This past weekend was pretty eventful. My mom drove down to Blacksburg on Friday and did shopping until I was done with my Physics test that evening, then we drove home, arriving just after midnight. My brother got in a little while later, and we stayed up pretty late talking. The next morning, my brother had to leave at 7:00 for the high school mulch sale delivery and I got up about the time he was heading out the door. After breakfast, my parents and I left for the Ft. Belvoir so I could try on boots and dress shoes. Both getting to and leaving from the post was interesting. MapQuest took us on a route that went out of the way, and a different route than what we are normally used to taking. It eventually took us along a scenic back road behind Lorton Prison. When we tried leaving Ft. Belvoir, we had to drive around for a while trying to find a gate that had not been blocked for security reasons. All of the exist from the post that were not main gates were blocked off. Our map showed all gates and did not specify which ones were open.
I was successful at finding a pair of Tan Hot Weather Desert ACU boots that fit, after a lot of waiting and trying on many different pair. There were four approved manufacturers for this boot that I am allowed to wear at West Point, and I went with Belleville because Matt Barnette recommended them. What was interesting in finding these boots is that I went there expecting that I would need a size 11 ½ EEE boot, and walked out with a size 11 D (Regular) boot. I was surprised that my very wide feet fit into a regular sized boot and that that size was smaller than running shoes. (I took thick hiking socks to try them on with, too, and I still needed a smaller sized boot.) I had also hoped to try on dress shoes for sizing even though Ft. Belvoir doesn’t carry the specific Black Leather Oxford Low Quarter shoe that I am authorized to purchase, but they didn’t even have my size in any dress shoe. The saleswoman suggested that we call Andrew’s Air Force Base in Maryland, which we did, and Andrew’s had one pair of the shoes I needed in a size 11 ½ Regular, which they held for me (the next smallest shoe they had in stock was an 8 ½! I was shocked at how limited military posts and bases are in keeping uniform items in stock). It took awhile to make our way off post, and we were also in heavy traffic approaching the Beltway and crossing the Woodrow Wilson Bridge into Maryland. It was about lunch time at this point. Once at Andrew’s, we found the store pretty easily, but the pair of shoes that they were holding for me was too big.
The Washington DC metropolitan area is known for its heavy traffic, and the time I spent in the car on Saturday was typical for our area. We arrived home to a very late lunch prepared by my grandmother, made a quick trip to the VA Running Store where I purchased running shoes and orthodics during Spring Break (the orthodics hurt the arch of my feet), and then back home to change for the USMA Reception at the McLean Hilton in Tyson’s Corner. Due to traffic, we had to leave around 4:00pm to ensure we’d be there ten minutes before the 5:00pm reception.
The USMA Reception was the highlight of my weekend and the real reason I came home. I got to see MAJ Tolman, the West Point Southeast Regional Commander, talk with several cadets who came down for a Crew meet and some who were there to attend the Founder’s Day Dinner later that evening, and also met a few other Cadet Candidates from the area. Even the Commandant of Cadets was there. The hour and a half Reception flew by very quickly, but it really made things feel “real” and official. I cannot wait until June!
I headed back to Blacksburg on Sunday morning and arrived around 1:15pm.It was a busy weekend, but it was great.
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