Loaded...

... and on our way.

Jerry and I spent the first week of August in DC -- I had a conference presentation so we went early and stayed late, and brought folding bikes as our extra luggage.

Even though DC weather in August is pretty close to hellish, we were quite comfy on our bikes (biking creates its own breeze). I felt sorry for the families with their young children, trekking through miles of museum and monument viewing in the 90 degree heat and 70% humidity of the day. They looked like they were melting.

My favorite time was touring all the Mall Monuments from 8 pm to midnight by bike. Did you know that the Park Service gives monument talks up to 11 PM?

After the expense account at the fancy downtown hotel ran out, we spent our last four days at an AirBnB room in Alexandria ($55 a night in a lovely home with great neighbors). A 20 minute metro ride (with our bikes aboard) to Alexandria took us out of the hustle and bustle of "the City" -- and we had frozen custard and sorbet at the same little place that Sasha and Malia treated their dad on Father's day (The Dairy Godmother). Our hosts were lovely kindred spirits, looking to reduce their footprint on the earth and reduce their dependence on the "american dream."

One of the things I am discovering, thanks to long conversations with Jerry and longer meditations on my own, is that the "american dream" is not designed for me. Rather, if I buy into the idea (and I do mean "buy"), someone else gets rich, and I become economically enslaved.

The bikes are a clean symbol of my emancipation...

Tally ho.