Traveling to Washington DC from Salmon, Idaho, isn’t a spur of the moment kind of road trip. Yesterday, I made it on Day 1, Salmon to Boise. Starting early early today, Day 2, flying into Ronald Reagan National Airport, set the stage for a delicious juxtaposition. As a lifelong ruralite, one of my secret obsessions is public transportation. The first time I traveled anywhere with a light rail system (Atlanta, Georgia in the late 80s), I rode the rails with no concern about destination. As a kid who grew up with no public transportation outside the school bus, I loved the idea, and the affordability, of public transport.
Washington DC’s Metro is simply amazing to me. I got off my plane and jumped on the train at the airport. About 3 stops, 10 minutes and $2 later, I was within a block of my hotel. I shamelessly confess to enjoying this urban benefit. But once I’ve checked in, I need to work the kinks out after a couple of days of being cooped up. Fortunately, the Mount Vernon Trail is within rock skipping distance of the hotel. Bonus. Within minutes, I’m watching people kayak and stand-up paddleboard on the Potomac River, and then I cross a pedestrian bridge into Theodore Roosevelt Island.
Island exploration had not been on my list. But still….
I wasn’t really prepared for how serene a megalopolis can be.
I wasn’t expecting to hike a forested trail in Washington DC, just a few minutes from my hotel room.
One thing that Salmon, Idaho and Washington DC appear to have in common — deer who are unfazed by human presence.
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