Rolling on Segways in Washington D.C.

April 22nd - Happy Earth Day. - - - WOW...what a great past couple days!!!! In addition to being able to see many of my friends and prior co-workers, today was very special in the sense that my Niece (Megan) and I went downtown Washington D.C. and took a Segway tour. While I've been on a Segway once before (in San Antonio, TX), Megan appeared to be the pro. From the very moment she stepped onto the Segway, Eric (our guide), informed everyone to pay attention how Megan handled the machine. In fact, by the end of the tour, I believe everyone (well...at least me) was referring to her as SG (Segway Girl). - - - The first 3 pictures show the evidence...from the lesson...to the midway point of the tour...to why she's earned the name.

Note the contrast in excellence in Uncle Tom's handling of the Segway. Also note that Eric is standing at a more comfortable distance from me in case I lose control.

For anyone that knows the D.C. area, there certainly are many more beautiful monuments and buildings to see, but the ones below show a few of the many of the sites we were able to see. (By the way, if you've never taken a Segway tour, I strongly recommend it, especially if your time is limited.) - - - To start, we stopped at a tribute to the Navy. The first picture shows Megan and I, but the 2nd one was particularly interesting to me. (Please note the fountains in the foreground of the building.) We were informed that once a year, the Navy gathers a small sample of water from many (if not all) of the oceans from around the world, then deposit them into the fountains. It symbolizes how the Navy protects the world's waterways. An awesome tribute!

The following picture is a tribute to my Canadian friends that I'm going to visit next month. - - - I'm actually on Canadian land in the picture. - - - Let me explain. The Canadian Embassy in D.C. is actually on land dedicated to Canada, and is therefore, part of Canada. I never knew that, but it was great to learn. - - - I'm looking forward to seeing my friends in Nova Scotia, then driving through a portion of Canada as I head to the U.P. in Michigan.

The next 2 pictures show our Nation's capital building. While I've seen the Mall; the Monument; and the White House several times before, their beauty still makes me proud.

Well, I need to get some rest tonight as my Sister (Kathleen) and I are leaving for Baltimore, Maryland tomorrow morning and we've already got several fun things planned. We'll be there over the weekend and then I head up toward Boston. - - - As a friend reminded me today, I'm living a dream! - - - She was right!