Completed: 17. Travel on the entire DC metro rail system in one day
Here is a summary of my internal dialogue during this journey.
Hour 1: “This is so exciting. I love life.”
Hour 2: “Wow, that went by quickly. Look at the Potomac. How beautiful. What a great experience this is going to be.”
Hour 3: “Hmm… I should have planned bathroom breaks. The graffiti on that building of the Pink Panther smoking a blunt is funny.”
Hour 4: “Oh no. Motion sickness. I’m going to throw up.”
Hour 5: [Drowsy and delirious from the Dramamine, but I didn’t throw up] “I’m starving, tired, and I have to pee. I don’t care if I give myself a bladder infection – I am holding it until I make it to the end of Branch Ave. I wonder if she’d get mad at me if I touched her hair. It looks so soft. No, I can’t touch her hair. That’s racist.”
Hour 6: [Half of red line left] “Lunch/bathroom break. Why is the red line to Shady Grove so long? Why did I think this was a good idea? Why didn’t I bring my charger? Why won’t anyone talk to me? What are you staring at?”
Hour 7: [Completed the goal] “I hate this world. I hate life.”
So, I completed it, but I’m torn. I feel like I accomplished something, yet nothing at the same time. The 7.5 hours was boring and uneventful for the most part, but I’m glad I crossed it off my bucket list because of the reasons I’ve previously listed.
My day in pictures:
For anyone who is interested in taking this character-testing trip, here was my route:
- Vienna > Rosslyn
- Rosslyn > Franconia-Springfield
- Franconia-Springfield > King Street
- King Street > Huntington
- Huntington > Gallery Place
- Gallery Place > Glenmont
- Glenmont > Fort Totten
- Fort Totten > Greenbelt
- Greenbelt > L’enfant
- L’enfant > New Carrolton
- New Carrolton > Stadium-Armory
- Stadium-Armory > Largo Town Center
- Largo Town Center > L’enfant
- L’enfant > Branch Ave
- Branch Ave > Gallery Place
- Gallery Place > Shady Grove
- Shady Grove > Metro Center
- Metro Center > Vienna
– Lyssa
I’ve totally thought about doing this but the bathroom break issue would be a deal breaker! How did you do meals? And did it just cost your one fare to ride all of them?
I could totally see you doing this. My route had me passing through Gallery Place a few times and exited there for both bathroom breaks. The first time I exited, I only paid the fee from Vienna (despite the fact I had taken both blue and yellow). I got back on. After a few more hours I had another connection in Gallery Place. Because I was trying to exit the last place I entered, it confused the system, but I didn’t have to pay. In total, I paid less than $5. As far as food, I snacked.