Here a toll, there a toll, everywhere toll, toll, . . .

Well, I have lost my trust in the vaunted American Automobile Association (AAA). AAA Florida sold us gullible tourists a SunPass transponder that they assured us would work on the whole east coast. When we went through a toll booth in NY and it flashed red, we did more research (who would question what AAA tells you?) and the SunPass ONLY works in FL and maybe Georgia. That’s it, no other states. So they got us to pay $50 and we have nothing to show for it but a paperweight. As I said, gullible! [Note: I posted a complaint on AAA's fb page and they have responded very well! I am impressed with their quick response. We are getting a significant refund and they have apologised profusely. I can't ask for any more!]

Now that we are in the Northeast, we have an EZPass (that actually DOES work all the way from DC to Boston to Chicago). Having to stop at innumerable toll booths on the way from Boston to Washington convinced us that it would be worth it since we’ll be on innumerable toll roads and bridges for the next couple of weeks.

As Arizona residents—and past denizens of the money-hungry east coast states—we are unaccustomed to tolls. And there are tolls everywhere! Even though the EZPass is pretty easy (duh!) to get and actually saves money if you go through enough tolls, there are still enough people who don’t use them and have to go through the full-service toll lanes to create a logjam at the cash toll booth lane. Promoting an EZPass (or a SunPass, or FastPass, whatever they call it) makes it very easy for politicians to hide the cost. You sail through the lane (or in Florida they don’t even have lanes, just gizmos (technical term!) over the highway that debit your account; you don’t even realize you’ve gone through a toll. If you don’t have a SunPass they take a photo of your license plate and bill you!) not even knowing how much it costs. It’s a bit frightening for RV owners towing a car (us!). Example: car toll, $8; 3-axle vehicle toll, $16. BUT! A 5-axle vehicle (our motorhome towing our Jeep)? $48!!! Yes, I know 2-axle + 3-axle should equal $24 but they assume 5 axles is an 18-wheeler and up the toll to a commercial rate. OK, enough ranting. If we can afford all these baseball tickets, we can afford a few tolls!

We’re in Washington for two things, the Nationals’ game and to see Randy’s cousin, Val and her husband Herm. They took us for dinner to 701. Yes, that’s the restaurant name. Wonderful dinner and great company and conversation. AND so convenient to the Metro! Literally 40 steps from the top of the escalator from the Metro.

So we took Metro to the game at Nationals Park, aka Nationals Park—I’m so used to other names of MLB parks that I just assume it has another name! We had gonzo seats, Club Level MVP seats with access to an air conditioned mall and a special dining area. Not that we got free food, but the ambience was great! We were almost directly behind home plate, shaded a bit to the 1^st base side, up on the Press level. That is becoming our favorite place to be seated.

Cubby at his 8th MLB game.

The private club our tickets allowed us to access. Thank you, StubHub!

This is what we could have had if we wanted to pay $25 each!

Randy & Cubby in our seats.

Turn around, Cubby, the game is THAT way!

The game was another game like the Brave vs Nats (which the Nats won in the top of the 9^th with a 3 run homer to win 13 – 12 after the Braves were ahead 10 – 2 in the second!). This time they won in the 8^th with 4 runs after being losing 4 – 2 in the top of the 8^th. Bottom of the 8^th, the Nats got 4 runs, several with two outs. I think the Nats want us to keep going to their games since they always (so far, at least) win when we watch. And they’ve given us really exciting games!

While in DC we also went to Udvar-Hazy (http://airandspace.si.edu/visit/udvar-hazy-center/) ; really nice! Although they do not have any of Randy’s airplanes! (But Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson does have all that he flew in the Air Force and some that he flew for United). He found his name on the “Wall of Honor” panels (http://airandspace.si.edu/support/wall-of-honor/profile-detail.cfm?id=20348) so that was kind of nice.

Also went to downtown Washington.

WWII veterans memorial.

Memorial to the women of the Vietnam War.

Washington memorial from the Vietnam Memorial.

So many really beautiful airplanes! I have flown a Cessna 172—our plane that we had for a few years (and flew almost coast to coast and down into Mexico as far as Acapulco and Veracruz) until Randy went to Vietnam—and a few simulators that I could never fly now! United let me fly the DC10 simulator to a landing at SFO (San Francisco International Airport for the land-lubbers among you), and a 757, so you can see why I’m almost as interested as Randy in the planes! I wish we had more time, but we didn’t so I guess we’ll just have to come back!

The Wall of Honor at Udvar-Hazy

Randy found his name!

This is similar to our plane, ours was a C172 and was older than this one.

I just loved looking up and seeing all these planex!

Randy especially wanted to see this plane,.

Then, after ogling all the airplanes—what else do pilots do in an aviation museum?—we tackled the Metro Silver line to downtown DC. We went mano-a-mano with the Metro SmartTrip cards. We should have gotten the yellow SeniorSmartTrip but that’s another story that shall remain untold. We put the same amount on each card and then Randy couldn’t exit because he didn’t have enough on his card. ??? We went the same place at the same time!!! OK, so we bit the bullet and added money to our card to $10.50 on each card. OK, we went to the restaurant, had a wonderful time, went to the Metro. Lo and behold, Randy didn’t have enough to get through the gate! And I still had $4.50 on my card. Oh, the joys of electronics! Val and Herm waited with us while a very patient and helpful Metro employee tried to help us. Anyway, thanks to the aforesaid employee, we got on the Metro, got to the end of the line, Randy went out the staff gate (rather than the regular money gate—the first employee had called ahead!) and we threw out the cards. At that point we didn’t care anymore how much money was left on them. In hindsight, we should have just accosted a traveler and said, “Do you want our cards?”

So, off to Neptune NJ. Why Neptune? Well, the hotels in NY are charging absolutely obscene amounts so we’re saving our pennies for our anniversary next week in New York City. The Yankees game is on the 7^th.