Gettysburg to Washington D.C.

All I can say is Jerry Jeff Walker’s song, “If I can just get off this LA freeway without getting killed or caught, down the road in a cloud of smoke for some land I ain’t bought, bought, bought…” resonated with me as we exited the New Jersey Turnpike for the rolling hills of Pennsylvania. I swear if we can drive this rig on the NJ Turnpike and the George Washington Bridge (the one Chris Cristie shut down, remember?), well we can take this thing to South America!

Anyhow, Pennsylvania was gorgeous, colors, easy driving, and rural parts for us, headed to Gettysburg and the Artillery Ridge Campground.

Gettysburg, PA countryside

We spent the next couple of days touring the Gettysburg National Military Park, and can I say, it stands out as one of the best museums I have toured. They did such a thorough job of helping non-historians like me understand the importance of that 3-day battle back in 1863. The highlight for me was a 400 ft., circular cyclorama painted in 1883 (20 years after that decisive battle) by Paul Philippoteaux. It was there that Union forces drove back Confederate forces and prevailed in the Civil War.

Cyclorama of the battle at Gettysburg

Very emotional and lifelike. Lincoln’s leadership, of course has been apparent to any who have read much of his life, and he wasted no time after the battle in arriving to present his Gettysburg address.

Locals were still celebrating Halloween in the campground, and the weekend of Nov. 4 was no exception. Kids were dressed up, campfires glowing, and great weather provided a festive scene. The campground was a haven for horse lovers, and paddocks and riding trails surrounded us. Cisco even made a few friends! As we departed the last morning (as was everyone else), I was surprised to see a confederate flag flying over the roof of a rig that had just been to the Gettysburg battlegrounds. Did all those boys die in vain? NO!

We then moved down to Manassas, Virginia, and we thought, oh, boy, have we dodged a bullet, weather-wise! Pretty much great all through the northeast, except for one rainy (Scrabble) day in NYC. We hit 70 degree weather, leaves still turning and camping at the Greenville Farm Family Campground. Hardly anyone here, and Cisco having his usual romp through the trees.  But two days later, the temps had dropped to freezing at night!

Stone house, used as hospital by Union forces

The Manassas battleground was one of the first of the civil war, and it is awe-inspiring to stand looking out over the field with the same stone fences, some of the same stone homes and wooden fences that are constructed much as they were in the 1800’s. I recently discovered that Lincoln wanted to recruit Robert E. Lee because of his battlefield skills, but Lee couldn’t bear to turn his back on his fellow Virginians, so he fought for the Confederates.

We left on our second day to tour Washington D.C. (a mere 35 miles but 1 1/2 hours away round trip). We bought commuter passes and thoroughly enjoyed our tour of the National Gallery of Art, with a superb Vermeer exhibit.

WWII memorial

We toured Arlington Cemetery and the Mall, watching a Veteran’s Day ceremony on the WWII memorial that honored military units from allied forces that fought with us during that war. Aside from the politicians that frequently give a bad name to “inside the beltway”, D.C. pays beautiful homage to our past and all those who have helped create a wonderful country, as imperfect as it may sometimes seem.

Mount Vernon

Our last day, Veteran’s Day, we visited Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home. We signed up for a “special tour”, which meant we didn’t have to wait in line and there were only 12 of us walking through his home. It was an interesting insight into the life of the self-educated man, his family and his “all are welcome” approach to friends and family (and others he did not even know) to stay as long as they liked in his home in Mount Vernon. John was so pleased that to enter the tour and during an Air Force Strings Orchestra performance, he was acknowledged as a Veteran!

New York, New York!

I was going to wrap New York into our next adventures going south, but guess what? NYC is it’s own city, it’s own space, and it’s own time. We’d always heard how cold New Yorkers, and New Englanders could be, but it’s been just the exact opposite with us. Lost in a subway? Let me help you. Need to get to the Museum of Modern Art? Just go two blocks and turn left.

It’s Halloween time in New York City. Walking around town during the day, watching the kids dressed up as Superwoman, vampires, etc, isn’t too much different than walking down the streets of Bellingham. The weather was cool and dry and kids were excited. I think there’s more of a “mystique”, if you will, surrounding the Halloween preparations in New England. In New England, I could see Ichabod Crane around every hollow we passed (they are even called Hollows). So the Legend of Sleepy Hollow lives on!

We’ve OD’d on New York from Broadway shows to lunches in the Chelesa Market. Our wonderful friends, Marilyn and daughter, Maggie (awesome graphic artist), and Deb and daughter, Rachel (aspiring actress) have given us the inside scoop on where to visit.

Broadway theater

Marilyn, Maggie and Teresa

Twenty somethings, Rachel and Maggie live in NYC, and it’s so fun to get a glimpse into their lives and interests. We enjoyed a Broadway show (Miss Saigon), dinner in the theater district, and Penn station to get around.

Museum of Modern Art

October 30, one day before the terrorist attacks on the pedestrians and cyclists in lower Manhattan, John and I were mesmerized by the amazing dedication to our country’s history as we wandered the 9/11 Museum. I thought I wouldn’t last there very long, given the emotional and personal (for all of us) memory of that horrific event. But the displays were so well conceived, and interspersed the emotional with the practical (who knew those towers were built in 1970’s and how they were constructed and how they impacted small business around the site). The voices of the lost and the survivors were also heard, along with stories of first responders and the gargantuan effort of clean up and rebuilding, which is still happening.

South Tower Strut

Ladder 3

Survivors stairs to Vesey St.

All in all, it was an emotional an exhausting exhibit, for me at least.   Then the next afternoon, a senseless and devastating attack was once again hurled on this vibrant city. We are still trying to make “sense out of nonsense” with this insanity.