In a bar at Dulles International, nursing my $10 beer until the gate opens up. (Side note: We are lucky to have the beer we have in the Pacific Northwest… living here might drive me to cider, eventually. And that would be terrible.)

Another area where we in the soggier part of the country have got it good is in our elected officials (most of them.) Being in DC and spending most of Wednesday and half of Thursday talking to staffers and Senators made me realize all over again that, when it comes to the environment and our electeds, Washington State is far better represented than most. Talking to some of the other conference-goers from other states (you can likely figure out which ones), it’s clear that there’s no shortage of ignorance and mean-spirited buffoonery in the halls of Congress. I appreciate the sensibility and reason that we encountered at every office we went into and the skill and dedication of the people who make it all happen.

As weeks go, this was a particularly sensational one to be in our nation’s capital. The FBI and the color orange were the main topics of discussion around town and there was no escaping the growing sucking sound that seemed to be emanating from somewhere around the White House. Still, our delegation was able to focus on the issues at hand: marine plastics, offshore drilling and funding for science. It was a great group and a valuable experience… I’m coming home with a few new ideas and a passel of business cards from people that I need to stay in touch with. (This time will be different, I swear.)

I took the top photo on the drive to the airport, and it sums up quite a few different topics. It’s time to get busy, to get together and to get some stuff done. See you in the other Washington.