What started about 15 years ago, just wrapped up as we completed our 2024 EastCoastTrek. It stated by paying homage to the 1963 March on Washington which was held on August 28th. Usually there are commemorations held on the national mall. This year was light but there was still many like us who were at the mall as well as the MLK memorial.
We started at Union Station and boarded Amtrak for Tacoma. After 2 days of railing we arrived and spent a couple of days in the Tacoma/Seattle area. From there we took a flight to BWI and spent some time in Baltimore. Our dear friend and fellow foodie, Renie picked us up and after spending some time at the iconic Lexington Market the next day he drove us to DC. After spending a couple of days we jumped back on Amtrak and headed to New York. On the way we picked up my sister at BWI and off to the Big Apple. It was my first time being able to spend time at the legendary Times Square. As we say, ‘trekkin is not for the weary!!!!
A trek is all about adventure. It’s not about compromising comfort and resorting to renting a car, taking Uber at every turn or not going to places that might be uncomfortable. We’ve made this trek for over ten years and while the terrain may be the same we try and mix it up for new discoveries. Four states, which included Philadelphia, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and one district, District of Columbia comprised our Eastcoasttrekv2021. According to my Epson exercise watch which is pretty accurate we covered a tad bit in excess of 76 miles based on walking (or the steps we took). In addition while Renie did drive us to Philly, New Jersey and Delaware, we did most of Maryland and the District of Columbia using a combination of walking, Metro (subway & bus) and very limited use of Uber out of necessity as we needed to catch the last train from Baltimore back to DC.
The annual trek is a combination of activities but the main thrust is to be in the District of Columbia on August 28th as that is the commemoration and anniversary of the March on Washington. This year’s theme centered around voting based on the GOP’s effort to thwart participation with their myriad of voting laws designed to reduce the number of voting participants.
The biggest achievement
Each trek offers something special. This year Marty King, III son of Rev., Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. presented his original 1963 March on Washington speech to the National Museum of African-American History and Culture. We were able to see it for ourselves on Sunday, August 29th.
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Original “I Have a Dream Speech” currently at the National Museum of African-American History & Culture – DC
Other highlights
For this trip I brought my drone and was able to capture a few scenes in Baltimore and Philly. Of course, DC is off limits. Also, while in Philly we went to Reading Market and visited quite a few sites as noted by the photos.
In New Jersey, our time was limited and we barely made to the famous Corrine’s Soul Food. In Delaware we made a few pit stops before heading back to DC.
DRONE SHOTS
For those who follow us, you may recall it was during our San Jose trek that our dear friend James Bell recommended I look into getting a drone to complement my photography. After experimenting with several different models, seven weeks later I landed the DJI Mavic Air 2 drone. The only thing it is lacking is the ability to Zoom while taking video/photography. Here are a couple of clips:
Camden Yards including M & T Stadium – Baltimore, MD
Fells Point – Frederick Douglas Maritime Museum – Baltimore, MD
Fred’s Water Ice – West Philly
If you are ever in the DC area during August be sure to check out outdoor basketball at the Goodman Leagues. It is located in the Barry Farm community of Anacostia and a place you will see the community come together though sport.
Located near Dupont Circle just doors from the Mayflower Hotel, Gregory’s is a nice place to relax and grab some fresh brew as well as wide variety of freshly baked goods.
Ethel’s is one of our regulars because it’s something about the funk or ambience they provide alongside freshly prepared food. This year we decided to do a sampler.
Cindy Lou’s is in Fell’s Point and located in the Hilton hotel complex. It is a new venue and they are still working on improving operations. This place was chosen because of their Lobster Po-Boy and we were not disappointed. Prices are reasonable based on the quality you receive.
The Reading Terminal Market is a Philadelphia institution. Under one roof you are treated to vast array of homestyle food goodies. We didn’t eat at all of them but one of my favs was the Dutch candy store which had a great variety of Reed’s. We heard about Sweet T’s bakery, which is a great venture. The sweet potato pie which folk were raving about was OK. I’ve been raised on sweet potato pies and if you keep it simple……the better. Sweet T’s packages two small pies in one container. The taste was very good but where was the crust???? The Dutch cafe had a good breakfast menu so we opted for the pancake and bacon. In all honesty, it was tasty but I would probably rank it a “C” as it comes with a big hunk of what appeared to be nucoa margarine. The bacon had a terrible presentation as it was not professionally presented as you would expect – meaning in a reasonable strip length. Anyway, more hype than reality. Overall, the venue is a great representation of the region and the type of place you want to put under your belt as far as visiting.
Corrine’s was part of our New Jersey trek. The food was fantastic but the journey didn’t go so well. Renie, our dear friend and well-known foodie extraordinaire called while we were in Philly to see about reservations and verify closing time. First of all there are no reservations as there is no in restaurant dining. The dining they do provide is a nicely appointed patio. Second, they close at 7:30 SHARP (umm, just noticed the flyer states an 8PM closing). When we arrived a staff was outside and even though it was 7:20PM, he stated “we are closed.” After some negotiation we were allowed to order and had to make sure we could eat on the patio as our other option would have been to wait two hours until we arrived back in D.C. Anyway, so much for building a business and making sure those empowered to represent you understand how easy it is for businesses to fail, let alone to bad reviews which might further damper the reputation. That being said, Corrine’s provides you bang for your buck as the dinners are piled high and the sides are more than enough. As a matter of fact the portions could easily feed two, maybe three people.
Famous baked Turkey Wing with Tomatoes, Okra & Corn with rice & gravy
Smothered pork chops with Mac & Cheese, rice & gravy
Named after Baltimore Oriole slugger Boog Powell, Boog’s specializes in pit beef sandwiches. I purchased the combo which came with turkey, beef and ham. It also came chips and I swear there was enough meat to cover two more sandwiches.
The Boog
I positioned myself in the right-field area knowing Otani and the Angels were playing the day game. Being a student of the game I had a feeling Otani would swat one into our section. He was the leadoff batter. Just as I was getting ready to record his at-bat and look for his swing, the first pitch sailed over the wall and deep into our section. The ball landed approximately 20 yards from me. Oh! well, so much for game preparation but the sandwich was great and the beer was ice-cold.
Had the taste for some fresh pimento & homestyle chips. Edgar did not disappoint, although $9 might seem a bit expensive, keep in mind it is the restaurant which services the landmark Mayflower hotel.EDGAR BURGERº American cheese, Edgar sauce, lettuce, onion, pickles on brioche (with bacon +2) – $15
Sweet Home Cafe is located in the National Museum of African-American History and Culture. A great venue which offers tasty food surrounded by history.
South Carolina pulled pork sandwich. Homemade potato salad. German Chocolate cake (good but a bit dense)
Located in West Philly, Fred’s Water Ice is a community favorite. Our visit was good but it could have been better as they were out of quite a few flavors and the gelati machine was broken. Anyway, worth a visit as the mango ice I had was very tasty and refreshing as it was very humid the day we visited.
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During our trek we stayed two nights in Baltimore at the Loft by Marriott and five nights at the historic Mayflower Hotel which is also part of the Marriott properties. Luckily while the Mayflower is one and done……for us, at least we didn’t have to pay the $900 per night rack rate!!!!!
Thomas Reports 