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Gail

The National Bike Summit was the annual event I went to Washington, D.C. for so I could work with others from around the country to help urge alternative transportation while talking to Senators, Congressmen and Congresswomen, and staffers and aides.
I met with the League of American Bicyclists and we organized each state and set appointments to visit with our local reps.
After almost a week of doing so, I was done and ready for Museum visits, specifically the Mineral Hall. Jim flew in on Thursday night and we were raring to go on Friday.
I had switched out my bicycling mindset and replaced it with my other passion, minerals.
I will be adding many photos shortly, just need to download them off my laptop and put them on here.
In this visit, we met up with Jessica, she is the ten year old featured in my Tucson report. Her family visited with us on the Saturday as we spent the day talking minerals and enjoying her enthusiasm at each display case.
Now that I have set the stage, enjoy some of the photos I took over the course of Friday and Saturday this past week.

Gail

Smithsonian Museum visit.
I only took my smaller camera, so sorry for the photo quality. I just didn't want to lug the bigger camera, Jim took his with the macro lense, so will have to pilfer some from his memory card to add later.

Gail

And more photos.

Gail

more...

Gail

Jim had never been to the museum, or Washington D.C., before. It was great fun to walk around with him as he saw things for the first time. I had been last year and spent two whole days there. If you have never been, Go!

Gail

and some more.

Gail

More minerals.

Gail

more.

Gail

nice...

Gail

Candleabra

Gail

More nice minerals...

keldjarn · Joined: 18 Feb 2008 Posts: 157

Gail, thanks for posting all the photos from the Smitnsonian ! It is nice to be reminded again about all the marvelous specimens they have on display. Even if I recognize some of them from previous visits, there must be many new ones since my last visit 15 years ago...
One of the new specimens in the exhibit has been labeled "Herderite" from Gilgit in Pakistan. Also the accompanying chemical formula indicates the mineral to be F-dominant rather than the much more common Hydroxyl-Herderite. As far as I know there has been no published data to support the occurence of Herderite (F-dominant) from this area and I would have loved to know if this Herderite-group mineral really has been analyzed to prove the correct ID. Maybe if John S. White sees this post he still has contacts at the Smithsonian that could clarify the issue. Especially in such a prominent museum you would expect labels with chemical formulas to give the correct specimen ID.
Knut

Gail

Knut,
I will be sure to forward your comments to the museum staff, that is interesting and I will be pleased to see what they have to say.
I am trying to add some more photos as the day goes on, haven't even gotten to behind the scenes yet, or to Saturday....
I have had guests for lunch and another round is coming in for dinner, Brooks Britt and his family.....so trying to do a few here and a few there as time allows.
I have some really great photos coming, so come back and see this work in progress?
( Ps...I had lunch and a home visit with John White yesterday, a long way from here and what seems an eternity ago! What fun and what a delightful visit! )

Gail

and....

Gail

further along...

Peter

Thanks Gail! Its been a long time for me since I visited DC.
This morning I had breakfast with my cildren at home, this evening dinner in another part of this continent by the ocean! Keep them coming! Nadia is getting pretty hooked on minerals!