Meetup in Washington, DC

JoeW · Sep 14, 2014

The_Traveler said:
I will be at the Peet's coffee house at 1701 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC from 8 AM on on Sat Sept 20th, (assuming someone will show up and it's not raining terribly. In that case I will email night before)
Peet's is directly on the corner cattycorner across the street from the Old Executive Office Building

On either the Red Line or the Blue-Line Metro, it is a simple walk from the respective Farragut Square stop South down 17th Street towards the Mall.

once you see this, turn around

and you'll see Peet's Coffee right on the corner

SEND ME YOUR MOBILE NUMBER

Sunrise for Saturday Sept. 20th is supposed to be at 6:37am. I will plan on being at the Iwo Jima memorial (on the west side so the memorial is between me and the sunrise) at 6:20am. I will then go with our weary band of early morning explorers to the Peets on 1701 Pa. Avenue where we will consume prodigious amounts of coffee and hot chocolate while we regale Lew and the rest of the sensible arisers of what was surely the most beautiful sunrise in the history of mankind.

Right now, it looks like Braineack, Mattymags and myself are the early morning crew. If anyone else is going to join us, please let me know. And...whether you're going to be part of the sunrise crew or not, do send your cell # to Lew.

slackercruster · Sep 14, 2014

Braineack said:
I'd meet at Iwo Jima in the morning; I'll be parking a block away at lynn and wilson.

The skys are looking really nice lately in the morning (Oct always seems to have the best sunrises) and I'd like to get back and retry shots there and improve from this.

Sun seems to be peaking out between 6:30 and 6:30.

I can't make the meetup, but plan to go to DC in November. I had heard parking is hard to find in D.C. If you go early like 8 AM can you find parking? The other thing is I have a Ford F350 with truck camper to park.

snowbear · Sep 14, 2014

It's like any other big city. You are probably better off parking at one of the Metro (subway) stations in the 'burbs and riding the rails.

JoeW · Sep 14, 2014

slackercruster said:
I can't make the meetup, but plan to go to DC in November. I had heard parking is hard to find in D.C. If you go early like 8 AM can you find parking? The other thing is I have a Ford F350 with truck camper to park.

Depends upon what day and where you try to park (although generally speaking for trucks and campers it's especially hard). For instance...parking along the National Mall....forget about it. It fills up quickly. And 8am isn't that early for DC, especially if it's on a weekday (b/c to reduce traffic, a lot of Federal workers start their workdays at 6:30am). If you come here on a weekend and during good weather, expect to see tons of rental buses trucking tourists and school kids on visits to the Smithsonian.

If you do choose to park in DC, do NOT park illegally. The parking enforcement department of DC is a very effective money-making enterprise (I don't say that with resentment--the W.Post did a series of articles a couple of years ago about how DPE was tasked with being a revenue generator). If your meter expires you almost certainly will get ticketed. If you park all day in a parking garage, get there early b/c many are full by 8am (and there aren't a lot of parking garages near the national mall and monuments). Probably the best price you'll find for all day parking in the city in a garage or lot is $20 and more likely close to $40. Most meters now take credit cards.

From your profile, it doesn't give a hint if you'd be coming from the North (Maryland) or the South (Virginia) so I can't give you specific advice on this. As someone else posted, best bet is to park near a Metro or VRE spot and take either metro or the train in. Parking at some lots (like Rolling Road or Burke State) is free (but again, if you go on a weekday and get there late, the commuters have filled up all the spots). Also, I've never tried to park a camper in any of those lots--not sure if it's allowed or not. Best check the Metro and VRE websites for information.

Depending upon where you're coming from, one possibility would be to park the truck and camper in Harpers Ferry, W.Va. You can find free parking there, things are cheaper (like food and dining), there are some interesting things to see and photograph. And there is a commuter train from Harpers Ferry that runs in the morning to DC (Union Station) and then back in the afternoon. You'd be paying for tickets every trip. But you'd avoid rush hour, could do stuff (sleep, surf, snack, even take photos on the train) while you're journeying in to and from DC. You wouldn't be able to do stuff lat night in DC (or you'd miss your train). But you'd also be VERY close to the Antietam battlefield (the best Civil War battlefield in the NPS inventory, the single bloodiest day in American history and definitely worth a visit). For an entire family, it's probably too expensive. But if it's just you, I'd strongly consider it. You'd see DC and shoot it during the day. In the evenings you'd shoot Harpers Ferry and the W.Va countryside (if you have enough daylight).

NancyMoranG · Sep 14, 2014

I drive a Toyota Tundra with a fishing rack on top. It is VERY scary/ hard to find HEIGHT restrictions on parking garages in a lot of cities. Can't speak for Dc in particular. With the tow bar on front (we tow it behind Rv), and the bike rack on back (collapsed) the spaces are usually just TOO tight.

I always Take the metro in if I can.
It's so worth it.
Nancy

mattymags · Sep 14, 2014

I need to rethink my parking and travel plans. Originally I was going to park and metro in, but then it hit me that being in Arlington by ~6am means the trains don't run that early. I also think that most of the garages wont be open that early on Sat. So maybe street park, but is there a place that doesn't have a two hour limit, or am I looking at having to move the vehicle once the garages open up?

Braineack · Sep 14, 2014

mattymags said:
I need to rethink my parking and travel plans. Originally I was going to park and metro in, but then it hit me that being in Arlington by ~6am means the trains don't run that early. I also think that most of the garages wont be open that early on Sat. So maybe street park, but is there a place that doesn't have a two hour limit, or am I looking at having to move the vehicle once the garages open up?

Where are you coming from? I'm parking in my daily lot in rosslyn, and then will metro in from there.

mattymags · Sep 14, 2014

Are you taking the bus in? I am right off of Braddock Rd (just out side the beltway), first plan was to go to Springfield, but what time does everything start running on Sat. Going to check the schedules

Braineack · Sep 14, 2014

No, driving. But I'll be coming 66.

Figured I'd drive straight to the War Memorial, park in my lot at wilson and lynn, and then metro into the district for the day.

The_Traveler · Sep 14, 2014

Metro doesn't stat that early on Saturdays .
Parking on Ohio near monuments is ok for all day, I think.
I would check that out

JoeW · Sep 14, 2014

mattymags said:
I need to rethink my parking and travel plans. Originally I was going to park and metro in, but then it hit me that being in Arlington by ~6am means the trains don't run that early. I also think that most of the garages wont be open that early on Sat. So maybe street park, but is there a place that doesn't have a two hour limit, or am I looking at having to move the vehicle once the garages open up?

Here's a suggestion: drive to Iwo Jima and park there. Just use a meter. We'll be there about an hour (figure 6:20-7am or so). And then you can get in your car and park in a parking garage or lot in DC. On a Saturday at 7:40am, you should be able to find a variety of garages and lots that are open in DC (say...around L'Enfant Plaza and within walking distance of the Mall, or near Foggy Bottom and the Peets that Lew and everyone else will be meeting at).

slackercruster · Sep 15, 2014

JoeW said:
Depends upon what day and where you try to park (although generally speaking for trucks and campers it's especially hard). For instance...parking along the National Mall....forget about it. It fills up quickly. And 8am isn't that early for DC, especially if it's on a weekday (b/c to reduce traffic, a lot of Federal workers start their workdays at 6:30am). If you come here on a weekend and during good weather, expect to see tons of rental buses trucking tourists and school kids on visits to the Smithsonian.

If you do choose to park in DC, do NOT park illegally. The parking enforcement department of DC is a very effective money-making enterprise (I don't say that with resentment--the W.Post did a series of articles a couple of years ago about how DPE was tasked with being a revenue generator). If your meter expires you almost certainly will get ticketed. If you park all day in a parking garage, get there early b/c many are full by 8am (and there aren't a lot of parking garages near the national mall and monuments). Probably the best price you'll find for all day parking in the city in a garage or lot is $20 and more likely close to $40. Most meters now take credit cards.

From your profile, it doesn't give a hint if you'd be coming from the North (Maryland) or the South (Virginia) so I can't give you specific advice on this. As someone else posted, best bet is to park near a Metro or VRE spot and take either metro or the train in. Parking at some lots (like Rolling Road or Burke State) is free (but again, if you go on a weekday and get there late, the commuters have filled up all the spots). Also, I've never tried to park a camper in any of those lots--not sure if it's allowed or not. Best check the Metro and VRE websites for information.

Depending upon where you're coming from, one possibility would be to park the truck and camper in Harpers Ferry, W.Va. You can find free parking there, things are cheaper (like food and dining), there are some interesting things to see and photograph. And there is a commuter train from Harpers Ferry that runs in the morning to DC (Union Station) and then back in the afternoon. You'd be paying for tickets every trip. But you'd avoid rush hour, could do stuff (sleep, surf, snack, even take photos on the train) while you're journeying in to and from DC. You wouldn't be able to do stuff lat night in DC (or you'd miss your train). But you'd also be VERY close to the Antietam battlefield (the best Civil War battlefield in the NPS inventory, the single bloodiest day in American history and definitely worth a visit). For an entire family, it's probably too expensive. But if it's just you, I'd strongly consider it. You'd see DC and shoot it during the day. In the evenings you'd shoot Harpers Ferry and the W.Va countryside (if you have enough daylight).

Thanks for the detailed rundown. I'm about 5-6 hours away near Washington PA.

DC sounds like a big hassle with taking a vehicle in. I wonder how the hoards of people get there for the Inauguration and big events? I visited D.C. in the early 90's. From what I recall we didn't have too bad a time with a car. Things must have changed a lot.

Can you park long term at Union Station with a truck camper and boondock in it for a few nights if your low-key? Or do you think I'd get hassled?

Another possibility is staying here and taking the train in with my bike.

Greenbelt Park (U.S. National Park Service)

But I prefer having the camper nearby to relax in during the day when my feet wear out or to have lunch.

Harpers Ferry sounds good for a trip just on its own.

You early birds are impressive! Too early for me. Don't forget the blue light shots, that is more doable for me. Looking forward to seeing the pix!

Msteelio91 · Sep 15, 2014

Hey all. I just had a death in the family this past week and the services are to be held this Saturday. Looks like I'm going to be missing out on this trip

Lew, I was looking for a way to send you a PM but I'm not seeing that mechanism in the new interface. Am I just blind and missing it or is there no PM system implemented at the moment?

JoeW · Sep 15, 2014

slackercruster said:
Thanks for the detailed rundown. I'm about 5-6 hours away near Washington PA.

DC sounds like a big hassle with taking a vehicle in. I wonder how the hoards of people get there for the Inauguration and big events? I visited D.C. in the early 90's. From what I recall we didn't have too bad a time with a car. Things must have changed a lot.

Can you park long term at Union Station with a truck camper and boondock in it for a few nights if your low-key? Or do you think I'd get hassled?

Another possibility is staying here and taking the train in with my bike.

Greenbelt Park (U.S. National Park Service)

But I prefer having the camper nearby to relax in during the day when my feet wear out or to have lunch.

Harpers Ferry sounds good for a trip just on its own.

You early birds are impressive! Too early for me. Don't forget the blue light shots, that is more doable for me. Looking forward to seeing the pix!

First, given that you're coming from the NW, going to Harpers Ferry, WV and then taking the train in (unless you've got a family) would be very easy. So do look at that.

Second, parking at Union Station....it's in a parking garage so height restrictions are an issue. I believe (if I'm reading it correctly) that you'd have to do motor coach/RV parking which is either first come, first served (with a limited # of spaces) or a daily fee of $60 for a reserved spot.

I still think your best bet is to park outside of the city and then Metro/VRE/MARC in. You could get free parking in an environment that isn't too noisy, minimal chance of a break-in (I had a car broken in to in the parking garage at Union Station and it was only there 3 hours).