Mr. Synapse Goes to Washington

[historygal]

I just returned from a three day conference in D.C. and traveled with my Synapse and Co-Pilot. While I had originally wanted to take my lovely N/I Tri-Star (the symmetry of the colors appealed to me while being inside the Capital Beltway), I faced two issues. First, I didn’t really need a bag that large for two nights, and second, my conference was in Bethesda, MD. This meant that I would have to make a choice of going from Reagan International to the hotel in Bethesda, and then back to downtown DC, losing critical sightseeing time on my only day to tour the city. In order to optimize my time, I decided it was more efficient to carry everything with me from the airport. Since I wasn’t sure how many of the museums I might enter, I felt I had a better chance of getting through building security with my two smaller bags, then the larger Tri-Star.

The Synapse and Co-Pilot turned out to be an ideal choice and worked together perfectly. I borrowed LauraA’s idea of using the Tri-Star packing cube to pack all my conference clothes including two pairs of pants, two tops, two lightweight jackets, pjs, and undergarments. I packed the cube, iPad, and makeup in the main compartment. In one side pocket, I kept my car keys and a TB shopping bag in case of overage on my way home, and in the other side pocket stored my iPod Touch,deodorant, and some meds. In the bottom pocket, I stored my 3D clear organizer pouch containing my 311 liquids. My Sonicare toothbrush, small umbrella, and comb were stowed in the water bottle pocket. Could I have gotten by with just the Synapse? Sure...except I wanted to take my Nikon d5100, so enter the Co-Pilot.

My Co-Pilot became the perfect companion as my dslr bag and purse. In the main compartment I kept my camera stored in a padded insert, a small organizer containing spare memory cards, battery, and charger. I still had room for a few granola bars, and my iPad/iPhone charger. In one of the front pockets, I kept my iPhone and a small padded pouch with my Kilpsch headphones. The other pocket contained a small crossbody purse/wallet, pens, and lipgloss. I still had room to store a CamelBak water bottle in the middle front pocket.

This arrangement turned out really well. I kept the Synapse on my back which I didn’t really need until I got to the hotel, and had easy access to my camera stored in my Co-Piilot as I walked up and down the National Mall.

For the record, I took the Metro from Reagan to the Smithsonian and walked the mall past several of the Smithsonian museums, the U.S. Capitol, Library of Congress, U.S. Supreme Court and caught the Metro at Union Station. I then took the Metro back to the Smithsonian and walked in the opposite direction towards the Washington Monument, WW II Memorial, Korean Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, crossed the Potomac and entered the Metro again at Arlington Cemetery. It was a long day and my feet were tired, but it was so worth it. I cherish each of my visits to D.C. Each time I visit, I fall in love all over again with its beauty, its culture, its patriotism, and its history.

[Tlacltme]

Great pics, historygal, and fabulous thread title! So, as a fellow N/I gal, inquiring minds want to know: is your Co-Pilot also Navy? AND will you jump at the N/I Synapse opportunity even though you already have a Navy/Solar? one?? I know, I know, deep questions, eh?! :)

[historygal]

Tlacltme, Thanks...I just got a new camera and had fun using it that day. My next goal is to learn the manual controls and wean myself off the automatic mode.

As a former high school US Government/Civics teacher, I have a deep appreciation for the movie and James Stewart. I always had them watch the climatic clip when we discussed filibustering. The students would groan that it was old and in black and white. They lacked the appreciation for a timeless classic, but I digress...

I love the fact that we are bag twins. Now to answer your curiosity...YES, I will be ordering a N/I Synapse! I like to think that TB has been listening to our pleas for more N/I bags, although it probably worked out that way since they are discontinuing solar. I haven't placed the order yet, but intended to do so very soon. It would probably be a tie between the Synapse and Co-Pilot being my favorite TB bag, so I am so excited that I will soon have a Synapse in my favorite color combination!

My current Co-Pilot is Black/Iberian. The only think about using the Synapse and Co-Pilot together last week that I didn't like was that they didn't match. I guess that is my OCD nature coming through. However, I really like black and it was a safe color choice for me. Before TB all my luggage was black. I still have a couple of Eagle Creek roller bags that are black. So if I ever use the roller bags again, the black Co-Pilot will be a great matching companion piece. When TB (power of positive thinking) has a N/I Co-Pilot up for order, I will jump on that as well :)! Now that I’ve used the Co-Pilot to carry my dslr camera, I really liked the idea that ncb4 http://forums.tombihn.com/customer-p...it-part-i.html had of a second Co-Pilot dedicated to that purpose.