Should we stay....or should we go... Thank you Mother Nature!

As we sit here listening to the rain on the roof of our fifth wheel and watch the standing water grow deeper, we are grateful that hurricane Joaquin has headed north east and not inland.  We are staying on Andrews Air Force base just outside Washington DC.  Neither one of us slept much Wednesday night because we were concerned that maybe we should "get out of Dodge" and head west.  Thursday morning we discussed packing up.  As we watched weather reports we decided to wait it out.  By Thursday night everything looked positive and we decided to continue with our original game plan.  That is one thing great about our means of travel, we are mobile and can leave any location within in hour.  (Doesn't mean we know where we are going though, ha ha)

Anyway, we need to catch up on where we left you off in New York.  One day we checked out a Germanfest.  Most festivals dedicated to all things German would include beer,,,this one featured wine, since it was held at a winery.

This musician is playing a saw!

Grape stompers

Who can refuse a baby alpaca?

How do you spell lederhosen?  (those suede shorts he's sporting)

Had to try some wine

Then of course the view from the event wasn't bad either.  

Next day we decided to go for a drive and headed to Letchworth State park about 2.5 hours to the West.  Letchworth is known as the "grand canyon" of the East.  It covers 15 miles with the Genesee River running through it.

                                We were questioning why there was so little water in the river
                                 but were told this is normal except for in the Spring when the
                                  snow melts,

This was the easy part

Rog hiked down so he could get a picture of that bridge,,this is what he had to "slog" through

                                   Thank goodness for walking sticks!!!!!

 He got some great shots, didn't he?

Absolutely beautiful!

It was a great way to spend our anniversary and Rog's birthday, we stopped on the way home and had a nice dinner out with Kennen and Terri.

Next day we decided to try our hand at some bank fishing along Cayuga Lake.  Terri had the "hot" spot and caught almost all the fish.  It was fun even if the rest of us weren't so lucky.  She even willed Rog her special stone she was standing on but that didn't even help.  No fish for him...

We had a wonderful time in New York with Kennen and Terri.  Can't wait till they can go along with us on more of our adventures!

We headed out on Thursday for here.  Spent the night in Pennsylvania, close to Harrisburg.  Friday we arrived here.  Saturday and Sunday we spent taking care of some housekeeping, laundry, groceries, etc.  We did take a drive over to the coast, Point Lookout State park.  This is the southern most point of Maryland and the location of the Confederate Prisoner of War camp.  Over 3,000 soldiers died and are buried here.

 lighthouse

stone water barrier

 several fishing piers

Monday, we decided to brave the metro and head into DC.  We had ridden the metro last time we were in DC for our 25th wedding anniversary.  So, we knew what to expect.  We had heard that crime is high and that we shouldn't be out after dark.  We were pleasantly surprised and managed the commute without incident.

YEA!  We made it!

Capital building (scaffolding around dome for refurbishing)

 The Smithsonian Castle

Washington Monument (checked to see if we could get tickets to go to the top,,,out of luck, they are all sold out till we leave, bummer)

 White house garden

Wouldn't you love to be that Secret Service guy?

We were amazed at all the huge buildings...(not Trumps banner)

We walked over 4 miles that day.  The National Mall has such a special feel to it.  Peoples of  all nationalities, politicians and lobbyists scurrying between offices.  All this history, museums and amazing monuments to our country.  Most of it free to anyone who wants to take the time to visit.

Next day we headed back with a plan to visit the Library of Congress.  Anyone remember National Treasure,,,book of secrets.... No, there isn't a book of secrets, but there are amazing things in the Library!

                                                      Looking up at the dome

We spent over 2 hours in the Library.  What a  true treasure it is.

The very first map with the designation of "America"

Thomas Jefferson's Library within the Library of Congress

Thomas Jefferson sold his vast library collection of over 7,000 volumes to the government which began the Library of congress

View of the Capital from the Library,,,yes, it was raining.

Now, we wait for the rain to stop, which is supposed to be Monday.  We will head back into DC.  We have a whole list of places we want to visit before we head to NC/Outer Banks on Sunday the 11th.

Take care everyone!