experience of seeing the big picture here feel even more significant.

My solution? Go at night and during the day! I didn’t see this one up close in the daylight but can promise you that these places are always drastically different night and day and certainly worth a trip both times.

The Other Washington Monument

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As we approached Boonsboro, Maryland on the trek to Washington, we kept seeing signs for the Washington Monument. It obviously couldn’t be THE Washington Monument so I was a little confused.

That’s when my friend told me the story of this monument and what it means to the small community in rural Washington County.

This is the first monument dedicated to George Washington and has a heartwarming story of community spirit.

The people of Boonsboro gathered in the town square on the morning of July 4, 1827. Together they marched up South Mountain and built a fifteen feet tall dry-laid stone tower. Later in the year, workman came back and completed the tower to the height of thirty feet.

It was in a state of disrepair years later when it was used as a signal station by the Union Army during the Civil War. It was then restored by the local Odd Fellows Lodge, later damaged again, and eventually restored by the Civilian ConservationCorps in the thirties.

The area eventually became a state park with a shelter house, restrooms, a vehicle road up the mountain, museum, and access to the Appalachian Trail. The area is incredibly peaceful and is known for birdwatching as well as bears. We saw some birds but not any bears that day.

This Monument and landmark means a lot to the town as is evidenced by all the work done here over the years. This rustic stone tower, while humble, has much heart and patriotic significance as the nation’s first monument to our nation’s first president. I wrote about the other Washington Monument yesterday. Read about it here!

It is not a long hike up the mountain from the parking lot. However, the trail does go up a mountain. I don’t recall it being taxing but it could be if you’re not accustomed to that kind of physical exertion.

Learn more about Washington Monument State Park at their website.

Washington Monument

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Thomas Jefferson envisioned Washington to be “an American Paris” with light and airy streets and low and convenient buildings.

To help fulfill this vision, Congress passed the Height of Buildings Act in 1889 which originally limited the height of any type of building to 110 feet. Years later, Congress changed that restriction to 130 feet.

Consequently, there are no skyscrapers in our nation’s Capitol. Instead, this is a low and sprawling city where the Washington Monument is like a beacon, always present and visible from across the city. At 555 feet, its simple design and marble construction draw the eye and provide food for thought about how George Washington’s legacy continues to be felt across the city and nation today.

The cornerstone for this Egyptian obelisk was laid on July 4, 1848 and it was the world’s tallest building when it was completed in 1884. The monument was officially dedicated the day before Washington’s Birthday in 1885. Progress was slowed by financial difficulties and by the Civl War. In fact, the original design called for it to be 45 feet taller and to be ringed by thirty 100 foot tall obelisks. This ambitious design was scaled back to cut costs.

It seems we’ve always battled the budget.

We walked by but didn’t go inside. You can only get your timed tickets the day prior to your visit by reserving them online. All the same, it’s impressive from the ground both up close and from afar. Want to learn the complete history of the Washington Monument or find out how to reserve your ticket to the top? Click here and get the facts at the NPS page.

Tomorrow I’ll tell you about another Washington Monument that we visited this trip.

Salvaged Photo

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I made this picture at the Lincoln Memorial. It was dark and crowded but this man was lingering off to the side, away from the masses and seemingly enjoying a quiet moment. The composition is interesting but the picture is a blurry mess that merited immediate deletion.

However, I played with it, changing it to sepia and sort of like the result. It’s haunting and looks almost other worldly.

It’s not great art but it is kind of cool and sometimes that’s good enough.