BCinDC & the 2011 Convention

This post is part 9 of our Wednesday Adventure Series. Each week we will highlight something different in the Washington, D.C., Metro Area, many of which will be options for part of your own BookCrossing Journey. With so many things to see and do, how will you choose?

Reminder – In less than two weeks, the price for registration will rise. Register today to save money and get special deals.

The Smithsonian National Zoological Park, called the National Zoo by locals, is absolutely free to visit. It is located in Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C., and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was founded in 1889 and today it houses more than 2,000 animals of 400 different species, though some are kept at the zoo’s Front Royal, Virginia, facility. Conservation and research are two of the National Zoo’s missions, and roughly one-fifth of the animals in the zoo are endangered or threatened.

The National Zoo puts on many special programs throughout the year including trick-or-treating (Boo at the Zoo), holiday lights (ZooLights), spending the night in the zoo (Snore and Roar), and fine dining (Brew at the Zoo, Zoofari). If you’ll be staying in town for a while after the Convention, you might be able to participate in Earth Day celebrations on April 22 or Easter Monday events on April 25.

Some of the most visited parts of the zoo are:

• Golden Lion Tamerins—the zoo’s conservation program for GLTs has been in operation for more than 30 years. These monkeys can be found mostly in the Small Mammal House along with many other animals.
• The Great Cats—seven new lion cubs were just born a few months ago. There are also tigers, clouded leopards, fishing cats, and cheetahs.
• Asian Elephants—a new Elephant Outpost habitat opened in September with many interactive activities for visitors.
• The Kids Farm—we have typical farm animals (hogs, goats, cows, donkeys) and some you wouldn’t think of (rabbits, alpacas). There’s also a petting zoo and a giant pizza (yes, you read that right: a giant pizza).
• Bird House—there are birds in many habitats throughout the zoo, but the majority of them live in the Bird House, including a kiwi so our BookCrossers from New Zealand will feel at home.
• The Reptile House and the Invertebrates House—the brave at heart will venture into these houses to see crocodiles, boa constrictors, spiders, and scorpions. For those who are not quite as daring, there are giant tortoises, a Komodo dragon, and a butterfly garden outside the houses.
• Amazonia—travel through the Amazon in this amazing building with a built-in research facility. In Amazonia, you actually walk through recreated South American jungle habitats and see what’s living in the river.
• Great Apes—there are seven gorillas in the Great Ape house; the youngest was born just last year.
• Orangutans—our orangutans have a special “O Line” of ropes to allow them to travel between buildings, right over visitors’ heads. There is also a Think Tank with interactive activities relating to orangutans.
• The Giant Panda—our two pandas arrived in December 2000 and live in a special exhibit. They are on loan from China, so they might be heading back there soon.

The zoo is a fantastic place to release books. Children’s books, especially, get snatched up within seconds (so have your camera out and ready when you make a release, or you’ll miss a photo op). At least once a year, BCinDC members meet up at the zoo to release hundreds of books together and encourage people to not only enjoy animals but also reading. Click on the photos below for larger versions and to read the journal entries of just a few books released and caught at the National Zoo:

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The zoo is open every day of the year except for Christmas Day (December 25). One of the Sunday Convention activity choices is a guided release walk through the National Zoo. We’ll give you lists of the animals and animal statues at the zoo so you can do plenty of great themed releases. Be sure to bring your walking shoes because the zoo is large, but there are plenty of cafes, restaurants, shops, and benches scattered throughout the zoo if you need time to rest and re-organize your books. There are two Metro stations close to the zoo (we’ll give you the inside scoop about which to use so you’ll be able to walk downhill both ways). The on-site parking fills up by mid-day and is not free unless you are a member of FONZ (Friends of the National Zoo).

Hey all you OBCZ managers and regular visitors! We’re excited about the 2011 BookCrossing Convention in Washington, D.C., and we’d like you to help us spread the word. Would you be willing to hang a flyer at your OBCZ? We have printable versions available here: http://www.bcindc.zoiks.org/?page_id=94 We would especially love to put a photo of your OBCZ displaying the convention flyer on the “thank yous” section of our website – with a link back to your OBCZ, of course. Contact us any time with photos or questions at bcindc2011@gmail.com. Thanks!

This post is part 8 of our Wednesday Adventure Series. Each week we will highlight something different in the Washington, D.C., Metro Area, many of which will be options for part of your own BookCrossing Journey. With so many things to see and do, how will you choose?

Reminder – There is only half a month until the price for registration goes up. Register today to save money.

That’s right: you can now buy a wide variety of 2011 BookCrossing Convention logo items. The same t-shirts, long-sleeved shirts, sweatshirts, and zippered hoodies are available as Add-ons and can be picked up at the convention. If you want something before the convention or if you can’t make it to the convention but still want something to remember the 10th Anniversary of BookCrossing, you can order from the BookCrossing Spreadshirt Store and have it shipped directly to you (anywhere in the world). Both make great holiday gifts!

We have two new convention activity choices for you:

1. Early Bird Friday Morning: a guided group tour of the Library of Congress – The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, something not to be missed on a visit to Washington, D.C. You can now choose to visit and tour it on Friday morning.
2. Sunday Afternoon: a trip to the International Day of the Book Festival in Kensington, MD – This annual festival celebrates the book with live music, author readings, activities, booksellers, publishers and much more in historic Old Town Kensington. BCinDC have enjoyed giving out and releasing books at this festival for the past few years. You can now choose to spend Sunday afternoon at the festival.

Visit the Add-ons page any time to make your choices.

This post is part 7 of our Wednesday Adventure Series. Each week we will highlight something different in the Washington, D.C., Metro Area, many of which will be options for part of your own BookCrossing Journey. With so many things to see and do, how will you choose?

Special Notices – Check out the current special deals on registration. Make your hotel reservations soon; rooms are filling up quickly!

Forecast Radar Cameras

Weather in April in the Washington, D.C., area can be tricky. The best pieces of advice are to dress in layers and to be prepared! You can check out weather websites for typical high and low temperatures for April in Washington, D.C. Typically the high is around 66°F (18.9°C) and the low can be around 46°F (7.8°C) usually in the early mornings and late at night. You can check out the current temperature at any time by looking at the WeatherBug widget on our location page.

If you bring a light jacket or sweatshirt/sweater you’ll be able to wear it if it’s chilly and then take it off later in the day if you’re walking around town and warming up. Also, sometimes hotels can be a little cool, so it wouldn’t hurt to have a sweatshirt while indoors either. Don’t want to put on a sweatshirt and hide your t-shirt with the convention logo on it? You’re in luck! We’re selling long-sleeved shirts, sweatshirts, and zipper hoodies with the large convention logo on them.

The old saying “April showers bring May flowers” is true in this area. Occasional drizzles or afternoon rainstorms are common in April, but unpredictable. It doesn’t hurt to come prepared just in case (and we know if all of you pack rain gear, we’ll be pretty much guaranteed a rain-free weekend). We suggest you bring some rain-resistant item such as a light rain jacket, a poncho, or an umbrella. And you should bring a few protective plastic bags for your wild released books. Also, be sure to allow extra travel time. If there is a thunderstorm, it might cause an unexpected delay at the airport. We wouldn’t want you to miss out on the fun just because of a little rain.

Wondering what to pack? We recommend:

• Good walking shoes/sneakers
• Long pants/jeans (and maybe a pair of shorts in the event that the weather is unseasonably warm)
• Long-sleeved shirts or t-shirts and sweatshirts
• Something waterproof like an umbrella, rain jacket, poncho, or waterproof pullover
• Plastic bags for your books

Also, the convention is just after peak cherry blossom season. If you have bad allergies to grasses and pollens, you might want to pack medicine or be prepared to buy some over the counter.

Remember: pack what you will be comfortable in and be prepared!