Valk spotted hwy. 270 from DC to Fredericks MA

[cookiedough]

Hi,

Anyone on here this past Sunday mid-day heading north on hwy 270 from DC area to Fredericks MA?  Saw a gray/silver painted Valk heading north while we were heading south into DC on Sunday mid-day.

DC - o.k. place to visit, not so much for driving.  If I was a police officer,  I'd ticket all drivers (and yes ALL were doing that speed) doing 75 mph in a 55 mph speed zone, especially closer to DC when traffic gets congested and out of towners like me are attempting to get the right turn to not get lost which we did on 2 separate occassions (misplaced more like it).  The correct turns come up VERY quickly with heavy traffic and proper signage is not well marked in advance as far as I was concerned, too many trees in the way to read some signs clearly.  Saw all I wanted to see except Arlington Cemetery area, ran out of time and walking distance.  Walked 25 miles about in 3 days straight, do-able, but most I walked in that short of time probably ever in my life. 

Took out of DC going home an indirect route home I wanted to take vs. going up to Hagerstown/Morgantown/Wheeling on main interstate roads like we did going to DC.  Went to Winchester heading west out of DC and took Hwy. 50 to Grafton WV.  Although family didn't like it since was out of the way,  sure was pretty and curvy, if it wasn't for following a flat bed semi thru 1/4th of it unable to pass.  Had some switchbacks in there thru the mountain ranges that I would have loved to be on the cycle vs. a loaded down 4 cylinder car with family.  We had to make better time getting back at near midnight last night, so out of Grafton took 119 to Morgantown and back on main Interstate heading north to PA and then west thru Wheeling,  then west to Columbus OH, Indiana, IL, then WI home. 

I swear just between Winchester and Grafton WV (or Virginia, got confused kept crossing over states including Maryland) on hwy. 50 we went thru 20+ unincorporated little towns in the middle of nowhere, passing thru more unincorporated little towns than anytime in my life. 

Definitely some very nice mountain ranges thru WV, VA, and am sure Tennessee and Maryland as well.   Would much rather have driven those countrysides than visiting DC.  At least I can say I visited DC once in my life since probably not going back anytime soon. 

I even got propositioned by a call girl (or man, hard to tell nowadays) at 7 a.m. in the morning in DC on Massachusetts Ave. a block or two from our hotel walking downtown to go up the Washington Monument.    Definitely have to be VERY careful who you say HI to on the streets in that town.    She  (maybe a He?) probably just got off work.   

[Jess from VA]

Cookie, going into work at O dark thirty (0530) for many years (a block behind the whitehouse), I was propositioned many times by the (sometimes hordes of) girls getting off work for the night.  A more unpalatable, skanky, and questionable gender bunch you could not find; and DC runs undercover women cops in great numbers.  Good you passed.    Once also propositioned by someone's grandma at noon in a city park; she didn't want money, just some company.  I ran away from there, and when I came back she was being questioned by two DC cops.  Just a lovely town.   

Route 50 out of VA into WVa is a regular bike cruising road, with lots of side roads available. 

Glad you survived the traffic (and only misplaced twice).

[Oss]

Bonnie and I took 50 west from Winchester then south eventually into Marlinton for a ride in several years ago

Its a nice road if no detours from flooding (which there were but still fun)

Its a nice area of the country and you will see lots of fun roads to ride

I dont care for DC, wont go there unless I have to do so

[cookiedough]

I'm with Oss on this, went to DC since daughter qualified for nationals for her FCCLA speaking demonstration and WON GOLD as well, she was happy.  I guess that is all that matters.

More power for working near the White House all these years.  Tons of security officers around there and dept. of justice/fbi area as well.  One white clothed security guard and me got on a one on one basis since I passed him about 14 times in 4 days or so down 9th street.  A guy who worked around there said nice place to work, tons of jobs, but DC is not a place he would want to live.

Some of the rift raft though on the streets begging for money or hookers are one of a kind, for sure.  Most locals who work there were nice people though willing to help out, definitely a tourist town with all kinds of races.  I just wish I could speak their language when needing a cab or calling from our hotel for ordered in food. 

I think exploring, on the VAlk, hwy. 50 and areas south and west would be awesome.  Yes,  the roads were all wet in most areas in the mountains and huge ravens, even when not raining out.  Semi drivers surely know how to cut the hairpin corners very close with at times the rear wheels OVER the edge.  Not a place I would want to veer off the road in any vehicle for sure since the sides were dropoffs.