Frederick Douglass Bridge

We knew the Frederick Douglass Bridge in SE DC was christened for opening last year. It sits near the nationals stadium on South Capitol Street and crosses the river to Anacostia. There is supposed to be a park on the other side along with pedestrian and bicycle lanes to walk or bike over to it. That’s what we wanted to do last week. The reason was because it met the “unexplored” challenge for the 52Frames photo contest. We parked in our old Capitol Hill neighborhood and walked down to the area, passing by all the familiar places. Unfortunately when we reached our destination there was major road construction and we couldn’t get near the site. But I still wanted to get some photos of the bridge so we walked along the SE waterfront instead. The old bridge has been removed so at least what was on front of us was only the new structure. Hopefully we will return after all the construction is complete and actually walk across it, stopping by the specific areas allocated to view the river and the surroundings. Things have certainly changed since we moved to DC sixteen years ago!

A Walk in the Woods Here and There

We visited with our family over the weekend. They live about four hours away. Having lived in DC for the last thirteen years, it’s a treat to head southwest. Once we pass Charlottesville, things change to a more rural environment. We thought about moving to this area but decided we needed to be closer to the city - although the only reason we go there lately is for doctor, dental and haircut appointments and the occasional Library of Congress program. We are not for the “great outdoors” - hiking, camping, fishing, canoeing and all that are not on our radar screen. Copperheads, bear, and other wild creatures are only good to read about. But once in a while it’s a nice reminder to explore nature - during the day time. There, it’s down by the Janes River. Here, it’s the Central Park that is just a couple of blocks from our house. It feels like the wilderness, but still in the city - more my style! It seems so strange to us because we just aren’t used to it. I do like watching the birds and observing the seasons as they change. It’s also a great photo opportunity. Leaving the big city for northern Virginia wasn’t a difficult decision for me. Being close enough to it, and the wilderness feels just right. 

Jones Point Park

After driving to Alexandria for lunch, we felt like taking a little ride to somewhere. Before we got to our restaurant destination I noticed a sign for Jones Point Park. It reminded me that a few weeks back we found ourselves at the entrance of the park but didn't have time to explore it as we were trying to avoid and escape the George Washington parade traffic. Since it was so nice out today, we ventured forth with our google map. We didn't really know what to expect. I'm not sure we actually found what we were supposed to, but it wasn't worth getting out and looking around. It is essentially a place under the Wilson Bridge, and can be seen from National Harbor. It appears there are walking trails, and folks must have been on them based on the number of cars that were parked there, but not a lot of visible people. It appeared as though you could do some fishing, and biking, and there was a children's playground. There were also entrances to the park from other points in Old Town. The amount of parks in this area reminds me of the same in Milwaukee. I suppose everyone likes to find a place to hike and walk, but I much prefer the sidewalks of the city. But it was an interesting place to see, even it it was under the bridge.