We set off quite early for us, well before ten anyway lol
First up was a grocery top up, from experience super markets are rarely close to the flash inner city hotels such as we are staying at in DC.
Taking the long way down country roads as usual we found an awesome local produce stall run by a lovely older African American. As well as amazing fresh fruit there was a gallery of local art and pottery made by the owner and his Japanese born wife. We bought nectarines, plums and on Angela's recommendation honey crisp apples. She's right the apples are delish :-)
Into Maryland we wound our way through green rolling countryside with a few very prosperous looking horse properties and passed cornfields & through small leafy towns. Many of the trees by the roads have massive cobwebs in them, many fully encompass a foot or more of a branch.
I spotted a med size bird of prey, kestrel or falcon maybe? on a dead tree. We went back and Pete got some pretty good shots we think.
As we got closer to DC it was massive luxury mansions pretty much all the way. One we passed had a 30M raised covered walkway from the house to the garage which was on higher ground.
Into DC and to our hotel for the next week we are doing it a bit flasher than usual, the Marriott. We checked in, got our bags into the room and left for Dulles to pick up Tal who flew in from a holiday in London.
All three of us got back to the hotel and we went downstairs to the conference hub. A bit of a chat with Kevin Erickson and a few others incl Andy Lister; the latter got us wrist bands to get us into the main display area for a sneak peek. TBH not a lot to see yet, most are still getting installed.
We returned to our room and did a bit of an unpack before heading across the road for some reasonably priced cider.
We'd only had one drink when we got a message inviting us to join Tal and Josh across the road for an awesome dinner and a couple of bevvies.
Back to the hotel and we joined a few of the boys in the bar, us having snuck in our cheapie ciders of course lol it was a good night with lots of laughs before we headed off for bed. It'll be an early start tomorrow cos we have a tour booked at the Pentagon.
PS I know DC isn't in West Virginia BUT off exploring won't publish without a state and Washington isn't in a state do I had to put something!