This morning was our last hurrah throughout DC. We got a pretty early start (what else is new), which really helped us capture AMAZING pictures of the monuments! I definitely recommend going to see the monuments around 7AM, to get sunrise views and tourist-free pictures. We had a 9:30 reservation to go to the top of the Washington Monument, so we parked early and went to see the Lincoln, Vietnam War, and Korean War Memorials. Seeing these memorials without all the hustle and bustle was so peaceful.
Part of the reflecting pool was closed due to turf maintenance, so we walked along the road towards the Washington Monument, and I’m glad we did because we ran into signs for the tidal basin, Thomas Jefferson Monument, and MLK Jr. Monument.
We got to the Washington Monument and were first in line for the 9:30AM group. As we waited for the 9:00AM group to come and go, we just sat and admired the National Mall, and all the beautiful architecture that surrounded us. It was finally our turn to go up, and we quickly ascended up 550ft to the top of this historical structure. The top floor provided views of the north, east, south, and west that ked out to EVERYTHING.
After looking out every side of the Washington Monument and seeing the spectacular views, we headed down the stairs to the exit elevator, where a nice old park ranger was waiting to escort visitors down. While we were waiting for the elevator to arrive, the park ranger began to feel light headed, so he sat next to me on a small bench. It felt like 100 degrees out, so Joey offered him our water and he graciously accepted it. The ranger said he usually brings his bottle up, but accidentally forgotten it. When the elevator came, we informed another park ranger of his condition and we went down the elevator with him. As we all gathered inside, the ill ranger tried to continue his informative speech, but could not continue about halfway through. As we came out of the elevator, he looked really pale. Joey went towards him and Joey grabbed him right as he fainted. Things happened really quickly, but we were rushed out by other park rangers and officers…we’re really just hoping he’s okay.
We headed back onto the open road towards Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. We drove down Skyline Drive for the entire length of the park, which spans 105 miles! It was one of the most beautiful two-lane roads that we have ever seen…but maybe not for long! The drive gave us panoramic views of the Shenandoah Mountain Range with so many outlooks we couldn’t keep track (we obviously took A TON of pictures).
After finishing skyline drive and exiting the park, we drove southwest towards the Tennessee/North Carolina border to camp in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As copilots in this duo, we hold many jobs, and tonight my job was to make sandwiches in the car…peanut butter and fluff was on the menu and it definitely hit the spot…we were also reminiscing how it brings us back to our childhood.
We arrived to Cade’s Cove campground later than we expected (we underestimated how many beautiful overlooks Shenandoah would have), but we set up our camp quickly and got ready for the night. We plan to explore Great Smoky Mountain during sunrise tomorrow, so it’s time for us to call it a night!