This week is time for my first business trip in a while, and yesterday found me heading out of Cedar Rapids for Washington, DC.  While here I’ll be participating on an industry committee that will be developing guidance for Synthetic Vision and Enhanced Vision Systems for aircraft.   While I’m not in meetings, I’m hoping to do some sightseeing, since this is my first visit to Washington.  Most of the museums and stuff are closed after 5 pm, but at least I’ll be able to walk the Mall and see the memorials and such.

My flight made it in to Reagan National airport on time and I rode the Metro up to my hotel.  As I was nearing the hotel, I was thinking it looked a little dark…  when I reached the hotel lobby, I found out that the power was out for this and a few nearby blocks, and would be out until midnight.  Sigh.  They checked me in with pencil and paper, and sent me with a couple of glowsticks to my room.   I dropped off my stuff and then went down and asked for directions to a restaurant that would still have power.  I ended up at Pizzeria Paradiso, where I had a very tasty “Atomica” pizza and read a book for a while.  Then I walked back to the hotel, sat in my room in the dark, and had just enough laptop battery left to watch a couple of hours of Battlestar Galactica.  As BSG was wrapping up, the lights came back on, so I was able to really check out the room (very nice!), iron some clothes, and head for bed.

The combination of a late night and an unfamiliar bed made this morning come a little bit too soon, but the complimentary breakfast was tasty.  In a few minutes I’ll be headed out to walk the five blocks over to RTCA for the meeting.  It’s supposed to be up to 50 here today, so it should be nice for walking after we’re done today.  I’ll take lots of pictures, but won’t have any way to upload them until I get home…  so keep coming back here and eventually you’ll see some!