Waking up, we were surrounded by water. Not trusting the tent at all, I had move all my things from the walls, but still there was some seepage that got to a book or two. Just the guide books – nothing that warrants being kept in perfect condition. These were not small little leaks though, not by any mean. A moat, an inner moat, had developed while we slept, within our tent. This was not a pleasant thing to wake up to.
Katherine went off to shower, and I got to work mopping everything up. By the time she got back the inside of the tent was dry, the car was on our lot, an all the bags were back within the trunk. Ducks started to wander close looking for food.
Hearing them rapt against the fabric as I cleaned up inside? A strange sound. Not unlike that of a potential Grizzly foraging. But fear I did not, for I was bigger than the ducks, and could no doubt take them in a fight. Thus, I did not worry. Until their wee ones came over. I hear they bite!
When Kath got back, I made my way to the shower, while she worked on breaking down the tent. On route, I stepped in the mud, which looked a lot like the road. I washed my shoe in the shower. When water hit this piece of plastic footwear black ooze was sent everywhere, coving the floor, the ceiling, and the walls. I avoided the worst by hiding behind the shower curtain. I tried to clean inside, but unable to direct the flow of water I quickly gave up. They can use the thirty five dollars I paid for a patch of grass to set up a tent in the middle of the night to get that gunge gone.
And that was that – good bye New Jersey. The toll of three dollars to leave the state was well worth it. I wanted to try and make a statement and see Delaware. We tried – we really did. We enjoyed a tax-free lunch, and then headed to Wilmington. Look – I want to say there's a reason to see Delaware, and I'm sure there is. I hear great things about their beaches down south – but it was raining, and being pretty small, it was surely raining there too – so they were skipped Wilmington? I saw the city on the drive through and around. It's a wee little thing, keep on going. Maryland has Baltimore. Surely that place is worth checking out, yeah?
The book? It didn't seem to be lying as we carried on. Still – the people seemed non threatening, unlike in Wilmington, DE where a guy laid on the horn when I didn't start driving through a red light after he pulled up behind me. Once the light light went green he plowed by, giving me the finger, and then pulled into the McDonald's. Mac Attacks. Clearly a serious affliction in this country.
Then the pamphlet hunt. At the info desk I asked a lady where I should go, what I should see. Upon finding out that we only had two hours, she went on about how I couldn't possibly spend just two hours in the city. No, I'd have to stay for more. For longer. I said I couldn't and she kept talking about how two hours wasn't enough time. I wanted to say how that time was still ticking as she went on, but listened to her expound about how great the town was, without ever mentioning a thing I should see.
I think I learned there was a free orange bus? But at the end of the day, we just walked the harbour, looked at the tall ships, the submarine, and the other boats just doing there thing. There was a Barnes and Noble's book store, in what was once a factory – or designed to look look like it was once a factory. Either way, it was pretty great.
Next stop? Alexandria. A we little blip in Virginia just south of Washington D.C. Getting there, of course, required driving through D.C. New York Avenue – let me tell you, the American Highway system makes little sense in the best of time, but here? It just becomes nonsense of people cutting left, people cutting right. In front of us I watched a car from the lane to my left try to merge at the same time one in the lane to the right had the same idea. Realizing their error in the nick of time, the both shared all three lanes for the next little while before the situation could work itself out.
“The Pentagon! The Pentagon!” Not just a building from military movies, but something for real, an there it was just off to the side. The Pentagon! We had arrived.
And then we left, to Alexandria and a Day's Inn. At 79.99 for the first two nights, an 49.99 for the third, it was pretty pricey. But we were looking to pay through the nose for this town anyway, so it was easier to accept. This is the city of cities – well D.C. is, and this motel provided a shuttle to and from the metro for carless entry to the city. After our drive in and out, that seemed like more than worth the extra price.
Dinner was at the adjacent IHOP, and it was delicious. Two pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hash browns for six fifty? Good value. I approve. And then to sleep – there would be much exploring and adventuring tomorrow.
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