Rust Belt Road Trip (2 UPDATES--1/18)

[Captain_Oblivious]

I know, right? He totally forgot the jelly.

Not only that, but I'd never put peanut butter ON the cheese balls.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

What kind of nasty lunch is that?

If you’ve ever taken a bite of a PB&J, and then tossed a cheese ball into you mouth while you were still chewing the last bite of the sandwich… then you’ve already experienced the combination.

We all mix crazier stuff then that on a regular bases… we just don’t take the time to realize what we’re doing.

I wish. Sadly, I think by this time we were more interested in finishing the drive home than in searching for another cool spot. Although I would have loved to go into DC to try out Ben's Chili Bowl.

The only reason Ben’s wasn’t on my original list was that I still didn’t figure you’d be heading into DC proper. Not enough time to park and take the metro, and no one in their right mind would willingly drive into DC if it wasn’t necessary.




Oh… and Andy is right (and it pains me to have to say anything nice about Andy).
When I first saw that… I about fell out of my chair.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

If you’ve ever taken a bite of a PB&J, and then tossed a cheese ball into you mouth while you were still chewing the last bite of the sandwich… then you’ve already experienced the combination.

We all mix crazier stuff then that on a regular bases… we just don’t take the time to realize what we’re doing.

Well, there's the stuff we mix together, and then the stuff we'll actually admit to.

The only reason Ben’s wasn’t on my original list was that I still didn’t figure you’d be heading into DC proper. Not enough time to park and take the metro, and no one in their right mind would willingly drive into DC if it wasn’t necessary.

Amen to that. The Metro is by far the best way to get around town. And there's a stop right by Ben's. One of these day's I'll get there, and I'll try and report back my findings.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

I hate the end of vacation. Hate it more than Monday mornings. More than telemarketers. Yea, verily, even more than lima beans. Sure, home is familiar, comforting, and predictable, but there isn't much more in this world that I love more than the next adventure.

But, something has to pay the bills, so it was time to head back home. But before we did that, we had one more stop to make.

We had our last Country Inn breakfast and headed east on I-66, taking the exit for Dulles International Airport near Washington D.C. As Rob already guessed, we were heading to see the Udvar-Hazy Center, which is part of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air & Space Museum.

The original museum is still right on the Mall in the city, and is a great place to visit--the exhibits there include Apollo spacecraft, Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, and the original Wright Flyer that gave birth to aviation. As their collection grew and planes got bigger and bigger, they ran out of room to store and display the historic aircraft. So the Udvar-Hazy Center was created out by Dulles airport as a 2nd campus of the museum.

The museum is basically a huge aircraft hangar, giving ample space for the hundreds of aircraft inside. The tower you see in the picture is an observation deck from which you can watch airplanes take off and land at Dulles, and also contains an exhibit on how a modern air traffic control tower works. Even better, there is no TSA strip-search upon entering (there is a metal detector, though).

I had one more DIS-meet planned with another one of the DIS Dads, Eric (DEA). He lives in the area and had agreed to meet us at the museum. We drove into the entrance not long after the place opened. Like the other Smithsonian museums, admission is completely free. However, unlike the other museums, there is a $15 charge for parking.

We pulled into a spot and watched a car pull into a space right next to us. It was Eric and his 2 daughters. So the very first thing I learned about Eric is that he has impeccable timing.

As you can see, he came appropriately dressed as well. His daughters were very sweet and excitable, and Eric explained that he thought coming to the museum was a great excuse to both meet us and give his wife a break at home. Considering his wife had recently kidnapped him and taken him to Disneyland as a birthday gift, I'm guessing she deserved just about anything she wanted. As we walked, Eric told me about his California trip, which he clearly enjoyed.

One of the first airplanes we encountered was the SR-71 Blackbird, quite possibly the coolest plane ever built. It's most definitely the fastest.

This was a pre-cursor to the Stealth planes, having been built as a spy plane with its stealth and speed technology. It was capable of flying well over Mach 3. If an enemy fired a missile at the Blackbird, the pilot could simply (how cool is this?) accelerate and out-run the missile. The only other vehicle that even approaches this sort of technology is Barry's minivan.

The Blackbird set the world record for both flight altitude (for non-spacecraft) and speed (over 2,900 mph). On its final flight from California to Washington, the trip was covered in a little over an hour.

See? Coolest. Plane. Ever.

One fun thing the museum does for kids is to give them a scavenger hunt. The sheets of paper the kids are holding contain pictures of planes they're supposed to find and clues on where they might be located in the museum. Both mine and Eric's kids had fun working on the hunt.

We had to stop by the F-14 Tomcat for a picture. I didn't want to stop, though, because I felt the need...the need for speed!

We moved on after Julie and Eric got sick of my Top Gun jokes, which took about 3.7 seconds.

In the back of the museum was the spacecraft exhibit, which included the Space Shuttle Enterprise.

This shuttle didn't actually make it into space, but was a test model upon which the real shuttles were based. If memory serves, I believe the Smithsonian is getting one of the real shuttles now that they've been retired.

At this point, Eric and his daughters had to head out, so we bid them a fond farewell. I'm sorry we didn't get to have more time with them, but he and his girls were very sweet, friendly people and made for very enjoyable company. They also didn't seem to object to my family smelling like cheeseballs. Thanks for taking the time to meet up with us, Eric!

It's impossible to catalog all of the aircraft in the museum, so here are a couple of notable highlights:

The Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima:

The Concorde, a supersonic passenger jet:

After walking through the exhibits, we went up in the observation tower to get a look at Dulles International.

I was surprised at how close we were to the flight path of planes landing at the airport.

The kids tried their hand at air traffic control. Striker! Striker!

Looks like we picked the wrong week to quit amphetamines.

Anyway, after a stroll through the gift shop and obligatory purchases of stuff that will either be broken or lost a week later, we were on our way home. Here's a sculpture outside the museum. The tablets are the Wall of Honor listing various donors and benefactors.

Lunch/dinner (Dunch? Linner?) was at the Annapolis Fuddrucker's. This chain claims the "World's Greatest Hamburgers" and also requires you to be very careful when typing their name. I don't think their burgers were as good as Fat Patty's, but as far as chains go, we like the place. More importantly, it was close to the highway.

The rest of the drive home down Rt. 301 took place without incident, and we were collapsing on the couch by early evening. Only one order of business remained...updating our U.S. map.

We've been putting pins in our map of the places we've visited with the kids to chart our travels. Here's the system:

Blue pin = Overnight stay
Red pin = Significant time spent here, or a notable place visited
Yellow pin = Julie and me traveling alone
Clear pin = Cheesecake Factory visited (just for the heck of it)

The kids were excited to convert a yellow pin in Chicago to a blue one. Can't wait to start filling in the rest of the map!

Some final statistics for the road trip:

11 days
Over 2,400 miles traveled
10 state borders crossed
8 DIS-meets
Favorite meal: Lynn's Paradise Cafe, Louisville

So...where should we head next?

Coming Up Next: Final thoughts, an announcement of the plans for our next trip, and a possible bonus add-on mini TR (if Julie is up for it).

 

[that's nice]

I hate the end of vacation. Hate it more than Monday mornings. More than telemarketers. Yea, verily, even more than lima beans. Sure, home is familiar, comforting, and predictable, but there isn't much more in this world that I love more than the next adventure.

Figures. Once I get caught up, this thing is coming to an end.

Even better, there is no TSA strip-search upon entering (there is a metal detector, though).

Awwww.. I like the search.

However, unlike the other museums, there is a $15 charge for parking.

Hey parking is scarce at an airport.

We pulled into a spot and watched a car pull into a space right next to us. It was Eric and his 2 daughters. So the very first thing I learned about Eric is that he has impeccable timing.

that's nice! +1

One of the first airplanes we encountered was the SR-71 Blackbird, quite possibly the coolest plane ever built. It's most definitely the fastest.

I'd love to see that someday!

The only other vehicle that even approaches this sort of technology is Barry's minivan.

Plus Barry's van shoots cheeseballs out of the tailpipe.

We had to stop by the F-14 Tomcat for a picture. I didn't want to stop, though, because I felt the need...the need for speed!

Top Gun!

The kids tried their hand at air traffic control. Striker! Striker!

Airplane!

Looks like we picked the wrong week to quit amphetamines.

Airplane!

You still giving out points for movie references?

Blue pin = Overnight stay
Red pin = Significant time spent here, or a notable place visited
Yellow pin = Julie and me traveling alone
Clear pin = Cheesecake Factory visited (just for the heck of it)

Very cool!


Thanks for the great report!!! Sorry I just got here. I was a little busy over the summer.

 

[Flossbolna]

Oh, I am so sad that this trip is coming to an end!! You managed not only to take your kids to many new places, but also showed this European corners of the US which I otherwise would never have known about!!

I am already excited about the announcement of the new travel plans!!

 

[afwdwfan]

The museum is basically a huge aircraft hangar

Wow, what a coincidence.

Even better, there is no TSA strip-search upon entering (there is a metal detector, though).

As long as they aren't strip searching little kids, it is definitely better than TSA.

However, unlike the other museums, there is a $15 charge for parking.

Yeah, it costs either about 80 bucks or parking way outside the city and taking a train to see the other Smithsonians.

We pulled into a spot and watched a car pull into a space right next to us. It was Eric and his 2 daughters. So the very first thing I learned about Eric is that he has impeccable timing.

One of the first airplanes we encountered was the SR-71 Blackbird, quite possibly the coolest plane ever built. It's most definitely the fastest.

It may be fast and cool, but it says that 12 of the 32 built were destroyed by accidents.

... and wasn't that plane a Decepticon?

If an enemy fired a missile at the Blackbird, the pilot could simply (how cool is this?) accelerate and out-run the missile.

Ok, that makes up for the "1/3 of them were destroyed" thing.

The only other vehicle that even approaches this sort of technology is Barry's minivan.

It only matches speeds with a missile.

One fun thing the museum does for kids is to give them a scavenger hunt. The sheets of paper the kids are holding contain pictures of planes they're supposed to find and clues on where they might be located in the museum. Both mine and Eric's kids had fun working on the hunt.

The kids, huh?

We had to stop by the F-14 Tomcat for a picture.

Ok, about the coolest plane ever. It's this one. It may not be the flashiest, but it's the F-14 Tomcat for crying out loud.

I didn't want to stop, though, because I felt the need...the need for speed!

Tower, this is Ghostrider requesting a flyby.

We moved on after Julie and Eric got sick of my Top Gun jokes, which took about 3.7 seconds.

I'll hang out at the museum with you then Mark. We can just re-enact the whole movie.

In the back of the museum was the spacecraft exhibit, which included the Space Shuttle Enterprise.

I thought it was called the Starship Enterprise.

If memory serves, I believe the Smithsonian is getting one of the real shuttles now that they've been retired.

I don't know how good your memory is, but it sounds good to me. I'll buy it.

The rest of the drive home down Rt. 301 took place without incident, and we were collapsing on the couch by early evening.

The bittersweet return home...

We've been putting pins in our map of the places we've visited with the kids to chart our travels.

I love this system. Really cool idea.

Clear pin = Cheesecake Factory visited (just for the heck of it)

I don't see one of these in Central Indiana... just sayin'

Coming Up Next: Final thoughts, an announcement of the plans for our next trip,

Awesome, I'm already looking forward to the next Captain_Oblivious Trip Report.

and a possible bonus add-on mini TR (if Julie is up for it).

Do it Julie!!! We promise not to pick on you quite as much as we do Mark.

 

[Mrs. Knowitall]

Before I comment on this installment, I have to address the "Dave-Falls-Asleep-In 30-Minutes-Or-More" Photo Sequence.....at first we were just laughing....a lot. Then it got to the point where we thought...."we have to take pictures! No one will believe us!" And then we laughed and laughed - silently of course - don't want to wake him up! - until our stomachs hurt!

This was a pre-cursor to the Stealth planes, having been built as a spy plane with its stealth and speed technology. It was capable of flying well over Mach 3. If an enemy fired a missile at the Blackbird, the pilot could simply (how cool is this?) accelerate and out-run the missile. The only other vehicle that even approaches this sort of technology is Barry's minivan.

Blackbird.....Barry's minivan.....Blackbird.....Barry's minivan.....

Coming Up Next: Final thoughts, an announcement of the plans for our next trip, and a possible bonus add-on mini TR (if Julie is up for it).

So whatdaya think, readers? Shall I attempt it? Surely I can't be as funny as the Captain.....

 

[MEK]

The National Air and Space Museum looks pretty darn cool. I have never been there, but I think that was a great last stop.

I love, love, love your map idea. I am such a map geek. I know everybody uses a GPS but I love to look at a good old map and see the spatial relationship of different places. I would say your kids are very well traveled.

I can't wait to hear what your next plans are. I am so darn curious.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

To Infinity And Delaware

I hate the end of vacation. Hate it more than Monday mornings. More than telemarketers. Yea, verily, even more than lima beans. Sure, home is familiar, comforting, and predictable, but there isn't much more in this world that I love more than the next adventure.

This should be inscribed on a monument somewhere.

Even better, there is no TSA strip-search upon entering (there is a metal detector, though).

Certainly not as strict as a couple of the sites we encountered in NY.
They were more thorough then the TSA wishes it was.

Like the other Smithsonian museums, admission is completely free. However, unlike the other museums, there is a $15 charge for parking.

We encountered this fact without foreknowledge as well. I saw the sign on the highway leading in and had to pull over and get everyone in the car could go through their wallets so we could pool together enough money to pay the parking. The rest of the day though rocked!

And another successful meet

Eric explained that he thought coming to the museum was a great excuse to both meet us and give his wife a break at home.

‘cause that’s what you do.

One of the first airplanes we encountered was the SR-71 Blackbird, quite possibly the coolest plane ever built. It's most definitely the fastest.

One of many superlative designs to emerge from the “Skunk Works”

The only other vehicle that even approaches this sort of technology is Barry's minivan.

Although this may just be an urban legend (it’s certainly a DisDadLegend)

One fun thing the museum does for kids is to give them a scavenger hunt.

Cool! I missed that.

I got to do something similar with my DS a number of years back when he was in Cub Scouts. We did an overnight “campout” aboard the USS Yorktown (CV-10) in Charleston harbor. One of the activities was a scavenger hunt that ensured that we’d have to spend a good bit of time really looking over the different exhibit areas. I thought it was a brilliant teaching tool. (man… I wish I knew there was such a thing as a TR back then… that little trip was a lot of fun).

We had to stop by the F-14 Tomcat for a picture. I didn't want to stop, though, because I felt the need...the need for speed!

Took me by surprise that time.
I had no idea that “need” would be showing right about here.

I believe the Smithsonian is getting one of the real shuttles now that they've been retired.

Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103) to be specific.
I need to go back once they have that exhibit ready




BTW: While you were in the space vehicle room… did you happen to find the Hidden Mickey?

I’ve had the chance to see both this craft and the “Bockscar” which is maintained at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, OH. That display includes a replica of the "Fat Man" bomb that was dropped over Nagasaki and spends a bit more time on the events. Both times I had to stop in my tracks for a bit and beat back the cold chills. As an armature historian and an aircraft enthusiast, I have to say that seeing these two planes struck me harder then most of the rest of the exhibits at either location.

Looks like we picked the wrong week to quit amphetamines.

“Rapunzel… the tower!!”



I rather like that picture by the way

Lunch/dinner (Dunch? Linner?) was at the Annapolis Fuddrucker's.

Rats! I was so close.

Blue pin = Overnight stay
Red pin = Significant time spent here, or a notable place visited
Yellow pin = Julie and me traveling alone
Clear pin = Cheesecake Factory visited (just for the heck of it)

I like your system.
One question… what brought y’all down to the Columbia, SC area long enough for both an overnight pin and a notable place pin?

11 days
Over 2,400 miles traveled
10 state borders crossed
8 DIS-meets
Favorite meal: Lynn's Paradise Cafe, Louisville

Quite the trip! Thanks for taking us along.

So...where should we head next?

I’ll be looking forward to the answer to that question.

You’ve inspired us to consider a similar (but maybe smaller) road trip possibly this summer
(since I can’t quite justify a Disney trip this year).

So whatdaya think, readers? Shall I attempt it? Surely I can't be as funny as the Captain.....

Silly question!
Of course you should!

 

[Poolrat]

Loved every mile. Such a great adventure, with thrills, chills and time travel.

Can't wait to hear about Julie's trip and the next adventure.

 

[FreezinRafiki]

I hate the end of vacation. Hate it more than Monday mornings. More than telemarketers. Yea, verily, even more than lima beans.

Remember that one Monday morning after vacation when a telemarketer interrupted your lima bean dinner? Pretty much the worst day ever.

Even better, there is no TSA strip-search upon entering (there is a metal detector, though).

Last time we flew I got scanned by one of those spinny zappy things. I think I have some kind of super power now, but I haven't figured out what it is yet.

We pulled into a spot and watched a car pull into a space right next to us. It was Eric and his 2 daughters. So the very first thing I learned about Eric is that he has impeccable timing.

Or he was stalking you all they way from the hotel....

If an enemy fired a missile at the Blackbird, the pilot could simply (how cool is this?) accelerate and out-run the missile. The only other vehicle that even approaches this sort of technology is Barry's minivan.

Most the the systems on my van are still considered "classified" but the rumor that I can outrun an enemy missile is completely false. I can, however, destroy it with a Taco Bell fueled "gas screen"

The Blackbird set the world record for both flight altitude (for non-spacecraft) and speed (over 2,900 mph). On its final flight from California to Washington, the trip was covered in a little over an hour.

Wisconsin to Orlando in 30 minutes? Is it available for charter?

We moved on after Julie and Eric got sick of my Top Gun jokes, which took about 3.7 seconds.

I'll meet you and Andy there. Don't forget your aviator sunglasses.

The kids tried their hand at air traffic control. Striker! Striker!

Negative Ghost Rider, the pattern is full

We've been putting pins in our map of the places we've visited with the kids to chart our travels. Here's the system:

Blue pin = Overnight stay
Red pin = Significant time spent here, or a notable place visited
Yellow pin = Julie and me traveling alone
Clear pin = Cheesecake Factory visited (just for the heck of it)

When we stole this idea, we modified the pin color system to be "whatever color the kids want to stick in"

So...where should we head next?

Well, I can't answer because I'm already privy to the information. But the one after that should totally be Wisconsin.

and a possible bonus add-on mini TR (if Julie is up for it).

Blackbird.....Barry's minivan.....Blackbird.....Barry's minivan.....

You're mocking me, aren't you?

So whatdaya think, readers? Shall I attempt it? Surely I can't be as funny as the Captain.....

Yes you can. And don't call me Shirley.
(Helpful hint: liberal use of puns.)

Although this may just be an urban legend (it’s certainly a DisDadLegend)

Until you have proof otherwise, we are forced to believe it's true.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

I'll meet you and Andy there. Don't forget your aviator sunglasses.

I’m in as well

I’ve been using aviator sunglasses since the late 70s; well before the move even when they weren’t in fashion afterward. Never leave home without ‘em.

You're mocking me, aren't you?

Oh no, no no no, no. – Barry look, an alien!

Until you have proof otherwise, we are forced to believe it's true.

As Rumsfeld so aptly pointed out…
“…the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence.”

...or is it?

 

[FreezinRafiki]

Oh no, no no no, no. – Barry look, an alien!

WHERE?!?

As Rumsfeld so aptly pointed out…
“…the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence.”

...or is it?

Rob, don't play dumb with me. You'll never win.

 

[afwdwfan]

I'll meet you and Andy there. Don't forget your aviator sunglasses.

I assume you'd be Iceman?

I’m in as well

I’ve been using aviator sunglasses since the late 70s; well before the move even when they weren’t in fashion afterward. Never leave home without ‘em.

And since you're my nemesis, I guess you can be the guy in the tower that ends up wearing the coffee.

 

[glennbo123]

Even better, there is no TSA strip-search upon entering (there is a metal detector, though).

You say that like it's a bad thing.

However, unlike the other museums, there is a $15 charge for parking.

I'm sure there's ample free parking nearby if you don't mind walking.

We pulled into a spot and watched a car pull into a space right next to us.

Very Max Cady-ish.

It was Eric and his 2 daughters.

Oh whew! I was worried there for a second.

As you can see, he came appropriately dressed as well.

You were probably debating on wearing your striped DIS-meet dress shirt.

The Blackbird set the world record for both flight altitude (for non-spacecraft) and speed (over 2,900 mph). On its final flight from California to Washington, the trip was covered in a little over an hour.

And 45 minutes of that was spent circling Dulles, waiting for clearance to land.

"Clearance, Clarence."

At this point, Eric and his daughters had to head out, so we bid them a fond farewell.

for another DIS-meet.

Striker! Striker!


Looks like we picked the wrong week to quit amphetamines.

Some of my favorite quotes!

Blue pin = Overnight stay
Red pin = Significant time spent here, or a notable place visited
Yellow pin = Julie and me traveling alone
Clear pin = Cheesecake Factory visited (just for the heck of it)

I don't see very many yellow pins!

11 days
Over 2,400 miles traveled
10 state borders crossed
8 DIS-meets
Favorite meal: Lynn's Paradise Cafe, Louisville

And it was a very enjoyable ride for those of us reading along, after-the-fact. Thanks!

So...where should we head next?

A "catfish noodling" excursion with swamp people?

...and a possible bonus add-on mini TR (if Julie is up for it).

Yes!

Julie! Julie! Julie!

 

[KatMark]

Sounds like a great last day, Mark.

I cannot believe all the DIS meets you managed on your trip. That is awesome.

I love the kids tye-dyed shirts.

I can't wait for the wrap-up and the next trip plans.

 

[middlepat]

Great update Mark. I agree that the end of vacation is only surpassed in the "sucks" department by that first day back in the office when you've realized that your co-workers made sure to not upset you by doing any of your work while you were away.

Love the air and space musuem. That just made my list.

BTW, what's worng with a little Top Gun quoting.... unless you began to recreate the bar scene and starting singing to Julie. That I would understand.

As for the bonus TR, Julie, good luck, we're all counting on you.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Figures. Once I get caught up, this thing is coming to an end.

It might be better this way. Otherwise, you would have been hanging out with Kathy, demanding faster updates.

Awwww.. I like the search.

Hey parking is scarce at an airport.

Maybe I should have looked for the long-term lot.

I'd love to see that someday!

Well, come on down!

Plus Barry's van shoots cheeseballs out of the tailpipe.

Cool! Sort of like a grade-D James Bond vehicle.

Top Gun!


Airplane!


Airplane!

You still giving out points for movie references?

Absolutely! +3

There's no contest, and you won't win anything, but you can definitely have the points.

Thanks for the great report!!! Sorry I just got here. I was a little busy over the summer.

Oh, like that's an excuse!

Seriously, thanks for catching up with us and reading along!

Oh, I am so sad that this trip is coming to an end!! You managed not only to take your kids to many new places, but also showed this European corners of the US which I otherwise would never have known about!!

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Hopefully you'll get to see more of the country in years to come! And as a fallback plan, you can see it in these lousy trip reports.

I am already excited about the announcement of the new travel plans!!

Me too! (Mostly because I need another vacation)

 

[cj9200]

Great trip Mark. Enjoyed reliving it through the report. I laughed, I cried, I fell asleep.