Potomac Run (MD/VA/DC - Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020 3-5:30PM)

ayilar

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Folks,

@Ripinator, @Imperialist67, @Analog Kid, @Michael McCoy, and I will be driving our C-bodies along the Potomac in MD/VA/DC this Sunday afternoon. @Imps Rule had hoped that he could join us this weekend, but unfortunately he has a conflict on Sunday.

The weather for Sunday is supposed to be quite nice: partly cloudy and warm (82F) with not-unbearable humidity (76%) and very little chance of rain (10%). I am therefore posting about this run in case other members would like to join us. Paging in particular local new members @Newport Man and @Michael A. Corley and, from further away, FCBO stalwarts @1978 NYB and @1970FuryConv

I have attached a map of our itinerary. In words:

We will meet at the Glen Echo Park parking lot, off MacArthur Blvd in MD and chat a bit / take photos.

From the Glen Echo parking lot, we will drive north on the Clara Barton Parkway for a beautiful ride among the trees -- the traffic there is usually neither too fast nor too slow. Clara Barton connects to the Beltway. We will either take the off-ramp onto the Beltway on our way to the GW Parkway, or drive a bit north to the great Falls (MD) parking lot if that's better for some folks to join up the caravan there.

Either way, we'll then proceed to cross the American Legion Bridge and then immediately exit the Beltway onto GW Parkway, drive south to the Tidal Basin Paddle Boathouse and park our cars there for more photos. If the TB parking lot is closed (I saw a barrier 3 weeks ago for some reason), we will go and park next to the Jefferson Memorial just a few hundred yards away.

From there, we will then drive back up to Glen Echo using Canal Road, ending at the Irish Inn for a piece of cake and/or a Guinness on their terrace (i.e., in a Covid-safe manner).

In total, we will be out for an hour of driving together (plus driving time to/from Glen Echo) and probably close to 2-2.5 hours in total. Folks who cannot join for the whole run can easily join at the 3 stopping points: Glen Echo Park lot (3PM), Great Falls MD lot (around 3:20PM), Tidal Basin (around 3:50PM), and Irish Inn (4:45-5:30PM).

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SumBitch... I wish I’d known about this sooner. I’m only a couple hours away and probably could’ve done it, but now scheduling conflicts dictate otherwise.:BangHead:
 
SumBitch... I wish I’d known about this sooner. I’m only a couple hours away and probably could’ve done it, but now scheduling conflicts dictate otherwise.:BangHead:

Oh bummer! I did not put this run together till this week as I did not know, prior to last weekend, that I was going to be in the area this coming weekend.

I plan to organize one more run (similar parameters, though the specific locations will probably differ) in October or early November. I’ll post earlier and hope to see you then!
 
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Darn....sometimes I wish I still lived in DC. Not often, mind you, but one of those times would be this coming Sunday!

Lot of pics, please! :thumbsup:
 
That time is fine for me. While it has picked up some, traffic through those areas remains at lower levels than normal, parking at the Jefferson Memorial is more accommodating than at the tidal basin as a rule........but we can play it by ear..... I did part of this "loop" last week with the New Yorker, and the Whitehurst Freeway / Canal Road is always a nice ride.
 
Folks,

@Ripinator, @Imperialist67, @Analog Kid, @Michael McCoy, and I will be driving our C-bodies along the Potomac in MD/VA/DC this Sunday afternoon. @Imps Rule had hoped that he could join us this weekend, but unfortunately he has a conflict on Sunday.

The weather for Sunday is supposed to be quite nice: partly cloudy and warm (82F) with not-unbearable humidity (76%) and very little chance of rain (10%). I am therefore posting about this run in case other members would like to join us. Paging in particular local new members @Newport Man and @Michael A. Corley and, from further away, FCBO stalwarts @1978 NYB and @1970FuryConv

I have attached a map of our itinerary. In words:

We will meet at the Glen Echo Park parking lot, off MacArthur Blvd in MD and chat a bit / take photos.

From the Glen Echo parking lot, we will drive north on the Clara Barton Parkway for a beautiful ride among the trees -- the traffic there is usually neither too fast nor too slow. Clara Barton connects to the Beltway. We will either take the off-ramp onto the Beltway on our way to the GW Parkway, or drive a bit north to the great Falls (MD) parking lot if that's better for some folks to join up the caravan there.

Either way, we'll then proceed to cross the American Legion Bridge and then immediately exit the Beltway onto GW Parkway, drive south to the Tidal Basin Paddle Boathouse and park our cars there for more photos. If the TB parking lot is closed (I saw a barrier 3 weeks ago for some reason), we will go and park next to the Jefferson Memorial just a few hundred yards away.

From there, we will then drive back up to Glen Echo using Canal Road, ending at the Irish Inn for a piece of cake and/or a Guinness on their terrace (i.e., in a Covid-safe manner).

In total, we will be out for an hour of driving together (plus driving time to/from Glen Echo) and probably close to 2-2.5 hours in total. Folks who cannot join for the whole run can easily join at the 3 stopping points: Glen Echo Park lot (3PM), Great Falls MD lot (around 3:20PM), Tidal Basin (around 3:50PM), and Irish Inn (4:45-5:30PM).

View attachment 404499

Michel:

The itinerary looks great. Thanks a lot for putting it all together. One question: Do you think we will need some kind of reservation for the Irish Inn?
 
Do you think we will need some kind of reservation for the Irish Inn?

They do not take reservations for outside. They do take reservations for indoors, but I prefer to not go inside a restaurant to eat till it is again safe(-ish) to do so.

My hope is that 4:45PM would be the right time: late brunchers will be done, and early-dinner folks won't be in yet. If they are super busy (as the reservation person I called told me they were last Sunday), then we can always drive up a mile further and go to the Wild Tomato on MacArthur in Cabin John. The few times I've been there, they had plenty of outside seating -- so, hopefully, they can accommodate us if needed. Their happy hour runs 3-5PM, though, which is one reason why I did not pick them as my first choice (well, that and I like the Guinness on draft at the Inn).
 
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I would sure like to meet with you guys but I've been in the hospital for the last 10 days. I dont know when they are going to let me out and if im able to participate in the cruise.
 
Very sorry to hear. I like the positive note that they might let you out and you might come -- if so, then all the Guinness you want is on me!
 
Very sorry to hear. I like the positive note that they might let you out and you might come -- if so, then all the Guinness you want is on me!

I would have to be in the Redeye.....

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Back to the run. It’s very cloudy and more humid than forecast had predicted, but the weather forecast till 7pm today is still for no rain. In short: we’re on and I look forward to the drive!

Disclaimer: I trusted the overnight forecast and left my car outside last night, without her rain cover — well, so much for accuracy... Poppy got her first non-waterless wash in two years as I spend the first hour this morning cleaning her and patting her dry. Here is the engine bay this morning.

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Back to the run. It’s very cloudy and more humid than forecast had predicted, but the weather forecast till 7pm today is still for no rain. In short: we’re on and I look forward to the drive!

Disclaimer: I trusted the overnight forecast and left my car outside last night, without her rain cover — well, so much for accuracy... Poppy got her first non-waterless wash in two years as I spend the first hour this morning cleaning her and patting her dry. Here is the engine bay this morning.

View attachment 405162
They washed it at the factory, no? :poke:
 
They washed it at the factory, no? :poke:

:stop: I try to keep my cars exposed to as little water as possible. Poppy has under 34k miles and can boast of zero rust. I've put 3k miles on her clock since I bought her in March 2018 (and got her back on the road a month later), but I sure will continue doing my best to keep her rust-free... :D
 
White House, Washington Monument, and P/D/C/Y!

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Lot of pics, please!

Your wish is my command. Here are the cars in Glen Echo at the start of our little trip.

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Here is the close-up of @Analog Kid's 1972 Plymouth Fury iii hardtop. He drove behind me for most of the trip, and it was absolutely great seeing this front end in my rear-view mirror during all that time -- felt "period":

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Parked alongside it, is @Ripinator's Scorch Red 1966 Chrysler 300:

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Next is @Michael McCoy's 1973 Imperial LeBaron. He and his wife, who are both very active in the DC-area CPOC (Chrysler Products Owner's Club), have owned it since 1978! Originally B5 blue, the car has been repainted in a "midnight" blue shade -- the paint job is incredible, and I do not say so lightly.

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Here is Poppy, my own Dodge Polara convertible. The parking ding on the passenger side of the front valence was there when I bought the car -- @polara71 asked about it at Carlisle, so here is a photo showing the blemish.

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Finally, I took a rear shot of our cars, all together before departing for the run.

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Our next stop was at the Tidal Basin. You've already seen the photo I took of the cars in front of the White House and Monument, here are two more photos. The sun position was not great for exposure, but the location is well worth it. The Basin, and beyond it the Jefferson Memorial, can be discerned in the background.

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Here we are on our way back from the Tidal Basin; the photo was taken by a friend who saw us at the end of the Whitehurst Freeway in Georgetown.

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The final picture was taken at the Irish Inn at Glen Echo, where @Ripinator generously took us for drinks. By that time we had lost the Imperial (on her way back to Virginia). Rip and @Imperialist67 (who ran out of time to pick up his 1967 NYer and rode shotgun with me for the whole trio -- masks for both of us and top down, about as safe as can be) explained to the rest of us how the place used to be called Trav's in the sixties and seventies, one of four roadhouses between downtown DC and Carderock. Here are the Fury and Polara on the Inn's lot, with MacArthur Blvd in the background.

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A great time was had by all. @1978 NYB -- we were hoping you might make it, next time will be it. @Imps Rule -- since Sundays are bad for you, we'll try to do the next run on a Saturday. And I hope that others will join too: DC-area traffic has a deservedly bad reputation, but amid the pandemic it is much lighter than usual so we might as well make the best out of a rotten year.
 
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