Gathering of Eagles, March 17, 2007 latest Update.
First of all... Gathering of Eagles has a web site
http://gatheringofeagles.org/ please use it to check on latest information. Also register to add your own information.
Second: Available rooms....see below. Anyone that knows of other accommodations, please post on the web site.
Holiday Inn Arlington at Ballston
(703) 243-9800
$89.00(+tax)/night
Mention 'GATHERING OF EAGLES'
Third: Guidance on driving into D.C. from the south, parking, and walking directions to the Viet Nam Memorial Wall provided by Dave Perkins:
I have scanned the appropriate map from the latest ADC map book of Washington DC for you. It's a rather large file so instead of trying to send that map to you via email I have uploaded that to my website and this is the link to it:
http://www.daveylee.net/maps/VietnamMemorialArea.jpg
On all these maps, UP is North! Just so there's no misunderstandings...
You can right click and copy any or all of them to your computer much more easily than clogging your system with a HUGE email file... including the maps below.
The map loads up looking small, but with my browser, and using Windows XP as an operating system, I just click on the map and I get enlargements... hopefully you will too...
I have cut out, separately, segments for printing out and distributing (if desired), and they're listed here:
Arlington Metro to The Mall & The Wall:
http://www.daveylee.net/maps/VietnamMemorialArea_1.jpg
Suggested safe Parking area:
http://www.daveylee.net/maps/VietnamMemorialArea_2.jpg
On the map where I suggest parking, there is a LARGE parking lot right where you find the word ARMY near the top center of this map. The word Army is part of the street name for Army Navy Drive.
As you come up 395, you'll get off at the #1 and follow the * marks and continue to bear right at 2 and 3 and at 4 is where you'll find the lot (mentioned above) on the right that is normally open parking on the weekends... During the week, it is reserved for Pentagon Employees. From that lot (or if you park in the Mall Parking Deck) you'll head down Hayes St. to the Pentagon City Metro to head over to the Arlington Cemetery
Perspective... The Wall to The Pentagon...
http://www.daveylee.net/maps/VietnamMemorialArea_3.jpg
My recommendation is to park at or very near the Pentagon City Mall which is shown at coordinates F-8 on this map.
You will likely come up I-95 and once you cross the beltway, you're on I-395 (I'm sure you remember) and when you get on up the road, closer to D.C. the signage is clear ( I will take my digital camera and do a "drive through" and snap some photo's of the signage you will be looking for) and there is an often empty lot, right at the bottom of the ramp where you come off I-395 to Army Navy Drive... or you can park in the HUGE parking deck at the mall. It's paid parking and a safe place to leave your car. I've parked there many times and never had my vehicle bothered.
In case you (or anyone else viewing these maps) are not familiar with the DC Metro maps, the ORANGE lines on this map are the metro line. And the long wider blocks on that Orange line are the Metro Stops. Just remember you will be riding BLUE LINE trains!
Then, a short walk to the Pentagon City Metro stop and two stops north on a BLUE LINE TRAIN you're at the Arlington Cemetery station.
Get off there and walk across the Arlington Memorial Bridge and you're at the West end of "The Mall" and that's very close to "The Wall".
This is actually not a very long walk at all... unless, of course, it's a cold and blustery day and that wind that often comes down the Potomac River at a frigid pace makes a short walk begin to seem like forever! Hopefully we'll have thawed some by March 17th...
Hopefully, this will be a good start for maps to suit your needs. If you require more detailed maps and pictures, aside from those above I have mentioned that I will provide, please ask!
Hope you're having a great weekend... We're in the freezer (so to speak) as it's below freezing and the wind chill has it in the LOW teens.
Dave Perkins
milret@daveylee.net cell: (301) 788-3070
Fourth: I'm looking for anyone that has telephone numbers, locations, etc of BOQ/BEQ accommodations in the D.C./VA/MD area.. If you have them, please post on the Gathering of Eagles web site.
Harry Riley, COL, USA, Ret
hmriley@cox.net
Gathering of Eagles Web Site:
http://gatheringofeagles.org/
