This weekend I travelled to Washington DC and back on the Amtrak train. Both trips were great. On time, stress free and without the traffic mess on Rt 95. I enjoy DC, especially the museums. I spent the entire day Saturday riding the Metro and roaming the Smithsonian while my wife Jo Anne and my daughter Jennifer shopped. One display in particular struck me: The Wright Brothers’ plane – yes, the original Wright Brothers plane – is there. But, it was their story that left an indelible impression. They were bicycle makers, not engineers or scientists. The Wright Brothers simply had an incredible desire to achieve. At the time of their inventions, aeronautics was in its infancy. The Wrights were forced to get basic aerodynamic data from a German who was acknowledged as the worldwide expert. His data was wildly incorrect. So, the Wright Brothers did what you expect any American to do – they improvised and innovated – they built a wind tunnel and compiled their own aerodynamic data. And, their efforts resulted in the first, heavier than air, controlled flight. All of this – WITHOUT – government grants.