Today started with a pretty early tour of the Capital. We were out the door by 8:45 and started off at the US Capital Visitor’s Center. We were in a pretty long line after a large tour group, so we were a little worried about making our 9:30 tour start, but not to worry the line went quickly and we had plenty of time. This was another tour that we reserved through Senator Klobuchar’s office. The Capital tours are staff led so we had an intern bringing us through the maze of the Capital rooms. We saw the old Supreme Court hall, Washington’s crypt, Statuary Hall( old House floor), and the old Senate hall. The rotunda was also in there a couple times as we wove around the rooms. The tour ended with being able to be in the gallery of the House of Representatives in which we heard Eleanor Holmes Norton speaking to a high school group. Ms Norton is the representative from the District of Columbia(non-voting Rep). She talked a lot about her bill to make DC the 51st state and how DC citizens don’t have the same rights as other US citizens. Charles also got into a little trouble with the guard when he went under the railing to a different section, oops.
After the Capital tour we went back to have an early lunch an a quick nap before the Fat Tire Bike Tour. Once again we made it to the tour with only seconds to spare after a quick nap time. We grabbed our bikes and took off. We started off towards the White House and learned a few new things like there are tunnels under Constitution avenue where we were standing to allow for movement around the city without mingling with the common folk. We also learned that the Vice President’s offices were next door in a light purple building called Eisenhower Executive Building. After the White House we weaved our way through on a bike path in the middle of Pennsylvania Ave. We made a stop at the Navy Memorial Center and then stopped at the foot of Capital Hill for a different view of the Capital which include Ulysses Grant’s presidential monument. We also learned there is a monorail(designed by Disney) underneath the Capital to the offices on either side of it to allow movement of Senators and Representatives without going outside. We then rode through the very busy mall area and saw Washington Monument up close, past all the Smithsonian museums, WWII monument and finally Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam. It was a fun bike ride, weather was great. Just wished they would have published the stops on the tour we would have not visited them the day before!
Tomorrow is our last day. We have a good plan of going to the zoo in the morning, Smithsonian Natural History museum, and stroll around the Tidal Basin to take in the sights and smell of the cherry blossums.
Just like Disney – half the fun is waiting in a line. 
Original Supreme Court Chambers 
Capital Crypt 
Center of DC in the Crypt 
Statuary Hall (old House Chamber). 
Apparently very poor acoustics was one reason they moved to the new chambers. 
The dome – Washington surrounded by 13 women, representing the 13 colonies. 
Art work in the dome. 
Old Senate Chambers 
Passes to the new House and Senate Chambers – no photography allowed. 
Fat Tire Bike Tour! 
Cordina’s in front of the Capital 
Enjoying the ride 
“The Lone Sailor” 
Biking through the Mall 
Playing with sticks outside the Lincoln Memorial.
Once again what can I say but you guys are amazing! Love you!