Dateline: Virginia to Washington, D.C. By “moto” photojournalist Douglas Graham

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Versys parked on Dutchman’s Creek Road north of Lovettsville, Virginia

Although I travel a lot, as a photojournalist covering national politics I also spend a lot of time in Washington. Sometimes weeks at a time bouncing from the White House, U.S. Capitol, State Department, Pentagon, Smithsonian, etc.

I thought I'd give a glimpse of my daily commute, because I found myself marveling at what a nice trip I've had to get to work this past week. Its an adventure ride each day! Most people heading to Washington get into their car and sit in traffic for up to two hours on a good day. I’m pretty lucky as you can see from the photos.

Views to the north west across the blue ridge into West Virginia along U.S. route 690 north of Hillsboro Virginia

Tollhouse Road almost into Maryland

From my house in the blue ridge mountains of Virginia I take about 15 miles of dirt roads up and across the mountain and then north down the toe into Maryland and across the Potomac River. The road is a mixed bag of fire road, improved dirt and a touch of one lane asphalt. Sometimes I take a little longer route and follow the Shenandoah River north to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia across the Potomac and into Maryland. Once in Maryland I take the MARC train from the Brunswick Station to Union Station in downtown Washington.

Stoneybrook Farmers Market in Hillsboro has the best coffee and the nicest people you will ever meet

The whole trip takes about 1.5 hours door to door and I always leave really early so I can relax and shoot photos along the way if I feel the need. I also stop at the farmers market in Hillsboro, Virginia, to have coffee and breakfast. Nicest people on the planet run the market called Stonybrook Farms and they have the best coffee, hands down, on the East Coast. You can’t often enter a store and hear your name from the proprietor and know they really are glad to see you.

Brunswick Maryland train station with the MARC train pulling in to pick up passengers headed for points east terminating in Washington, D. C. at Union Station 

I’m pretty lucky as far as being a D.C. commuter, since I never really have to deal with the traffic gridlock because of the train. Yes, it can be a long day if I’m working downtown but as a newspaper photographer every day is a long day. Its just part of the job and no day ever repeats itself.