Sunday Visit with Teddy

During my last visit to Roosevelt Island, I ran out of time and didn't have a chance to visit the Teddy Roosevelt statue in the middle of the island. I'd planned all summer to get back there, and I finally did so early this evening, completing a quick 7.9 mile walk to and from the island before dinner.

I began my walk just before 6:00, with the sun still relatively high in the sky.

As I turned from North Abingdon Street onto the Custis Trail, I stopped to take a picture of the 9/11 flag hanging from the Washington Boulevard overpass.

As I arrived in Rosslyn and walked along the Mount Vernon Trail toward the island, I noticed that a number of the buildings also displayed 9/11 flags, including this one along Route 110.

I got to the bridge across from Roosevelt Island at about 6:40 or so and stopped to take a picture of the Georgetown waterfront and the National Cathedral before heading over to the island.

By the time I arrived on the island, it was getting late, and there was nobody else on the trail.

Just a short walk through the trees took me right to my destination. It had been several years since I last saw this statue, and it was good to have the chance to see it again. Much of the plaza surrounding the memorial is currently under renovation, but the statue is not.

Congress authorized funding for the memorial in May 1932, but did not actually appropriate the money for almost thirty years. In 1960, the funding was designated, and in October 1967, the memorial was dedicated. The 17-foot statue of President Theodore Roosevelt is the centerpiece of the memorial, which also includes two large fountains and four large stone monoliths displaying some of Roosevelt's more famous quotations.

Given the shadiness of the island, it was really getting too dark to see, so after a short visit with Teddy, I began retracing my steps, taking a picture from the island's bridge looking back toward Rosslyn.

Walking northward on the Mount Vernon Trail, I soon reached the Custis Trail once again, where I came upon these sort of funny-looking flowers. Does anyone know what they are?

By the time I reached the green pond near Ballston, it was nearly 8:00, and I think the blue heron and turtles had turned in for the night, as I saw no sign of them.

Finally, just before finishing my walk, I stopped to take a picture of the bright half-moon. I don't usally walk this late in the evening (not to mention it's getting darker earlier and earlier), so I think this is the only moon picture of the 2011 training season. Good night, moon!