DCBBB Lunch Bunch

[OperaTenor]

The idea of visiting/meeting at Dulles when I go through on Monday was mentioned (I can't find where it is on which thread!), and in case you folks would really consider doing that, I'll be arriving on United flight #216 at 3:51pm and departing on United flight #916 at 5:20pm. I don't know if this is something you folks consider worth your time, or if it's even feasable, but I think it would be great to finally meet you. I'll be wearing my b.com hat (the "Miami" duly removed per Selma's example).

[barfle]

Unfortunately, I doubt that I can make it, as the public transportation I take uses a very roundabout way of getting to Dulles. If it was National, I could walk there, but I don't believe they have much transatlantic traffic through there.

If someone can give me a lift, though, I would be happy to join the festivities, and maybe even help murder an aria or two.

[Marye]

Wish it were possible........alas....

[Bones]

I can see the runways at National across the Potomac from my office window, but Dulles is a slightly different matter. Although the pleasure of meeting the famous world-traveling tenor is quite an inducement, I would rather eat a manure sandwich than negotiate I-66 or the Washington Beltway at rush hour going to and from Dulles Airport. The four to five hour round-trip wouldn't be so bad, if one could be certain that it would be only 4 to 5 hours.

Seriously, I would love to meet your plane, OT, but, like Barfle, there are some rather insurmountable restrictions confronting me. Are you coming through our area on your way back from Europe?

[OperaTenor]

No, sadly. I'm flying Frankfurt to San Francisco to Sandy Eggo on the way back. Do you guys think there's any possibility for Owlice or the others?

[Valerie]

Hi - glad i saw this thread!

i wish i could, but i am at 14th & I - no way i can get to dulles

national airport - i most definately would have been there!!! we could have sung duets!!! put out hat for tips!!! i would have been arrested for impersonating a singer!! violating noise ordinances!!!!

next time - fly into national!!!

have a great trip!!!

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

OK, I'm officially confused now. Replies from DC, Virginia, and Maryland, all claiming to be close enough to see National, and Dulles is hours and hours away.

I looked on Mapquest and it's, what, 25, 30 miles?

How long could that take?

<<Having borrowed the Flame-proof Garments, am now draping them about myself, expecting incoming artillery rounds and massive scorn.>>

[OperaTenor]

Hey Selma.......Selma?.......SELMA!!!! Can't you hear with the suit on? Wait, you don't have it on right. That part's not supposed to cover your head, silly! If you only knew where it really goes.....Here now, let a pro show you. God knows I've put it on ehough times(hey look, my "n"'s excited!

[Bones]

Originally posted by Selma in San Diego:
OK, I'm officially confused now. Replies from DC, Virginia, and Maryland, all claiming to be close enough to see National, and Dulles is hours and hours away.

I looked on Mapquest and it's, what, 25, 30 miles?

How long could that take?

<<Having borrowed the Flame-proof Garments, am now draping them about myself, expecting incoming artillery rounds and massive scorn.>>

Just to answer the how long can it take part. I work at a building that is a stone's throw from the Potomac River, which is essentially the southern border of Washington,DC. My building is right at the end of the 14th Street Bridge. On the other end of that same bridge, over on the Virginia side, is the Pentagon. It is not uncommon, during rush hour, for a car to take over an hour to cross that one bridge. All it takes to create such a delay is a fender bender, a bridge jumper, a dignitary motorcade, a protest march, a deer, a stopped motorcycle, a lost tourist, or absolutely nothing. Fortunately for me, to go home all I have to do is go north, all the way through the city to get to Maryland. That gets me home, but the only way I can get to Dulles is to take the Beltway into Virginia. That means crossing the Potomac on another bridge. Rush hour on the Capital Beltway means wall to wall cars, at a crawl all around the loop.

Anyway, you get the picture. It's an experience worth avoiding.

[priya978]

Next thing Ben's going to be saying he can see it too.

[Bones]

Originally posted by operatenor:

Sorry Strav, Bones, Barfle, Owlice, et. al., I'll try to make it up by making a special trip into National, okay?

If you could make it into Union Station, it would be better (do you like trains?). Then I wouldn't have to cross any bridge. Oh wait, then I'd have to change subway cars at Metro Center... Never mind. National will be fine.

[BenODen]

Wow, you're right, I -CAN- see national! But that Dullas. Must be under a bushel.

<small>[ 07-16-2003, 11:16 PM: Message edited by: Benito Of Denver ]</small>

[barfle]

Unfortunately, like most airports that are not the original one in a city, Dulles is, shall we say, NOT in town. National is across and along the Potomac, just barely south of the famous parts of DC. If you will permit the analogy to LA, if National is like LAX, then Dulles is like Ontario. They built it out in the sticks because that's where the farmer who would sell them land cheap was.

I only fought San Diego traffic a few times, so I'm not all that qualified to comment on it, but I can vouch that DC's rush hour is much worse than LA's is - which is a lot of the reason I take the subway to work.

[jmfryar]

here's a question -
How come everytime I'm in D.C. I toss the map in the backseat, and just drive for 10 minutes and end up in Arlington?

I now know how to get to anywhere in D.C. from the cemetary, but if I'm ever lost, I just drive down any street, no matter what the direction or the starting point, and within 10 or 15 minutes, I'm looking at the gates...

I've looked at maps of the city, it's not like it's spoked...is there a cosmic message in this??

[Marye]

I must say this about Washington... not only is it a beautiful city but the one time we visited, my partner let the keys to our car in the lock in the trunk. Just hanging there.... (it was around the FDR memorial I think - it is a park, is this right Barfle?) at any rate, some kind soul handed the keys to the park security and they kept an eye on our car until we returned... hours later and handed the keys back to us.. I was utterly gobsmacked. Good people ... so I love Washington.... (rudder alert) which has nothing to do with airports or meeting OT or Classical Music (sorry Shos) ... ahem... back on topic now...

[OperaTenor]

It's okay, Mary, I think for the purposes of this thread, the rudder is broken off.

[barfle]

jmfryar, that's because you go with the flow, which is out of town. The few times I've driven in DC, I haven't exactly found that I always end up in Arlington. In fact, we've often had lots of trouble finding our way INTO DC, since there are only a few bridges crossing the Potomac, and for some reason, they aren't well signed. Maybe the highway engineers went to a different school than I did...

Yes, Marye, the FDR memorial is quite park-like. I've only seen it once, but was pretty impressed, in spite of all the controversy about the wheel chair (it's there).

I generally try to avoid driving in DC for a lot of reasons. I know several people who do, but it's so easy for us to park at the subway station and take the train in that we hardly ever take a car into town.

Like any decent sized city, DC has its good and bad areas. The park police do a pretty good job of keeping the mall area safe, but there are parts of town I wouldn't wish on the people who made them that bad.

[jmfryar]

Then I'm going with the cosmic message theory...

I remember staying at Georgetown and walking through the neighborhoods...I don't remember where I was coming from or why I was walking...I do remember I was arguing with my then girlfriend...and we got to the bottom of the steps where they filmed The Exorcist...NOT a good thing to have suddenly spring on you...

[OperaTenor]

Jm,

Maybe you should stop dating!

[Serenity]

He led her there subliminally!