If you read my last post you know I’ve been in Washington D.C. visiting my friend Juan and his wife Margo over the past four days. Juan and I kept a longstanding tradition of going on one weekend trip a year for twenty-three years straight—through financial struggles, a pandemic, divorces, and health issues.
The first trip was to Vegas in 1999. Over a little more than the next two decades, we visited Chicago and Montreal (each several times), and even camped on the North Shore of Lake Superior.
Our tradition came to a halt after our final trip to Montreal in 2023. These trips began as two young(ish) guys exploring new cities, networking, and having fun. Over the years the trips evolved into a kind of mental and spiritual boost, a reset for two middle-aged men whose life and careers had been established with smattering of adventures scattered throughout. As we become embroiled in the responsibilities, distractions, and goals of adulting I think all of us vastly underestimate how important adventure is to our happiness and well-being.
Since 2023 Juan and I haven’t spent much time together. My wife and I stood up at Juan and Margo’s wedding and he and I met once every few months for lunch. He was busy building a new life and preparing for his big move to the east coast. I had moved to the outer edge of the burbs and our new house consumed quite a bit of our free time. Life just began to take us in different directions. When we got together for the occasional lunch we mostly reminisced about old memories because we weren’t making new ones.
There were many things that surprised me about Washington D.C. in 2026 but what surprised me most was how quickly two old friends can pick up precisely where they left off. The adventure began the minute the Lyft dropped me off in front of Juan and Margo’s building. Over the course of the next three days—Margo spoiled us with some delicious southern cooking, we played card games, had great conversation, laughed over drinks on restaurant patios, put a ridiculous amount of miles on our feet exploring the sites of D.C., and even caught an amazing poetry reading at a place called Busboys & Poets. Most importantly, there was no doubt that my friend was extremely happy in his new chapter of life. We made lots of new memories and were reminded of precisely how valuable friendship is.
As for D.C., it’s changed tremendously since I was last there in 1991. Many of the dilapidated older homes that bordered the downtown area have been demolished and replaced with modern buildings. The city is noticeably cleaner and the overall vibe is one of unity and intelligence amongst all the different kinds of citizens. It’s a city brimming with fun, hope, and general optimism. It’s a big city with big city opportunities and culture as well as big city problems.
Here’s a slideshow of some of the memories we made on the trip. Some of the things in the photos might spark some old memories of your own. I hope you enjoy them!
All for now. Make this a wonderful day.