Sunday, January 25, 2009
Rockville, MD (USA)
Due to the changing nature of my trip (I'm transitioning from flying to joining my colleagues for an Inspection trip), I got a day off today. The time wasn't only for relaxing, though, because I had to drive down to the next stop: Maryland/Washington DC. As I was checking out of the NAS JRB Willow Grove Navy Lodge, heard the plane I've been flying this week roaring down the runway. The squadron had offered me another 0600 flight, but I passed. It wasn't scheduled to get back until very late and then I'd have even less time to get to Camp Springs on Monday. Still, I probably shouldn't have given up another chance to fly... Since there was nothing else left for me to do in Willow Grove, I departed the area and headed south. Initially, I used surface streets to get through Philly - while transiting, I discovered the Holy Cross Cemetery on the outskirts of town. There are, apparently, lots of Coogans buried there, but I didn't see any while passing through. Later, I got on I-95 and drove down to Baltimore. State Police cruisers were EVERYWHERE! I've been hankering for a sandwich from Attman's NY style deli for almost two years (see APR 2007), so I got off the interstate and went down into the Inner Harbor area. I found the deli OK and ordered the "Hungry-Man" hot corned beef sandwich (complete with police sausage and coleslaw on Jewish Rye - mmmmm) before hitting the road again. Called Carolyn and wished her "Happy Birthday" - also talked to Katie and kids. Detoured through Catonsville to a library I always wanted to check for some Coogan relatives and found a couple of items in the short time I spent. After that, I continued on I-95 until switching to I-495 and I-270. I got gas in Columbia (MD) at 1530 and made it to Rockville by around 1600. Enjoyed an afternoon with Pat and Mike - chatting about work and family. At around 1900, Aileen came by and we headed over to dinner at Fuddruckers. This was my first time there - they make good burgers. Back at Pat's (at around 2100), we did some genealogy research for a couple more hours. I ended up staying with my (distant) relatives in Rockville. Went to bed after browsing through some chapters of an interesting book about the founders of the CIA ("The Very Best Men," by Evan Thomas). What a nice change of pace!