Smithsonian museum at Dulles

"Jay Honeck" wrote

Here in the land of the eternally mellow government employee (can't be
THAT
much different than D.C.), the light can be green for 3 - 5 seconds before
anyone even THINKS about moving. If you're 20 cars back, it can be three
changes of the lights.


That was one thing that I really remember, that made a strong impression on
me, in Paris. When the light changes, the first car and the 20th car all
step on the gas! It was like formation driving. Everyone left at once, and
held the 3 foot interval, until you were through the light. Then, and only
then, did you increase the following distance!
--
Jim in NC

On Tue, 31 May 2005 16:49:08 -0400, "Morgans"
wrote:

That was one thing that I really remember, that made a strong impression on
me, in Paris. When the light changes, the first car and the 20th car all
step on the gas! It was like formation driving.

When I drove through the Mont Blanc tunnel, and after I paid the toll,
a woman signaled me to pull over. She'd been in the car behind me. I
rolled down my wind and got hit by a torrent of Italian. I tried to
answer, and she, realizing I wasn't Italian, launched into French. I
tried to answer in French. Since I couldn't speak either language to
her standard, she realized that I must be American, so she switched to
English: "WHY YOU GO SO SLOW IN TUNNEL?"

Evidently I had broken the formation.



-- all the best, Dan Ford

email (put Cubdriver in subject line)

Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
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I can relate to the European driving! When I was in Italy I soon discovered
that the green light meant "Go and haul butt", the yellow meant," what the
heck go and haul butt" , and the red meant" ahhh go for it and haul butt".
And it seemed so strange to see 4 or 5 people on those moped looking little
scooters going just as fast as they could !

Patrick
student SPL
aircraft structural mech


"Cub Driver" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 31 May 2005 16:49:08 -0400, "Morgans"
wrote:

That was one thing that I really remember, that made a strong impression
on
me, in Paris. When the light changes, the first car and the 20th car all
step on the gas! It was like formation driving.

When I drove through the Mont Blanc tunnel, and after I paid the toll,
a woman signaled me to pull over. She'd been in the car behind me. I
rolled down my wind and got hit by a torrent of Italian. I tried to
answer, and she, realizing I wasn't Italian, launched into French. I
tried to answer in French. Since I couldn't speak either language to
her standard, she realized that I must be American, so she switched to
English: "WHY YOU GO SO SLOW IN TUNNEL?"

Evidently I had broken the formation.



-- all the best, Dan Ford

email (put Cubdriver in subject line)

Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum: www.pipercubforum.com
the blog: www.danford.net
In Search of Lost Time: www.readingproust.com

"Cub Driver" wrote

Since I couldn't speak either language to
her standard, she realized that I must be American, so she switched to
English: "WHY YOU GO SO SLOW IN TUNNEL?"

Evidently I had broken the formation.

Chuckle! Evidently!

In the same vein, answering another post in this thread, a cabby in
Amsterdam said (after my Dad commented on running a red light) said, "

Nah, not red, it was between yellow and red. Orange. I step on gas and
squash it. I make orange juice!"

This was after he shoved 4 adults and 2 kids into an old Impala, (at our
request) and had to tie down the trunk, for all of the luggage sticking out.
He drove on the trolley track (in the middle) and stayed there to pass a
car, until he was playing chicken with an oncoming trolley. Wow. Wow. I
was glad to get to the hotel.

As far as that goes, I was glad to leave Amsterdam, after 3 days of
watching people shoot up in the streets and parks, with call girls sitting
in windows wearing a towel in their lap, (only) and pick-pockets everywhere.
One got my sisters credit cards, passport and euro-rail pass. It took her
all day to get the new passport and other things replaced. This was in '89,
I think. She did have an unusual one, being issued in Amsterdam, though.
g
--
Jim in NC

I love driving in Paris. I drove there for the first time when I was
17, on a summber break to visit my mom in Toulouse. I stopped and
stayed in Parid first for a few days with my uncle. He rented a car
for me after my insistance, I wasn't old enough, and he didn't have a
car, because the subway was more convenient. The first time driving in
a circle was definitely an experience to rememeber. The streets were
tiny even for the compact that I was driving. At night cars are park
everywhere, including on sidewalks and medians. What a hecktic place.
The following trips, I opted for the metro and got a Europass to see
Europe. What a great deal that Europass was, one price, all you can
ride on Europes railway for a month.

Bryan

Jay,

I stopped at Hawthorne Suites to get some info for you. This place is
in Herdon. The desk guy said that for Fri & Sat nites, $109.00 which
is very very good price around here and the place looks very clean.
The price is for a two bedroom suite. 1-800-527-1133.

Hawthorne Suites
467 Herndon Pkwy
Herndon, VA 20170
703-437-5000

Andy Anderson - Director of Sales ext. 603
Roger Ponce - Sales Mngr ext. 602
Dhanielle Graham - Operations Mngr ext. 611

Very hard to find non-Indian managed places around here. Let's just
say I had many bad experiences...

Anyways, I'll try to get you a couple more before you leave. I'll
email you my phone numbers.

Bryan "The Monk" Chaisone

Jay,

My daughters had their semi black belt ceremony yesterday at 1:00pm and
at 3:00pm (two daughters in two different Tae Kwan Do groups due to age
difference). by the time we got done and went to the museum, they said
that every display had been removed and taken away. I asked about the
family from Iowa or Idaho, and they told me they didn't know anything
about it.

I was hoping that you'd call my cell phone, we went to a frtiends house
in gainsville to watch the Tyson's fight on PPV and I was hoping that
your family could come along to the fight/cookout.

Anyways, if you are still in town and want to hook up, please call us.

Bryan "The Monk" Chaisone

My daughters had their semi black belt ceremony yesterday at 1:00pm and
at 3:00pm (two daughters in two different Tae Kwan Do groups due to age
difference). by the time we got done and went to the museum, they said
that every display had been removed and taken away. I asked about the
family from Iowa or Idaho, and they told me they didn't know anything
about it.

Hi Bryan,

Well, since I'm just receiving this message now, you know the answer. The
displays were taken down around 2PM, for reasons that I still don't fully
understand. Margy (if you're reading this) next year you might keep the
event going longer -- I mean, heck, as long as we were there, you might as
well make us work till, say, 3 PM?

;-)

our anonymity. Oh well -- to most of the museum workers and volunteers
I'm sure we were just a "bunch of little planes out in the parking lot."
But, with any luck, we *may* have provided a little enlightenment to a few
visitors!

Dang, Bryan, I wish we could have met "in the flesh"... Next time!

Blue skies!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Robert M. Gary wrote:

By the time I got there it was 59 minutes before closing and they close
the main gate an hour before closing. So 2 hours of driving all over
the place were wasted. Next time, I'm bringing the laptop with the
built-in GPS and teach my wife to use it.


The parking attendants go home at 4 but the gates are then left open
(usually until about 6 when the last IMAX movie gets out). This is the
famous cheap school teachers trick, come in after 4, it's a short visit,
but it's free.

Margy

As I'm moving to DC this weekend, this has been a most informative
thread.

Dave