Trip high point number 1: Point Reno, the highest point in Washington, D.C., with an elevation of 409 feet. About an eight-hour drive from our home in Clinton, Tennessee, it was fun to bag a “peak” on our first day.
Point Reno is located in Fort Reno Park, in the northwest corner of the city, just in front of a middle school. Fort Reno was one of the only locations in D.C. to see combat during the Civil War. In 1861, this “tall hill” was chosen for the site of the fort because of its relative height over the surrounding terrain. Really.
Strategic high point of Washington, D.C.
We couldn't park at the middle school because class was letting out when we arrived, but we easily found parking on an adjacent street. Inside Fort Reno Park, a paved path leads to a graffiti-covered sign describing the high point, with a US Geodetic Survey marker nearby.
At the top of the nation's capital
Jana and Tom reach D.C.'s pinnacle
On the edge of the park, we found a salt-storage dome covered in strange murals next to a tower – code named “Cartwheel” – that in the early days of the Cold War constituted a top-secret communications facility. The thought was that in the event of a nuclear-missile exchange, this antenna relay on the edge of D.C. would function as a central spoke to connect the remnants of the country and ensure continuity of the U.S. government. I guess this was before the idea of mutually assured destruction. The Cartwheel tower was built next to a couple of masonry water towers, to help disguise the antenna tower's true purpose to any observers.
Salt Dome Murals
Peculiar painting
Cartwheel complex water tower
I was wandering through a parking lot near the murals when Tom said, “Hey, do you see that deer?” I said, “What deer?” before turning to see the curious animal staring at me from no more than 10 feet away. Fort Reno Park is very small park nestled within a very urban area. I don't know what that deer was thinking!
Fearless urban deer
Lodging: Red Roof Inn, Rockville, Maryland. They lost our reservation, and it took over half an hour to straighten things out. The room was fine, but we were not impressed.
Dinner: 5 Guys, because after the check-in delay, we were in a hurry to get to a brewery before closing time. But no worries – 5 Guys is awesome.
Brewery: Saints Row Brewing, Gaithersburg, Maryland. First craft brew of the trip. Woohoo!
Beer o'clock