Theodore Roosevelt Island

It’s an unusual thing to have an island in the middle of the urban jungle. We try to visit Theodore Roosevelt island at least once every season, but usually more. So before all of the leaves fell off the trees we thought we would take a ride there. From northern Virginia you have to travel down the GW Parkway to Arlington Cemetery only to circle back in the same direction we came to make the only turn off to the island. It’s convoluted but it is the only way to get there. I think we missed most of the color, but the walk across the footbridge over the Potomac River to the island is always a pleasant one. We take our usual walking path route and ran into a couple of tour groups. You can see the Kennedy center from one side and Arlington/Clerendon on the other. We stumbled across several Osage oranges. They look like little green brains and could really cause damage if they fell on your head. I like the option to look things up from the photo stream since it is getting harder to remember names of things. At the end of the walk we usually visit the Roosevelt Statue in the center. On this day the sun was brilliant as was the shadow cast against the backdrop. The unfilled fountain and park still looks lovely in the middle of nowhere. The one drawback is the constant air traffic overhead flying to and from Reagan airport. It reminds you that you really are still in the jungle. 

Theodore Roosevelt Island Statue and Fountain

Last week we took a ride to Theodore Roosevelt Island. We went there for a change of scenery, morning walk, and get away from crowded areas. Usually we walk in the park by our house for the shade, or in the neighborhood if it’s cool enough. And sometimes we drive in to DC and retrace our old steps on the national mall where we walked many times over the thirteen years we lived there. Luckily the parking lot was pretty empty, and when we crossed the bridge over the Potomac River, we headed down a less traveled path that took us under the route 50 bridge filled with graffiti. Then we backtracked and took the boardwalk through the marsh and finally ended up at the center of the island where the “memorial” stands. It is rather impressive. On the way to the sculpture is a beautiful fountain, pools, benches, bridges, and lined trees. It was quite serene and peaceful but also very hot and humid - like it’s been all summer. We are trying to make a habit of going to parks and such along the GW Parkway. It’s the only way we get to do something a little different since we hibernate otherwise. Luckily we have a few choices to pick from.