For my fellow current or former Clevelanders:

(Nod: Tim)

And now for part two of my Washington DC photos from my road trip.

I loved the ceiling and the perspectives offered by the DC Metro:

Flag above the Department of the Treasury building:

North portico of the White House at night:

I saw this device on the south gate of the White House grounds.  I’m curious what might have happened if I pushed the button:

South lawn of the White House:

Lafayette Park just north of the White House:

The eternal flame at John F. Kennedy’s grave in Arlington National Cemetery:

Onlookers:

Brothers (Bobby, Jack, and Teddy):

A sea of white:

The U.S. Constitution at the National Archives:

The Washington Monument from the Jefferson Memorial:

The U.S. Capitol, glazed with rain water:

I only spent two days in DC, but I probably could have spend two weeks there.

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

While I’m on the rare-for-me topic of sports, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen this video while working at ESPN…

…but every time I see it, I’m disgusted.  Ginóbili’s actions have been more or less celebrated, laughed at, and joked about as if what happened really didn’t matter.  I’m unable to confirm whether or not he actually killed the bat (he says in the video and in a Facebook note the bat flew away), but given the force at which he slammed the bat into the floor, the bat possibly died or was seriously injured.

In the last few years, more than one million bats in the northeast U.S. have died from White Nose Syndrome (WNS).  Bats with WNS have white fungus growing around their nose (image from wildwildweather.com):

Thus far, the cause of the fungus is unknown—as is the ecological effects of the enormous number of bats lost to WNS.  A map of the affected area from caves.org:

At a time when the bat population is suffering enough, Ginobili’s and the sports world’s ignorance to the big-picture situation is disgusting.  Instead of any real understanding of the situation, people think it’s funny or cool that Ginóbili “caught” a bat from the air.  Ginóbili can show some understanding and some compassion and donate to a fund like Bat Conservation International for research of and response to WNS.

Seriously, where were the refs during this game?  I’m glad New Mexico lost.

Days 8 and 9 of my road trip were spent in the nation’s capital.

The weather those two days was cold, windy, and rainy, but I made the most of my time there. To alleviate my exposure to the elements, I would stay outside for a little while and then find something to do inside somewhere. Then I would go back out, then find something to do inside. Etc.

This was my first time in DC since 2001, and I was amazed at how much of a fortress certain areas and buildings have become because of security concerns. Buildings like the White House Visitor Center and the National Archives that you once were able to simply walk through the front door are now protected by metal detectors and security screenings. Walking and stopping at high value targets like the White House, I always felt like I was being watched, especially since I was traveling alone. Such is the life in a heightened-security state.

But anyway, on to the photo tour. The U.S. Capitol from the southeast end:

The Statue of Freedom above the Capitol dome:

Inside the Capitol rotunda, a statue of George Washington and The Apotheosis of Washington:

Inside the Library of Congress:

Looking to the Capitol from the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court:

The west side of the Capitol:

The Capitol fountain:

Sputnik I inside the National Air and Space Museum:

The Washington Monument:

The National World War II Memorial at night:

Walking up the steps to the Lincoln Memorial:

The Reflecting Pool from the Lincoln Memorial:

The Korean War Veterans Memorial:

To be continued….

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro