Ragnar DC: Part 4

Other pre-Ragnar entries: Ragnar DC: Packing List | Ragnar DC: It's Here!

Ragnar Race Re-Cap: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Part 4 has really [not much] to do with the actual race, but moreso the adventures afterwards. Can't let the fun end after 31 hours in a van, can you? Part of (note, only part) why I was so excited to do this race (aside from adding a few states to my list, duh) was that it ended in DC. Having never been to DC (I know, I know), I planned on spending Sunday touristing around as much as I could before I flew back to Atlanta. Lucky for me, Keeley had also never been, so I had someone to venture with!

But first... team breakfast. Shannon's friend from high school lives in the area, so we crashed breakfast and turned it into a final most-of-the-team extravaganza, complete with banana stuffed French toast, bacon, pancakes, and just about everything Silver Dollar had on their menu. Amazing.

Final team adventure: breakfast. Mmmm.

Keeley/Cathryn's friend from high school works in DC, so we were lucky enough to have a free personal tour guide for two-ish hours until they had to head to the airport to make their way to their respective homes (Alex is currently on assignment in New Orleans). I can't even express how lucky and thankful I am to have had this random addition for the weekend -- free tour? Lots of fun facts? Yes please! I will leave you mostly with the photo trail, but in two hours we covered the White House, National Mall, Washington Monument, WWII Memorial, walked by Korean and Vietnam memorials, saw the new MLK Jr. memorial and went all the way over to Lincoln as well. Productive morning, you might say.

Alex's law firm is in a building that overlooks the National Mall, and consequently, the White House. Needless to say, I was excited.

Zermahgerd!

View from the 12th floor patio. Stunning.

Keeley and I!

 

Team namesake, essentially. Good ol' Abe.

 

After our very quick gallivant around the National Mall area, we hopped in a cab to Reagan, where they headed to their gates and I hopped on the Metro back to our hotel. Was at the hotel for all of 5 minutes, when Heather and Michael came downstairs and were heading out to the airport. I figured I'd go with them and see if I could get myself on an earlier fight -- no such luck, but as you saw, I got to spend a few hours resting for the first time all weekend and journaling the weekend craziness. Amazing.

Needless to say, I was ready to get home, but still can't believe this adventure is over. On to the next one, please. I like Shannon's words:

It all worked. Even with the few hiccups we ran into, it still worked. “Everything is fine, nothing is fucked” then gave way to: “I do believe it’s time for another adventure.” Someday. 

Ragnar DC adventure is truly over. Nearly two weeks later, I'm still a little sad. Seriously. I want to run Ragnar again (maybe I'll give Van 1 a shot), I want to go to DC again and spend more than 2 hours checking out the city because there is way too much to do there for my nerdiness, and I want to do a relay like that again. I recognize that there's more than Ragnar out there, but something must fill the void. I'm hooked. Desperately hooked. 

I've lived in too many states. :)