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L Verge · 01-08-2016, 12:23 PM

(01-06-2016 11:55 PM)Carolyn Mitchell Wrote:
(01-06-2016 10:42 PM)Dave Taylor Wrote: I had jury duty today but got done at noon, so Kate and I decided to head up to D.C. and meet up with Jim while he was working. Jim, as some of you may not know, is a tour guide with the Old Town Trolley company. It really is the perfect vocation for him because it allows him to share his encyclopedic knowledge of practically all history, it lets him drive around a city that he loves, and lastly, it lets him talk all day .

When we got to D.C. Jim had just started his break so we all grabbed a late lunch at the Abraham Lincoln Waffle Shop right across the street from Ford's Theatre. It was the first time that Kate and I had ever eaten there. Then we were able to bum a ride on Jim's tour.

You should hear this guy driving down embassy row pointing out which embassy is which. "On your right with the red brick house is the blahblah embassy, on your left with the black fence is the blahblah embassy, on you right with the statue of the the elephant is the blahblah embassy, on your left..." He nailed them all with rapid fire speed. By the end of it Kate said it felt like we were at Wimbleton with the way we were looking left and right, left and right, left and right. In the tour we were on (which is the short 1 hour tour) Jim pointed out at least 100 different landmarks, buildings, and statues, giving interesting details about each one (did you know that on of the gargoyles on the National Cathedral is sculpted to look like Darth Vader?). Here's a picture Kate took of Jim and I aboard his trolley:

I recommend that anyone coming to D.C. from out of town, or even those who have visited the city before and live nearby, should take Jim's tour. His trolley driver nickname is "Professor" so ask for him personally. You'll have a wonderful time learning so much about D.C. just like Kate and I did.

Thanks again, Jim!

EDIT: I also wanted to post this picture that Heath Atkinson took of Jim and I at Dent's Meadow back in March of 2014 when we took him and his brother Josh around the sites in Southern Maryland.

Even though both Jim and I have lost some hair (Jim from his head, and me from my chin) I still think we look just as good in 2016 as we did in 2014.

I'll be in D.C. in April. I'll definitely put this on my list of to do's. Thanks for the recommendation.

Sounds to me like we need to add the Professor's Trolley Tour to the itinerary for the 2017 Surratt conference...

Thomas Kearney · 01-08-2016, 06:12 PM

(01-06-2016 10:42 PM)Dave Taylor Wrote: I had jury duty today but got done at noon, so Kate and I decided to head up to D.C. and meet up with Jim while he was working. Jim, as some of you may not know, is a tour guide with the Old Town Trolley company. It really is the perfect vocation for him because it allows him to share his encyclopedic knowledge of practically all history, it lets him drive around a city that he loves, and lastly, it lets him talk all day .

When we got to D.C. Jim had just started his break so we all grabbed a late lunch at the Abraham Lincoln Waffle Shop right across the street from Ford's Theatre. It was the first time that Kate and I had ever eaten there. Then we were able to bum a ride on Jim's tour.

You should hear this guy driving down embassy row pointing out which embassy is which. "On your right with the red brick house is the blahblah embassy, on your left with the black fence is the blahblah embassy, on you right with the statue of the the elephant is the blahblah embassy, on your left..." He nailed them all with rapid fire speed. By the end of it Kate said it felt like we were at Wimbleton with the way we were looking left and right, left and right, left and right. In the tour we were on (which is the short 1 hour tour) Jim pointed out at least 100 different landmarks, buildings, and statues, giving interesting details about each one (did you know that on of the gargoyles on the National Cathedral is sculpted to look like Darth Vader?). Here's a picture Kate took of Jim and I aboard his trolley:

I recommend that anyone coming to D.C. from out of town, or even those who have visited the city before and live nearby, should take Jim's tour. His trolley driver nickname is "Professor" so ask for him personally. You'll have a wonderful time learning so much about D.C. just like Kate and I did.

Thanks again, Jim!

EDIT: I also wanted to post this picture that Heath Atkinson took of Jim and I at Dent's Meadow back in March of 2014 when we took him and his brother Josh around the sites in Southern Maryland.

Even though both Jim and I have lost some hair (Jim from his head, and me from my chin) I still think we look just as good in 2016 as we did in 2014.

Thanks for sharing. I took the Old Town Trolley Tour in St. Augustine and my tour guide was a descendant of the brother of the Sage family, who all drowned when the Titanic sank. I, being a Titaniac (it's a term for someone who is interested in the Titanic), asked how this was possible, and he told me the Sages were coming to live with his ancestor. Very good tour! since I have lived in the area all my life, I guess I could take over for Jim when he retires! Just saying!

Eva Elisabeth · 01-08-2016, 08:01 PM

Wish I had known earlier...just what is a trolley? Looks like a streetcar interior to me, but my memory refuses to depict streetcars in DC (only subway).

Jim Garrett · 01-08-2016, 08:15 PM

Our trolley are old style bodies on modern truck platforms. Many of them run on propane. The technical difference between a trolley and a bus is a trolley has three windshields.

L Verge · 01-08-2016, 08:51 PM

(01-08-2016 08:01 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote: Wish I had known earlier...just what is a trolley? Looks like a streetcar interior to me, but my memory refuses to depict streetcars in DC (only subway).

There are actually plans to bring streetcars back to D.C. (after their demise in the 1960s), but so far there is one car completed and one short line of track after years of planning. It has become sort of a joke. I loved the old trolleys.

Anita · (This post was last modified: 01-09-2016 05:07 PM by Anita.)

Dave, thanks for the photo/post of Jim in his trolley. I wasn't aware of Jim's profession.

Jim with your wonderful knowledge of history and your unique sense of humor, I would love to board your trolley. When I saw your photo I could see you giving tours while driving around " Hogsmeade Village, or simply Hogsmeade is the only settlement in Britain inhabited solely by wizards and other magical beings, and is located to the northwest of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

" Sounds to me like we need to add the Professor's Trolley Tour to the itinerary for the 2017 Surratt conference... " Great idea Laurie!

L Verge · 01-09-2016, 09:10 PM

I think this is Jim's retirement profession, and he is the perfect choice for it! Jim loves people, has a vast store of knowledge, and knows not to take himself too seriously. History sticks in brain cells that are having fun - not yawning.