Replies

The road closure zones that start at 7 pm on the 19th, plus the one-way streets, mean that people who insist on driving to the Freeper meals on the 19th and 20th should go to a map website well in advance to plan their routes.

One trail of rice (good for the 20th) is to plan to enter DC by taking the Key Bridge from Rosslyn VA into Georgetown and turn right at the T-intersection onto M Street. At 29th Street, turn left and go up to P Street to make a right. Go around Dupont Circle and turn onto southbound Massachusetts Ave. Keep on going through Scott Circle and down Massachusetts Ave. to Thomas Circle and the Freeper gathering. It's much simpler to leave DC; M Street is one-way westbound until you reenter Georgetown. Stay to the left after you cross Wisconsin Avenue and be SURE not to miss the left turn to get back over Key Bridge ((it's a long way to the next turnaround point)). On the 19th, IF security has not been imposed early, one can drive into DC down M Street in Georgetown and then veer right on Pennsylvania Avenue, then turn left on L Street and go east to Vermont or 14th Street, to turn north to Thomas Circle and the dinner.

You COULD try threading in via northern parts of DC, but most routes (especially through the areas east of Rock Creek Park) go through some of the rougher neighborhoods of DC.

The only really viable route from the southeast on the 20th is to take I-295 up from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and then take exit 4 ((aka the 11th Street Bridge)) into DC and take the I-395 north exit. This will end at New York Avenue. Because of road closures, the best route from there is right on New York to New Jersey, then turn left and go left on P Street to Logan Circle, go around it and head south on Vermont Avenue to the Freeper events. Going back, follow the directions back to New Jersey Avenue, then veer right down 3rd Street to reach New York Avenue again where New Jersey becomes wrong-way. ((Yes, on the 19th you could just turn left on New York, go around the square in front of the convention center and veer right onto Massachusetts and go up to the hotel, IF security forces don't decide to set up the convention center security perimeters early)).

After reading all of this you may just want to give up on driving attempts and take Metro instead. But note that they may close the Mount Vernon station on the 20th...