I did it again! And it was a wonderful day! I don't like to put on too many miles in one day, but if they turn out to be enjoyable, as today was, then I do enjoy it.
Tank and I began the day with a full breakfast in Roanoke, Virginia before heading north and then west into West Virginia. Breakfast is breakfast, most days, but not in Virginia. It's not often that you see a juke box anymore but this one was blaring country (and I do mean country!) music. My son Joe and his bride-to-be would enjoy the music because he teaches country dancing and both of them enjoy that type of music. Tank certainly enjoyed it; he could hear it all the way in the car.
It rained yesterday afternoon in Roanoke and it rained heavily last night. As a result, the morning was damp and the mist or fog hung over the mountains, virtually all day. The sun had difficulty breaking through the cloud cover and I didn't see very much of it during the day.
I used I81 and then US11 to head north to Lexinton, Virginia. These roads run NE/SW, somewhat in a valley tucked between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the southeast and the Applachian Mountains to the northwest. I say somewhat because the roads really were a roller coaster, up and down in the foot hills of the Appalachians. That early in the morning, it wasn't a problem for driving.
Yesterday morning, I would have described my drive through the Blue Ridge Mountains as being above the misty cloud cover, so much so that it was like viewing the mountain tops peaking through the clouds, like bubbles in a pan of slow boiling water. This morning was the same thing, only higher, into the Appalachian Mountains. The highest mountain is about 5700 feet above sea level but the roads I was on averaged about 2700 feet above sea level.
Virginia has a lot of small farms, growing a variety of things, not just tobacco. I saw cattle, sheep, goats and horses, out to pasture this morning. I'm still confused when to call something a farm versus a plantation around here. I guess it depends on whether I have run into a really old timer or not. Many of the properties had the good looking white rail fences and many had the so-called split rail fence, which is also attractive to view. And of course, barbed wire is most common.
At Lexington, Virginia, I went to see Stonewall Jackson's home but was not impressed. I was, very much so, impressed by the campus of the Virginia Military Institute. Very large, new and military looking. George C. Marshall is a famous graduate (class of 1901). Much of the campus, and much of the town is colonial in architecture. A lot of red brick buildings.
There was no activity on campus because of summer break, so I had an easy time seeing what there was to see. I visited the dorms, the parade grounds, the churches, the campus museum and more. A very, very nice place.
As I left Lexington, I noticed that Washington and Lee University is in town also. When school is in session, there are probably more students than permanent residents from the way things looked.
As I aimed west towards West Virginia, I stopped off in Covington, Virginia is search of a covered bridge. Unlike the other day, this time I found it. Not easily, but I found it. The Humpback Bridge is just that, an arched wooden bridge, complete with its roof. Most unusual.
From the time I entered western Virginia, from South Carolina, to today as I left headed west, I saw more arts and crafts roadside stands than I think I have ever seen. And some towns, like Lexington and Covington have crafts centers where sellers can rent space in a concentrated area.
The Appalachian Mountains are high and numerous. I have been to West Virginia before but I really have not spent much time here. As I travelled over the mountains, up and down, I thought about the William Holden movie, "The Bridge Over the River Kwai". If you saw that film, you probably recall when he goes back to the bridge, his party climbs over one mountain after another. Today, I climbed (drove) over one mountain after another.
Another reaction to West Virginia is trees and mountains, mountains and trees. They have lots of both. When I was on any of the Interstate highways, the mountains really didn't pose a problem. But I did spend time on other highways, like US60 and boy you notice the challenge posed by those roads. All in all, though, it was a fun day.
Tank saw signs by some of the roadside vendors saying they had 'coon skin caps' for sale. That worried him, so he asked if they had 'armadillo skin caps', and I said no, not to worry. I don't think so, anyway.
When I got into West Virginia, I stopped at the visitor's center and talked with the woman at the desk. She was very helpful and actually caused me to change my original plans. I said I wanted to see the New River Gorge and instead of going down to Hinton, she suggested going to Gainesville and then later to Fayetteville. Give that woman a raise; those were excellent suggestions. It did add some miles to my driving day however.
The New River flows through a gorge that because of the mountains around here, the average distance from some of the peaks down to the water is around 1000-1400 feet. Very impressive views, when viewed from some of the better vantage points like Gainesville and Fayetteville. The cloudy, hazy, misty day today didn't give me the best of photo opportunities but I took video and slide photos in any case. I wondered whether the morning mist I have been seeing is seasonaly and that at other times of year, the sky might be clearer and the photo opportunites better.
From Gainesville, I continued over to the town of Beckley, where I toured a coal mine. I have never been below ground in a coal mine. I have been in caves and caverns, but not a dirty coal mine. My reaction is that I'm glad I had a computer career. The tour guide was a retired coal miner (38 years) and he told how is used to be done and how it is currently done. Very informative.
The coal mine tour took me about 1500 feet into the mine and 150 feet underground. It didn't bother anyone on my tour, but they ask (warn) you before the tour starts. It's dark, literally wet with water dripping down through the rock and dirty. When the little battery operated train stops, you can get out for a closer look, but I didn't feel the need. It was a good tour and I enjoyed it.
From Beckley, I went to Fayetteville to see what they claim is the longest arch bridge over the New River. In Colorado, I saw the highest suspension bridge but this was the longest arch bridge. The state has done a good thing for tourists because you can pull off the highway and they have provided wooden stairs going down the mountain side for an excellent view looking up at the span. I think I got very good pictures from that angle.
I chose the shortest distance from there to Charleston, my final destination for the day, but US60 was not an easy drive. It is on the north side of the Kanawha River, it winds up and down, back and forth and goes through little river towns. But in spite of the driving conditions, I enjoyed being 'off the beaten path' and seeing things I never would have seen otherwise.
At the Charleston, I took pictures of the capitol and called on the governor. He wasn't in, so I left my card. I have plenty of cards but I haven't seen very many governors. Do they exist?
It's end of day and what a day it's been. Chalk this one up as being pretty good. Tomorrow I'm headed northeast through more of West Virginia's beauty and I will spend the night in Cumberland, Maryland before proceeding the next day to Washington, DC.
I refer to today as a quiet day. Tank and I left Charleston, West Virginia around 6:00AM and had breakfast around 8:00AM after driving for two hours in dense fog. I have been seeing mist, fog and clouds for days now, but today was the most dense fog I have encountered. It didn't rain last night, so I don't know why there was so much fog this morning.
Leaving the downtown area at an early hour enables me to 'find my way' out of a downtown area. But, today it was actually quite easy. I gassed up, bought a cup of coffee and away we went. Only to encounter the fog which stayed with me for two hours and about 100 miles. By 8:00AM, I was hungry and tired of not seeing anything except the highlights bounce back from the fog.
So, Tank and I had breakfast in Weston, West Virginia, which was the start of me heading east into the Monongahela National Forest. I wanted to see more of West Virginia by motoring through the small back woods kind of towns, and my choice of highways 33 and 219 did that. But of course, even without the fog, I now had to deal with mountains and winding roads.
The only significant sign of local economy along these back roads was in Parsons, West Virginia where Kingsford, the charcoal people, have a major facility. I saw some sign of logging and lumber operations, but not much else. No big farms until I crossed the state line and got into Maryland.
While driving in the morning fog, the sun had a heck of time trying to break though the dense cloud cover hovering close to the ground. At one point, I could look straight into the sun but it was little more than looking at something like a GE soft glow light bulb, not bright at all.
Along highway US33, I noticed the makeup or strata of the rocky mountains on either side of the highway. As the highway was built and they cut through some of this rock, it left a good cross section exposed, and you can literally see veins of coal. Most interesting.
I have heard various stories in the past about the economics of West Virginia and overall, I was impressed with what I saw. There probably is the depressed coal mining areas or so-called Appalachia ghettos back off the main road, but what I saw along the main road tells me that at least some people are doing okay.
My visit to the Blackwater Falls State Park was enjoyable. I'm glad that I'm in reasonably good physical condition for my age, otherwise a number of things I have done on this trip would not have been possible. To view the falls, you have to have good heart and lungs, and a pair of legs to carry you there and back. Fortunately, I handled the climb okay, saw the falls, took pictures and really enjoyed the sounds of the forest.
As I left West Virginia and entered Maryland, I was looking for the somewhat traditional sign each state has to say welcome. Well, on highway 219, there isn't any. I was not about to have an incomplete set of photos for entering states during this trip, so just north I turned west on US50 and went to where it crosses the state line. There I satisfied my goal, took a picture and continued on my journey eastward.
As soon as I left West Virginia and entered the western most part of Maryland, the landscape changed dramatically. Gone were the mountains of West Virginia with its dense cover of trees, and I was greeted by very large, prosperous looking farms. I stopped later in the day and had a conversation with a local who said taxation is quite high in Maryland. Well, it may be, but the farmers seem to be making money in spite of it.
The terrain flatten out, at least for a while, but as I got to my day's destination of Cumberland, small mountains reappeared. The farmland in western Maryland reminds me of Hampshire in England, by the way, but the mountains of Cumberland remind me of West Virginia. The map I have said that highway US219 was scenic and I certainly agree with that.
Getting into Maryland, there was other beauty to behold. There is an area around Deep Creek Lake (what kind of name is that? Either it's a creek or it's a lake, make up your mind!) - anyway, the water is beautiful and it is very apparent that this is a popular resort and vacation area. Boaters, swimmers, campers, you name it. And I can't blame them. The area looks most inviting.
I have to tell you, I saw an accident in Maryland. No, make that Accident. There is a town actually called Accident, Maryland. Why, I have no idea, but it's a good looking little town.
I arrived in Cumberland, checked into my motel and bought 'supplies' to refill my cooler (can't go far without 'supplies'). Then I headed into town and stopped by the visitor's center. My primary interest was to see the C&O Canal (Chesapeake and Ohio), but I now discover it no longer exists at this point. Cumberland had been the northern end or terminus of the C&O Canal, a 184 mile waterway on which mule or horse drawn barges moved freight. I didn't see what I wanted today, but there is a C&O site which I will see tomorrow enroute to Washington, DC.
I made the most of my time in Cumberland by taking the self guided walking tour of the downtown area. There are many fine buildings dating back to the mid-1800s, today being used for other purposes such as offices and shops. A number of them had interesting architecture which I'm always glad to see.
I have to mention, that before coming into Cumberland, I stopped in a small town called LaVale to look for a barbershop. I found one and a customer just walked out as I walked in, so I sat right down. The barber was a talkative guy and it didn't take long to have a conversation. I told him I recently retired and chose to live in Nevada for personal reasons, and he too retired and moved to LaVale, for his personal reasons, but did resume cutting hair.
I asked where he moved from and he said Gaithersburg, Maryland. His wife retired from IBM and they decided to come back to LaVale where both have relatives. Small world! Her name is Doris Elliott and she was a RACF programmer. I don't recognize the name but then maybe she worked in FSD and not DP.
Well, tonight I plan to take in a live theater in town, have a good meal and tomorrow take off for DC, where I have friends and relatives to look up.
Today was full of Civil War history. I visited Antietam (Maryland), Harper's Ferry (West Virginia) and Gettysburg (Pennsylvania). I also visited the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal historical site at Great Falls, Maryland. At the end of the day, Tank and I were bushed but it was great to have packed so much into one day.
The day began with English Muffins and coffee for me while Tank dreamed of jelly beans (he's a bean bag, remember). And off we went from Cumberland, Maryland to Antietam, the first stop for the day. For once in several days now, I was not greeted by dense fog or mist first thing in the morning. I could actually see the sun and the surrounding terrain.
The hills of western Maryland continued but as I crossed over Polish Mountain, elevation 1245, I wondered when a hill becomes a mountain or vice versa. In my neighborhood, our mountains are all over 5000 feet above sea level. When people hear that I live in Nevada, many of them immediately think of Las Vegas and the desert. Reno and Sparks are mountain cities, a mile above sea level. The climate, I think, is great with a 40 degree temperature spread between daytime and nightime.
In western Maryland, I passed through areas like Cumberland Gap, Rocky Gap, gap this and gap that. I couldn't help but be reminded of Loretta Lynn, as I drove through West Virginia, thinking about "Butcher's Holler (hollow)". There a lot of hollows (valleys) in this part of the country. But unlike the tree tunnels of the southeast (my, they have more trees than I imagined), in West Virginia and Maryland, you can drive along and still 'see' quite a bit of the countryside.
The truckers struggled with the mountain roads this morning. They gear up to make the inclines and then gear down (or let'er rip) for the downhill run. The grades around Cumberland were like six percent, but yesterday in West Virginia's back roads, I drove on some nine percent grades. That was a challenge for me, and even tougher on the truckers.
I have seen a number of runaway truck ramps and I can't help compare them to what we have in the Sierra Nevada mountain range between Nevada and California. The ones where I live are much longer than the ones I saw on this trip, and lined with soft sand and small gravel, such that a runaway truck will slow down as it goes up the ramp. The ones around here are shorter and seem only to have a sand pile at the end of the ramp. If I had to have a runaway truck, I'd like it to be out west.
As I drove through the Hancock, Maryland area this morning, I noticed a most peculiar piece of geography. The northern most part of the state is only three miles from the southern state line in this part of Maryland. The so-called 'panhandle' around here is a pretty narrow piece of real estate.
In these heavily wooded areas of the east, there is a sizable deer population. I have seen three deer killed by cars or trucks because they ventured out onto the highway. At the C&O Canal, I saw live deer right in the park area. Drive carefully, that's the word.
I got to Antietam, Maryland around 7:30AM and drove into the park's parking lot just about the same time as the park ranger showed up for work. He proceeded to tell me that the park didn't open until 8:30AM but then took the time to give me a park brochure and a short verbal overview of the park and its history. I drove around the park using the route described in the brochure and by the end of my drive, the visitors center was open. That piece of logistics all worked out in my favor.
The sad part about the Civil War is the large number of people who died in battle. In one September day in 1862, in a cornfield in Antietam, 12,000 confederate soldiers and 10,000 Union soldiers lost their lives. Today's America has come at a steep price!
At Antietam, there is a 100 foot tower than enables visitors to really have a good look at the battlefield. Add to this, the numbered map really helps visitors during their self-guided automobile tour of the property. I found the visit most informative.
From Antietam, I studied the map and rather than go south on numbered highways, I decided to take some really back roads to get south to Harper's Ferry. The roads I'm talking about are not numbered and there were few signs to reassure me that I was headed in the right direction. Thank goodness for the compass built into my Ford Explorer. The road seem to go on forever, but finally I got to the Potomac River and Harper's Ferry.
Harper's Ferry now is pretty much just a tourist attraction, but in its heydey, it was a bustling town, with industry and very much a center of transportation. The railroad probably doomed the river town, and during the Civil War, control of the town changed eight times, so the chaos probably didn't help the local econony much. Today, I should point out, Harper's Ferry is actually on the famous hiking trail known as the Appalachian Trail. I walked for a about one mile on the trail today. I'll cover the other 2499 miles some other time.
From Harper's Ferry, I travelled north through Frederick, Maryland and then onto Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. If I thought the death toll at Antietam was depressing, I learned that during three days in July 1863, 51,000 people died during the fighting at Gettysburg. The Confederate general, Robert E. Lee was involved in both of these famous battles.
The national park at Gettysburg is laid out pretty well. I went to the visitors center for information, saw the short film regarding the war and visited and 360 degree display called cyclorama. I toured the cemetery and then like hundreds of other people today, took a self guided driving tour around the park and the battlefield. The Park Service has done a good job, making the roadway one way for much of the drive, and the numbered map helps you identified significant points in the battlefield.
I let Tank out of the car several times today, and he enjoyed himself fantasizing what it must have been like to be involved in the Civil War. I found him in and round the muzzle loading cannons that are on display in the park. He told me he was a 'top gun' and ready for a shootout. I have to indulge my little friend.
I left Gettysburg and began my drive south to the Washington, DC area where I'll spend the next few days. Enroute I stopped in Gaithersburg to stock up on more film. In 45 days now, I have shot about 40 rolls of slide film and 10-12 hours of video. Boy, will I have editing to do when I get home.
On the northwest side of DC, I stopped at a place called Great Falls, Maryland, and finally got to see something of the C&O Canal system. In its heydey, it was a significant piece of engineering, enabling major movement of freight from the Washington area to northwest Maryland using horse or mule drawn barges moving along this man-made canal system and its many locks.
At Great Falls, a number of the locks are still in existence and operational for tourists on the weekends. One canal boat is there, outfitted to hold people instead of cargo. An old tavern is used as the visitors center, and informational films about the history of the canal are shown there. Not only did I take video and slide pictures of the canal system, but I hiked over to the great falls, from which the area gets its name.
A most fulfilling day. Someone asked recently how I do so much in one day. Well, it took planning ahead of time to know what I 'might' do during a given day on the trip, and then there is the execution of those plans. I get up early, try to drive no more than 200 miles per day (I have failed to meet that objective a number of times) and I'm on the go from 6:00AM usually until around 5:00PM when I locate my evening's rest. Then it's diary time and extracting photos to put on the web site. After a good night's rest, I do it all again the next day.
Ah, but the next few days will be a bit more restful. It's time to stay put in one city for a few days, visit with relatives and see the sights in Washington. If you have never been to Washington, DC, you have been missing one of the best vacation and tourist towns in the country. Many of the museums and attractions are federally funded and free, and in the city center, many sights are within walking distance of each other.
I'll be back later with my report......
Today, I took advantage of something that is available to everyone here in the U.S. and that is to tour the many, fine facilities in the nation's capitol, Washington, DC. Repeating a mention I made earlier, this is a great vacation town, with something for everyone to see and enjoy.
I began my day, first with a trip to the U.S. Post Office. I packed up a second box of things to mail home rather than cart with me for the remainder of my trip. This is day 46 and I have another 48 days planned. I have purchased books and brochures from just about every place I have visited so I will have detailed descriptions and pictures for my bookcase at home. Included in the box were another 20 rolls of slide film and multiple video tape casettes. I estimate I have taken about 1500 slide pictures thusfar and about 14 hours of video.
After putting my box on its way home (my son, Mark, is receiving my mail while I'm gone), I ventured into the city of Washington, DC. My timing was pretty good because I avoided most of the early morning rush hour. It was suggested that I park at Union Station, and it did take me a while to get into that neighborhood and into the correct lane and direction for entering its parking garage.
But, by 10:00AM I was at the Library of Congress to meet with and spend the morning with Dan Dollarhide, a long time friend who has worked there for 30+ years. Dan and other Library employees are rightfully proud of the recently completed renovation reopening the Library to the public. The Library is a beautiful piece of architecture and its interior is as fine or better than the best grand buildings of Europe.
Dan took me on a guided tour of the Library, including some of the 'behind the scenes' activities. The Library uses CICS (my product for 29 years) and many functions of the library are computer controlled. Visitors to the Library are greeted with easy-to-use touch screen displays to help make their visit more productive and beneficial. Books and documents move quickly throughout the library on conveyors and many of the Library's applications are available via the Internet. Like Kansas City's song, "everything's up to date" at the Library.
After an enjoyable lunch with Dan, I bid adieu and went on my walking photo tour of the many fine buildings and attractions along the Mall. Dan had shown me the underground tunnels and people mover trains that enable Congress to use the Library. Now, I was above ground like most tourists and could see and photograph the Capitol Building from both its front and rear views. A typical tourist thing is to have your photo taken with some DC scene in the background. Some good folks from Tennessee helped me in that regard.
I have been to DC a number of times, and have toured the interior of the Capitol Building so I didn't do it this time. For a first time visitor, you should consider taking the time to see the Senate and House chambers and the rotunda area. It's a fine building with many pieces of sculpture and art work. Dan tells me that most, if not all, sculpture in the Capitol has a duplicate copy stored in the underground tunnel area, and is available to make still more copies if required or requested.
It was a very hot day in DC, with high humidity, so the sidewalk vendors were having a good sales day with drinks and ice cream. Another reason for going into any of the fine museums of the city, is to enjoy the air conditioning for a while before venturing to the next attraction on your personal agenda. Every book store, drug store and gas station around here sells maps and tour guides, so there is plenty of information available to assist you in planning a visit in the city.
There are also several kinds of tour companies that operate in the city. One is the classic bus tour, where you and some number of people are transported from site to site and the tour guide will explain what it is that you're seeing. Another popular touring vehicle is the shuttle which operates continually all day long. You pay a fare, get on and off at shuttle stops scattered around the downtown area, so you set your own pace as to where you want to go and how long you want to spend there.
Well, I chose neither but instead walked from place to place, in spite of the hot, humid weather. I visited my favorite showplace, the Air and Space Museum. This place is fantastic. If you have a family, your kids will love this place. There are countless displays on multiple floors, using real planes and space vehicles and then many simulations or replicas of something pertaining to flight. State-of-the-art film presentations, video displays, and lots of 'hands-on' displays are available to the visitor.
From there, I went onto the Smithsonian Institute. First of all, it is a very unusual, unique building so many people would simply enjoy looking at its architecture. But inside are many fine displays across a wide range of topics and interest areas.
I continued my walking tour by photographing the Washington Monument, the Reflecting Pool, the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial and finally the White House. I called to see if Bill Clinton was home; he wasn't, so I left my card.
During my visit to the DC area, I'm staying with my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Dolores and Gus Steinhilber, so at the end of my touring day, it was good to get 'home', take of my shoes and relax. Tomorrow's another day for other touring I have planned for the area.
Even Tank said "Give me a break." The Washington DC area is having record high heat and humidity, but we braved the outdoors and did our touring for the day. Before a family oriented cookout in the late afternoon, I managed to visit Fort Washington, Mount Vernon, Alexandria and the Arlington National Cemetery.
Fort Washington, Maryland is the site of a major fort built around 1814 to protect the Potomac River and the nation's capitol. The structure is preserved but much more could be done to restore the buildings on the property, but of course that takes money. The view of the Potomac River was certainly impressive, looking out from the strategic position of the fort.
I crossed over into Virginia, about 14 miles south of Washington, DC, for a visit to Mount Vernon, George Washington's home. I called to see if he was in, he wasn't, so I left my card. Actually, I did look for the actor who usually is on the property, dressed in period clothes and portrays the country's first president. Still, he wasn't in.
Mount Vernon is not as 'nice' as it was during my last visit, when visitors had more individual freedom to pace themselves through the property. Now, mostly because of the volume of tourists, you are 'batched' in groups of about 15 people and move through the mansion in a limited amount of time. And now, now video or cameras are allowed. This certainly put a damper on my photo expedition.
I ventured over to Alexandria, Virginia which has its place in American history, with many buildings in the town center dating back to the mid-1700s. I found it difficult to photographically capture the essence of the city because of the trees, cars and many tourists, but I did enjoy my visit.
Last stop for the touring day was the Arlington National Cemetery, where John F. Kennedy is buried and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers attract thousands of visitors each year. The cemetery has mostly military personnel buried there.
In the late afternoon, a very heavy rain came down, but by this time I was safely back to the comfort of my relatives' house, Dolores and Gus Steinhilber. The rain really changed our plans for an outdoor barbeque where many of my relatives were going to gather. We gathered but in the house. What a noisy party!
What was really interesting about the house party was that I got to see my two granddaughters, who live in the Sacramento, California area but are here visiting their other grandparents. I took a picture of Emily (2) and Marie (4) to help me remember the occasion.
Tomorrow, I'm off to Anapolis and Baltimore, Maryland. I have been to both cities before, but there are some sites at each location that I have not seen. So, I hope the weather is in my favor, but in any case, Tank and I will do our best to see what there is to see.
After spending three days in the Washington, DC area, it was back on the road again. I had fun in DC, seeing attractions in the city and and nearby surrounding area, and also not only staying with relatives, but seeing other relatives, including my daughter-in-law and my two granddaughters, who are vacationing in Maryland.
Since I was not going to put on very much mileage today, I had a leisurely breakfast, having one last conversation with Dolores and Gus Steinhilber, my sister-in-law and her husband. I left their home in Waldorf, Maryland, timing my arrival at Annapolis just as the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) Visitor's Center opened.
I spent four years of my life in the U.S. Navy, so for me, it's a natural thing to be interested in naval things. I had been to Annapolis on several previous occasions, but I had never toured the academy. Well, today was a day to do just that, and it was most interesting. Like my visit to Clemson, and VMI recently, I found the campus relatively empty and that made my walking around even easier.
The USNA has a number of very new buildings, but also they have their traditions involving older buildings or other facilities. The Chapel is a landmark. There is an excellent museum open to the public, which includes not only displays regarding naval history, but also an excellent display of model ships, mostly those built in centuries past.
With the USNA being in Annapolis, that made it very convenient for me to tour the downtown district, the state capitol and view the historic buildings in the area. I called on the governor, he wasn't in, I left my card (Is there a pattern here?) The state capitol and the governor's mansion are beautiful buildings in traditional colonial architecture. The town has many fine buildings dating back to the mid-1700s but like Alexandria yesterday, it's a shame that Main Street is cluttered with cars that interfere with any photographic attempts.
It was an easy drive to Baltimore and my first stop was to a shipyard where the USS Constellation is dry docked and undergoing extensive restoration. I was able to 'sign in' with the shipyard, don a hard hat and take my cameras and tripod into the shipyard for a closer look at the 143 year old ship. It's not looking very grand just now because the masts, all rigging, cannons, main deck hardware, etc are removed and major portions of the hull (above the water line) are being repaired and/or replaced. I still found it very interesting to watch the workmen doing their tasks, using modern day tools to do what shipbuilders did many years ago.
Nearby, I visited Fort McHenry which is famous for a battle in 1814 which inspired Francis Scott Key to write our nation's anthem. The fort's strategic position enabled U.S. forces to protect Baltimore during those war years. The fort and its buildings have preservation problems, but the park service again has done a good job of maintaining the fort for me and thousands of other visitors.
In the downtown area of Baltimore, I spent several hours at what I think is the best railroad museum in the world, the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad Museum. There are many engines and cars on display outdoors, and still more on display within the huge roundhouse that is the centerpiece of the museum. The engines and cars within the roundhouse are in very, very good condition, and many can be boarded by visitors to the museum. The museum also has model trains on display.
I stopped at the museum dedicated to Babe Ruth and then went across the street to visit the very new major league stadium, Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles. There is a game tonight, but I didn't know that until I was checked into my motel in the suburbs. I was able take pictures and video of the ballfield and that will have to suffice.
It's been a good day, time for an evening's rest, and tomorrow I plan to tour northeastern Maryland, and a bit of Deleware.
Today was as full as I could make the day! As I left Baltimore, I stopped off to see just one more site and that was the George Washington Monument on the near north side of town. From the there, I had an easy drive to the waterfront town of Havre de Grace, northeast of Baltimore.
It was a cool morning and that was a welcome change from the high heat and humidity I had while in Washington, DC. I forgot to mention in my diary but Thursday, June 26th was the halfway point for my planned itinerary and also, as of that day, I had travelled 10010 miles thusfar.
Most things are going as I had planned and hoped, but I must admit I have really under-estimated my mileage. I'm close to my arbitrary goal of 200 miles per day (209 so far), but my guess of 12000 to 14000 total mileage for the trip is going to be way off. I plead guilty because as I drive along and see any sign which interests me, off I go! If you have been reading my diary with regularity, you know about 'side trips' like Gene Autry, Oklahoma, and more. But, that's okay. I'm really enjoying this trip.
I stayed at a motel on the west side of Baltimore last night, so in the light traffic early this morning, I travelled cross-town, from the west side to the east side of the city. Because of this, I passed through the neighborhood where the George Washington monument is located. I had planned to see it yesterday, did not, but it was an easy addition to my itinerary for today.
Baltimore's inner city is much like other cities its size here in the east. You see a lot of urban decay, but some older buildings are 'holding their own' and then too, there is some new development within the city limits.
I watched America wake up on this cool, sunny, Saturday morning. Small businesses putting out their wares, customers beginning to show up, people out in front of their houses, and more.
I chose to travel on US40 for much of the morning, consistent with my intent to avoid Interstate highways where I can. Traffic was light, as I said, but the condition of the road leaves something to be desired. I can understand that with the Interstate system, a lot of federal money is no longer spent on 'other' roads.
The east certainly has more small motels than the west or midwest. I would guess many are family-owned. They are not franchise motels, most are pretty new and attractive. I have been staying at Motel6 and Super8 motels, because of moderate cost and their reservation systems. So far it's been okay.
I couldn't help but compare northeastern Maryland to western Maryland this morning as I travelled along US40. Given a choice, I would spend more time in the west. Western Maryland lies in the Cumberland Mountain area, with pretty lakes and rivers. Northeastern Maryland is oriented to the Chesapeake Bay and is more industrial (it seems).
While on US40, a big tank truck crossed the highway in front of me and belched dark diesel exhaust as it tried to gain highway speed. The sign on the truck said "Pool Water". I have never seen such a thing, and add to that, with the black exhaust, I wondered how clean the water was that it carried. Ah, the thoughts one has as you travel the highways and byways.
Maryland is 'crab country', by the way. People here like to go crabbing and you can see any number of street vendors, selling live crabs, or something produced from crabs. The bay also has quite a few ducks which seems to create an industry for decoys and support of duck hunting.
Another thing which is more common here in the east is the small diner. I ate breakfast at one. Family-owned, for the most part, good food, and almost always, a good meal at a low price. While I was eating at one this morning, I listened to the chatter of the locals who know each other, and the banter between the waitress and the regular customers.
I saw a sign which told me something I didn't know. Aberdeen is the home of Cal Ripken, who plays for the Baltimore Orioles and now having surpassed Lou Gehrig's record of consecutive baseball games played, Cal is now referred to as the 'iron man' for his endurance and injury-free career.
Before going to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, which opened at 10:00AM, I first spent some time in Havre de Grace. It is a nice, quiet town with many well-maintained older homes. I went to the water's edge to see and photograph the Concord Point Lighthouse. I then took an energetic walk along the town's fine boardwalk. The town is where the Susquehanna River ends and meets the Chesapeake Bay. I took many pictures and video of the morning sun glistening off the water.
I got to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds just about the time they opened the museum at 10:00AM. Outdoors, there are about 50 (count'em, 50!) tanks on display, plus (!) about 100 field artillery, and (!) a number of truck or train-carried artillery. The collection includes many tanks from Germany, the Soviet Union, China, Japan and other countries.
The indoor museum focuses on personal armament such as rifles, pistols, machine guns, grenade launchers, and so on. Many other pieces of armament were on display, indoors and outdoors, including some unmanned aerial bombs or missles. A very interesting place to visit.
While still on the west side of the Susquehanna River, I drove north to visit the state park. Of primary interest to me was the large grist mill located at Rock Run. The four-story mill, built in 1794, is opened for public viewing. Also in the immediate area is a large stone home, built in 1804, that was once owned by General James Archer, who resigned from the Union Army to join the Confederate Army. He was captured at Gettysburg in 1863 and died in 1864.
Paying my toll and crossing over to the east side of the Susquehanna River, I thought I would drive up towards Port Deposit before going to my next destination, namely New Castle, Delaware. The reason for this addition to my itinerary (see, I told you that I put on more miles than I planned for) - well, my reason was to see what the US Navy did with the property that once was the Bainbridge Training Center. I first learned computers there.
Well, the answer to my question is that the former base is closed, and has a locked fence around the property. At the entrance, a sign which once said "Welcome", now has only a faded image of the letters the sign once held. All I can say is "thanks, Navy, for exposing me to technology."
At New Castle, Delaware, I had a most enjoyable time. First, I ate lunch is the cellar of an 18th century building and then toured the landmark buildings described in the brochure I received in the mail when planning my trip. The town lived up to its description in the brochure and more. I really liked what I saw and would come back to spend more time. Cobblestone streets, a real village green, and many colonial style buildings. And all this on the shores of the Delaware River.
To finish my day of touring, I went north of Wilmington to visit the Brandywine River area. Many things around there are called Brandywine 'something'. There are state parks on the Delaware side and also on the Pennsylvania side. My destinations were the Brandywine River Museum in Chadds Ford, PA, where their collection of works include three generations of the Wyeth family.
At the Brandywine Battlefield, the houses used by George Washington and the Marquis de LaFayette as headquarters in 1777 are now restored, and the visitor's center provides a touring map to assist you with locating strategic battle sites within the park. For Revolutionary War buffs, this would be a most interesting place to visit.
And so ends my 49th day for the trip. Tomorrow, I will be visiting Valley Forge and many of the historic sites within the city of Philadelphia.
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