Proposal by a Frequent Mover

Three observations:

1. The U.S. Postal Service is bleeding money as mail volume declines
2. Paper mail contributes to identity theft
3. Mail forwarding service is great, but temporary; address changes consume considerable energy among recipients and senders

Proposal: A simple new USPS service that provides individual subscribers with one persistant lifetime address. Think portable mobile phone number, but for mail. This virtual address would be matched to the subscriber's current physical address within a confidential database maintained by the USPS, and updated by individual subscribers.

As a young professional I have moved frequently in the last several years: hometown to school dorm, to school apartment, to summer job, to school apartment, to summer job..., to Dupont Circle in Washington, to Van Ness in Washington, to Columbia Heights in Washington, to Seattle. Each time I've diligently updated my address with every single legitimate mailer (insurance companies, banks, former employers for W-2s, grandma...) and filed for forwarding with the USPS, yet it takes weeks for these changes to take effect, and I am confident a flurry of credit card offers, junk mail, and old wedding invitations follows in my wake. This is one major reason I have gone paperless at every opportunity (among others).

The concept of a physical mailing address as a point of contact is antiquated and needlessly obtuse convention. I would much prefer a single virtual address that is mine for life, which I may update with my current physical address as I please. The virtual address could be something as simple as a number--Jamie Campbell, 555239432930--or a novelty address with a unique zip-code for the nostalgic--Jamie Campbell, 123 Eagle Way, USA 55555. In July 2004 it could have pointed to Durham, North Carolina; in July 2007 it could have pointed to Washington, D.C.; and in July 2009 it could have pointed to Seattle, WA.

The potential market for this service is not limited to unrooted twenty-somethings, as it would markedly improve the security of mailed correspondence, and the privacy of recipients. In turn: credit card offers, among other identity theft targets, are not bound to a physical address. Applicants can provide new addresses to open accounts so long as they provide the golden ticket--the infamously insecure Social Security Number combined with a birthday (which are related, believe it or not). Under the proposed system, enterprise mailers would have a single address for recipients, that would only be changed by direct interaction with the USPS, with security protocols on par with credit report access. The only remaining weak link is the physical box on my end. Consider also: lawyers, certain business owners, public figures, and the wealthy would all value the ability to make their address available for legitimate purposes, but in doing so reveal their physical locations. Unlisted phone numbers are prolific, but what of unlisted addresses? Security concerns would drive interest in both.

The USPS could charge a premium to both subscribers and senders: a recipient is assured security and completeness in his/her mail, and a sender is assured that the recipient received the item. Moreover, the USPS would avoid the cost of delivering mail to out-of-date addresses. I concede that mail delivery in general isn't exactly a growth market, but it doesn't mean it is a marginal concern for the government or consumers, or that there is no money to be made or costs to be cut. And, so long as the USPS continues to exist, it must strive to improve upon its model.

Competition for such a service would be extremely limited as the USPS commands a legal monopoly on mail service. It is conceivable that a private business could offer lifetime mail forwarding (if not illegal under the terms of the USPS's domain), but turn-around-time and privacy concerns would severely limit its viability.

I believe the USPS has the capability to implement this service with minimal delay (other than bureaucratic). Although I am having difficulty finding a citable source at the moment, it is my understanding that Netflix has been able to establish speedy turn-around-time because a USPS service scans the barcodes on each mailer as they are received from consumers; USPS then conveys this evidence of return to Netflix which immediately ships the next DVD even before it receives the returned DVD in its regional distribution center. The facility for manipulating structured data for novel purposes at regional postal centers exists; it's time the USPS wielded it for its own purposes.

Day 3: Pacific Time

Eastern Washington was by far the most desolate landscape I passed through. It was impossibly drier than any place I could imagine in America outside of the southwest. The yellow landscape rolled on for miles unbroken by any trees while dust devils sprouted and stalled all around--four or five within sight at any one moment. Eventually I passed into better irrigated fields. This picture was taken right at the border of yellow and green:

The Columbia River Basin is so dry because it lies in the rain shadow of the Cascade Range, which separates Seattle from the rest of Washington. Cutting through the high mountains is Snoqualmie Pass, which summits at over 3,000 feet above sea level. The ride down to the ocean takes only a few beautiful, steep miles of road. It was a great welcome to town to be surrounded by lifted off-road vehicles loaded down with all types of awesome outdoors gear: kayaks, float tubes for fly fishing, and mountain bikes. I'm in the right place.

Day 2: Rocky Mountain Time

It was while nearing Badlands that I did my first double-take. Driving through rolling fields of South Dakota I could see sheep grazing off to the left. My eyes left them, and shot back: several hundred yards from the highway, but only feet from these sheep, the elsewhere smooth horizon was jagged and broken. I could see at an angle that the fields gave way to ragged cliffs of eroded clay and dirt. Arriving at the national park-proper, I took some pictures:

Devil's Tower, as featured in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, is a curious geological feature tucked away in northwestern Wyoming about 20 miles from I-90, but well worth a slightly longer drive. SR 14 winds its way through rugged hills to the top of a high ridge, looking down from which is a gorgeous landscape of thick forests, grass fields, rolling hills, and sheer rock faces. This shot was taken from a closer vantage point:

Day 1: Eastern Standard and Central Time

Only in the final hours of the day's drive did I come across land that looked much different than Ohio when the corn fields of Iowa transitioned into the grasslands of South Dakota. It wasn't hard to imagine buffalo overrunning the landscape once upon a time. The day was highlighted by tourist traps--"The World's Biggest Truck Stop," The birthplace of Carl Sandburg, the Corn Palace--and a feeling of profound relief that my newly purchased car was still running smoothly after several hundred miles.

Three Days on the Road

Three days; 2,405 miles; one Honda Pilot.

I've finally made the move to Seattle, and though it was delayed two weeks as I hammered out the car situation, I'm really glad I didn't fly. I've made the trip by air almost a dozen times, but if I hurried myself out here I would have foregone so much peaceful time for thinking and the chance to see so many unfamiliar parts of America. My route across the northern U.S. just happened to be the shortest route between my points A and B, but it just as easily could have been tailored for the sites as I passed by Badlands National Park, Mount Rushmore, Devil's Tower National Monument, and all the anonymously beautiful landscapes of eastern farmland, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Washington.

As Ira Glass would say (I listened to a lot of This American Life along the way), today's show: a play in three acts.

Day 1: Cincinnati, OH to Mitchell, SD; 938 miles; 14 hours
Day 2: Mitchell, SD to Bozeman, MT; 788 miles; 11 hours
Day 3: Bozeman, MT to Seattle WA; 679 miles; 10 hours

Elegy for Polaroids

Polaroid film is nearing its final days. I'll miss using my SX-70 Land Camera, which was given to me less than two years ago. I'll miss the frustration of finding the proper exposure at $1.50 a pop, jerry-rigged methods of inserting Polaroid 600 into my antiquated model, the square aspect ratio that turned rectangle framing on-end, and the soft colors that the film produced. I won't miss the time I opened a piece of film to see what was inside--poisonous chemicals apparently. In any case, I'll cherish my last twenty-three shots. Here are some of my best so far:

Good Times at the Runamuck Festival 2009

The first annual Runamuck Festival 5k mud run was held last Saturday at Lake Needwood near Rockville, Maryland. It was an awesome day for the race: it was over 90 degrees and sunny, which probably was rough on the guy dressed up in a gorilla suit like DK from MarioKart. Although it was the first year of the event, the concept--running people around a 5k course interspersed with ridiculously long and deep mud pits--was pioneered by the Marines down in Quantico and has since spread around the country.

The organizers did an awesome job incorporating local vendors and musicians in the event, and were rewarded by a huge turnout. Over 2,000 people participated in the race, and were joined by all sorts of friends and family. Best of all, the organizers collected hundreds of shoes that people discarded after the race, which will be donated to African aid groups. I was glad to see such a response for a rather off-the-wall event, and glad that this won't likely be the first and last Runamuck.

Northwest D.C. Running Guide

I discovered D.C. from its sidewalks, paths, and trails. It is a runner's paradise; or at least, I remember it as such because it was here that I transformed from a person running to stay active, into a person that ran fast and far for its own sake. I may not be the best person to ask for restaurant advice, or the best to tell you where to tell you where to get a new hairdo, but I do know D.C.'s best running spots like the back of my hand. And here they are, in approximate order of awesomeness:

1. The Glover-Archibald trail
2. The Melvin C. Hazen trail
3. Rock Creek Parkway path
4. C&O Canal trail
5. Rock Creek extension and the National Mall
6. Mt. Vernon Trail
7. Hains Point
8. Northern Rock Creek

Plus, Jamie's 15-mile Extravaganza. And, as an afterthought, I've also included a cross-training guide with a brief overview of the D.C. pools and gyms I've utilized during my time here (which were many despite my relatively brief engagement).

1. Glover-Archibald trail: The finest single track in town

Where: The Glover-Archibald trail heads south from near the intersection of Wis consin Ave. and Van Ness St. and runs all the way to the Georgetown campus. To find the trail head, go about 100 yards east along Van Ness St. from the intersection and turn into the small park on your left. A faint single track extends from the small road alongside McDonald's all the way in to the woods. Alternatively, from the Canal Road entrance to Georgetown head east along Canal Road until a weed-ridden break in the trees with a rusted rail road tressel about thirty yards back from the road. With a little trust in this blog, run north into the woods. You may want to run this going south the first time heading as its path is a little more obvious coming from Van Ness.

Why I love it: This trail is long, challenging, beautiful, quiet, and exciting. As the well worn trail drops down from Van Ness it keeps you thinking: about clearing roots, staying in control at a sprint on downhill sections, which rocks will get you across small streams, how nice the woods are in summer, and so on. The trail is also clean, e.g. free of the plastic bags, broken bottles, and syringes that litter Rock Creek's southern single track trails. It twists and turns for over 2.5 miles with only five easy road crossings and connects you to other great routes: the C&O Canal, Rock Creek, and the Key Bridge to Arlington in the southern end; and Connecticut Road and the Melvin C. Hazen trail in the northern extreme.

Distance: 2.7 miles, approximately

Elevation: severe

Recommended loop: Head down the entirety of the Glover-Archibald trail until it hits Canal Road in Georgetown. Go through the tunnel (see C&O section below) and head east along the trail; climb the wooden steps that come along shortly to run through Georgetown alongside the C&O Canal. When you hit Rock Creek Parkway run north along the parkway, past Woodley Park, past the zoo, all the way to Melvin C. Hazen park near the intersection of Tilden St. and Beach Drive (the extension of the parkway) Find the Melvin C. Hazen trail tucked away to your left, and head up the ravine, over Connecticutt, through the apartment parking lot, to the intersection of Tilden and Reno. Head up Reno a bit to Van Ness and turn left (east). Go east a few blocks along Van Ness and over Wisconsin to finish an incredible loop. You can pick this loop up from Woodley Park, Van Ness, Georgetown, Dupont (via P Street), or Glover Park. Distance: 9 miles, approximately; Elevation: severe (by D.C. standards)

2. The Melvin C. Hazen trail: A nearby extension of the best single track in town

Where: This trail heads southwest from the intersection of Tilden St. and Reno St. in Van Ness, crosses Connecticut, and finishes in the Melvin C. Hazen Park in Rock Creek, between Van Ness and Mount Pleasant. You can also pick it up where it crosses Connecticut just south of Sedgwick St. On the eastern side of Connecticut it disappears down a hill into the woods; on the western side of the street you'll find the other trail head hidden in a parking lot behind an apartment building just across the street from the other continuation of the trail. It can be overgrown in the summer, but look to the far side of the parking lot for some wooden railroad tie-stairs that begin the trail.

Why I love it: This trail is great for the same reasons as the Glover-Archibald trail, and together they make a great long run.

Distance: .9 miles, approximately

Elevation: severe

Recommended loop: See above, or for a shorter loop, from the trail's crossing with Connecticut Ave. head southeast down the hill. Once you hit the actual Melvin C. Hazen Park, jaunt north to nearby Tilden St. and head left (west) along Tilden, up a challenging hill to intersect Connecticut. Cross Connecticut and continue along Tilden. Find the northern head of the Melvin Hazen trail on your left near Tilden's intersection with Reno. Head down the trail until you climb some steps into the parking lot of an apartment building on Connecticut--right across the street from your starting point. Distance: 1.8 miles; Elevation: severe

3. Rock Creek pathway: Nice despite the car exhaust

Why I love it: Rock Creek Parkway extends from the Potomac River near Georgetown all the way to Maryland. It could be cleaner, more scenic, and quieter, but the path itself is well paved and easy to access from many neighborhoods. It's a great connector for other trails too.

Distance: As far as you want

Elevation: The path constantly rises heading north, but there are only a few serious inclines

4. C&O Canal trail: A blast from the past

Where: The C&O Canal parallels the Potomac River all the way to Harpers Ferry, WV, starting in Georgetown. The very first step of the trail breaks away from the Rock Creek Parkway path just south of Pennsylvania Ave. It starts as an inconspicuous brick path beside the canal, and turns into a wide dirt trail by the time you've hit the Key Bridge. As you head west get on the south side of the canal; the metal bridge south of Francis Scott Key Park is your last chance. Then continue west a bit and drop down the multiple flights of wooden stairs to reach the real trail that extends to Harpers Ferry. About a half-mile onward, notice that there's a creepy tunnel going under Canal Road--this puts your under the canal itself and onto the north side of the street, from which you can get back to Georgetown, or better yet, head a few steps west along Canal Road to access the Glover-Archibald trail's southern head (see above).

Why I love it: The short span of this trail between Rock Creek and Key Bridge makes for a scenic connection between Rock Creek and the Mt. Vernon trails for long runs. Beyond Georgetown it is quiet, and relatively empty, although you will have to be mindful of bikes that race along the paved first few miles. The canal is historically intriguing--it carried canal boats up the Potomac River, past Great Falls, and onward toward Pennsylvania.

Distance: As long as you want it to be

Elevation: Flat for vast stretches, with gentle rises over time in certain areas
Recommended loop: I love to incorporate the stretch of the canal in Georgetown into my runs, but rarely go beyond the Key Bridge because there aren't many loop possibilities.

5. Rock Creek extension and The National Mall: Feel touristy

Where: It's obvious how to get to the Mall, but the Rock Creek extension I refer to begins in Georgetown and meets the Potomac near the Kennedy Center. It puts you right on the Mall at the Lincoln Memorial, from which you can also head to Hains Point.

Why I love it: Especially in my early Mr. Smith Goes to Washington-days, I enjoyed running along the Mall in sight of thought provoking monuments and remarkable architectal points of interest such as the Capitol, the National Museum of Art, and the White House. Even though the Potomac is rarely picturesque, the views into Arlington are good.

Distance: 1.2 miles from the C&O canal to the Lincoln Memorial, one way; 4 miles for a roundtrip of the Mall.

Elevation: No rise along the river, but some inclines around the Washington Monument and up onto the main Mall area

Recommended loop: You can make this its own loop from downtown, Capitol Hill, or Foggy Bottom. Otherwise, you can throw it into a longer loop that takes you along Rock Creek or into Virginia.

6. Mt. Vernon Trail: The other side of the river

Where: Skirts the river in Arlington. It extends for miles all the way to Mt. Vernon south of town. North of Rosslyn it diverts from the river and follows I-66. Easy access points from D.C. are at the ends of Key Bridge and Memorial Bridge. It crosses Key Bridge at the first light in Virginia, and passes under Memorial Bridge--just do a 180 on the Virginia side of the bridge, following a short dirt footpath, across a traffic ramp, and onto the paved trail.

Why I love it: You may have to contend with a biker or two, but this is a nice scenic route that gets you out of the District for a change. It's also a great option if you want to put more distance between Georgetown and the Mall. Furthermore, it passes by Teddy Roosevelt Island, which I don't recommend for running, but is a nice place for shaded walks. The path is wide and well paved.

Distance: As long as you want it to be, but it's 1.25 miles along this between Key Bridge and Memorial Bridge

Elevation: Zero change

7. Hains Point: Watch your footing

Where: South of the Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial. The path skirts East Potomac Park, a peninsula that parallels the D.C. harbor.

Why I love it: It's a nice, quiet paved walking/biking path along the water's edge. You may have to dodge a fisherman or two, but the other traffic is minimal. Otherwise, be cautious of sections where the cement is eroding into the river. If this bothers you, running along the road is just fine as vehicle traffic is minimal too. It's also a great route to run if you want to stop by the East Potomac Park Pool (see below).

Distance: 5.6 miles, starting and ending at the Lincoln Memorial

Elevation: Zero change

Recommended loop: This section can be thrown into a longer run along the Mall or Rock Creek Parkway. Even though Hains Point itself is all south of the Jefferson Memorial, I recommend including the portion along the Tidal Basic that heads past the FDR Memorial.

8. Northern Rock Creek: Worth the trek

Where: Rock Creek Park, north of Tilden St./Beach Rd. and onward.

Why I love it: Honestly, I haven't run here much, but I enjoyed the few times I did. I can only point you to Ridge Road, an entire street that is reserved for walkers, runners, and bikers, that begins next to the old mills at the intersection of Tilden and Beach and continues north for a few miles. A number of unpaved trails shoot off of this artery, many of which seem great for running, but don't be surprised to run into a horse or two along the way.

Distance: Explore for miles

Elevation: It gets progressively hillier as travel north

18-mile Extravaganza

On longer days, I really enjoy throwing all of these together: starting arbitrarily in Van Ness, run down the Glover-Archibald Trail to Georgetown, cross the Key Bridge to Rosslyn, run south along the river to Memorial Bridge, throw in Hains Point if you're really feeling like a long day, down the Mall and back to the Lincoln Memorial to Rock Creek, up the park to the Melvin C. Hazen trail, and back to Van Ness. This killer loop is ____ with Hains Point, and ____ without. You can pick it up from Van Ness, Glover Park, Georgetown, Dupont via P Street, Mt. Pleasant, Rosslyn, Foggy Bottom, or anywhere else near the Mall.

A few notes on cross-training

Swimming
I can't remember on the quality of other cities' public pools, but D.C.'s are more than adequate for swimming laps during the summer and winter months alike. There are plenty of swimming options in the summer--my favorite spots have been the Marie Reed Community Center pool in Adams Morgan (25-meter) which is open year-round, and the East Potomac Park pools on Hains Point (50-meter) open in the summer. Both are free to D.C. residents, strike me as clean, and offer locker and showering facilities (but bring your own lock). The East Potomac Park pool is an especially nice place to get a workout in while enjoying the sun on a warm summer's day. The two pools are never too crowded for those that don't mind sharing lanes with up to three other people.

For those willing to pay for their pools, I have similarly sampled D.C.'s fare. The National Capitol YMCA on 17th St. near Dupont Circle has a great 25-meter pool. I can't say that it's less crowded than the nearby Marie Reed Center's pool, but the facilities are nicer. Monthly rates are around $70 for the whole place (check the web for exact/current rates). A Washington Sports Club location recently opened in Columbia Heights that features a 25-yard pool. I have never used the pool, but took a tour of the location and was unimpressed. It appeared to be extremely shallow. Whereas the YMCA and public pools have deep-ends, this pool looked as if a tall person would have to watch their fingers on a crawl. In the end, I turned to Vida Fitness, with locations in Gallery Place and between Dupont and Logan Circles. Both locations feature Endless Pools, those recirculating pools you see in SkyMall magazine. I was skeptical at first, but I've been sold. NOTE: I am not a hardcore swimmer; I have never raced but for a few triathlons; and I don't have high standards as long as I can get space. I found that the moving stream of water really allowed me to focus on pacing and form, because rather than merely slowing down as one does in a real pool, you actually start moving backwards when you're falling behind your set pace (the machines are highly adjustable). Best of all, I have never had to wait for a machine--they are sparsely used by other gym-goers.

Gyms and Miscellaneous
I don't care which gym you use--I think Vida is great because the equipment is new and plentiful, offering a strong mix of cardio, free and machine weights, yoga and fitness classes, and the Endless Pool--but I'm sure there are other good gyms. BUT, I will say, don't join the National Capital YMCA unless you A) don't care about free weights, B) really want a basketball court (but there's one of those at the new Washington Sports Club in Columbia Heights too), or C) can't wait to get back on a NordicTrack. The cardio is acceptable, but the free weight situation is deplorable. The machines are painfully old and creaky (perhaps unsafe), and terribly over populated. I can't tell you how many times I've just walked right back to the locker room after seeing how full the weight room was. YMCA needs to either do a better job controlling its membership, or it needs to prioritize more space for weights--perhaps over the three or so squash courts it has which cater to a much narrower clientelle. I joined for the pool, but didn't stick it out long. I'm sad to leave Vida behind in D.C.

Finally, although it's not a gym, If you're not too bashful to do the Muscle Beach-thing, head to the Rock Creek Parkour area just down the hill from Woodley Park. It features new pull up bars, benches and foot braces for situps and crunches, and a bunch of other silly things I don't use. It's a good stop to make if you're running by.

Northwest D.C. Hiking Suggestions

Old Rag
Billy Goat trail
Monongehela
Dolly Sods

Goodbye D.C.

So this is it. After two and a half years I am leaving D.C. They were two years spent with great friends and a rewarding job in a city full of abundant green spaces, good food, world-class museums, and many hidden treasures. Before packing my bags, I wanted to record some of the expertise I've developed over the last two (plus) years, for anyone that stumbles upon this blog as well as myself, as I wouldn't be surprised to find myself back in this precious city one day.

1. Northwest D.C. Running Guide
2. D.C. Regional Hiking Suggestions
3. D.C. Eating Guide
4. D.C. Museum Guide