I’m sitting here looking at 270 right now and while I’d say Yes, it’s an awful road, I’d take it over 66, 7, 15, etc with all the traffic lights.
I drive up a good stretch of 270 daily to see my horse (from Rockville to Damascus) and as long as i’m on the road by 4:30 I only have brief slowdowns.
If you try to commute north after 5:30? MESS.
KoKo - You and me both! I would love to get back down there. My husband and I talk about it every once in a while. I didn’t realize how good I had it at Quail Roost/Equiventure until I got to DC. Wow, were we spoiled.
If you want to get back there, then as they say, “where there is a will there is a way.” Go back to school, ha ha ha, get a PhD. Or go work for Legal Services. Or look into working in the Park. Lawyers are needed everywhere! 
Cleveland Eventer - could you please post which job areas you might be looking for a college-career transition?
I also encourage you to look for something in Montgomery County (MD) and try to stable at Waredaca or with Matt Flynn.
There are jobs in biotech, medical, IT, Montgomery County and City of Rockville jobs…that are not too far from either of these stable locations.
I think you’ve got to simplify the logistics especially taking on your riding goal. Commuting into DC and to the suburbs is really going to cut into valuable riding time, plus there is the cost of commuting. Lots of excellent folks on here do it, but often they are more mid-career and therefore may have more work flexibility and a higher income to support their commuting and riding lifestyle.
Have you contacted any headhunters? I can send you a list, but if you tell us the area you want to work, then that will help all of us contribute to your search…not just for a good eventing facility, but an appropriate career position.
Everybody in the RTP (Research Triangle Park) warned me about moving up there, but I had to find out for myself. Lots of them were DC and NYC regugees. Many of them turned down really good job offers in DC while I worked with them - because they refused to go back to that life.
I hope to be one of those defectors before spring to RDU!
Don’t want to be the gloom and doom report but um unless you are applying for a job w/ Obama’s (7 page application and don’t forget to include anything or any person/email/text message that might embarrass the “Administration”) the job market is pretty tight. My company was going great guns last year - now 8 mos later they are considering layoffs. But - the biotech/health field I think is still quite strong (Mont. County - 1270 corridor - close to barns bonus), accounting is always pretty safe. I believe most local governments are cutting back -
I am giving the gloom and doom - another bad thing about DC to VA barns - the wonderful HOT lanes they are doing and the metrorail extension - all great plans if and when they get done but most likely major traffic jams during the construction phase.
So my recommendation would be skip working in DC - live and work and Mont. Co Maryland which would put you a great area for several choices of really good event barns and you would be close enough to DC for all that it has to offer in terms of social life outside of work and horses !
A little different in my approach…but those who know me expect nothing less than different, if not plain bizarre!
I have spent almost my entire 18 years working in VA, just outside the beltway for many years, and most of it on the Dulles Corridor.
But, I don’t board. I have my own farm. The old farm was in WV. And after 12 years, the commute got to my husband, so we sold that one and moved closer. Over the years, with a couple of minor exceptions, my work has ended up in Tysons (icky)/Chantilly (not bad)/Reston/Herndon (great for carpooling w/ hubby).
In 2001, I did end up in gov’t contracting, and it has been kind to me for the most part.
I really enjoy this area, and my husband absolutely loves it.
But, I tried a job in Crystal City, and lasted 3 months, since the manager decided that he was going to set different hours than I agreed to when I hired on.
I will add to the cautions, you do NOT want to have the Potomac River between you and work. So, I agree that if you are working in DC and have a horse, Maryland is likely to have more options.
