We woke up at 6:00 am, EDT. Time to pack up our stuff and make our way back to DCA for the 8:25 back to MSP. (All the world travelers talk that way.). After a bowl of Frosted Mini Wheats and a quick cup of coffee, we were out the door.
Reagan National was hopping this morning! All kinds of people going all kinds of places. Our 8:25 flight turned into an 8:50 flight, and it was about 9:45 before we were actually in the air. Evidently the Governor of Virginia was coming to town and they needed to give his flight priority. (Tell that to all of the angry people on our plane who missed their connections because of it!)
After a sweet touchdown on the runway and a short taxi to the gate and a long walk to the Ground Transportation Center, we were back in Dave's car, and on the road leading home.
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Friday, July 1, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Another Day in DC
Back into DC for our last day of tourism before heading back to the Badger State. We started out with a stroll through Old Town DC, in search of Ford's Theater, the site of Abraham Lincoln's assassination. We found it here:
And across the street we saw the house they carried him, and where he subsequently died:
From there it was on to the National Archives, home of the Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights, and The Constitution. We waited in line for about 15 minutes, but it was worth it. It was humbling to think that right before our eyes lay the very documents that were handled by the country's founding fathers. It's nice that they have been so well preserved for future generations to enjoy and appreciate. Photography is not allowed inside the building, but I snuck one of the outside:
Our next stop would involve our first experience riding the Metro (that's the subway). We trekked over to L'Enfant Plaza and rode the escalator down under the streets of DC. We bought our farecards and found the Blue Line and we were on our way to Arlington National Cemetery.
Arlington is hallowed ground, and one really feels that vibe strolling the grounds. We walked up the hill to the JFK grave site:
We continued on up the hill to Arlington House, once the home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee:
What a view of DC from up there!
We made it over to the Tomb of The Unknowns just in time to see the changing of the guard.
Arlington was our favorite stop of the day. It was an honor to be in the presence of the spirits of all those soldiers who gave service and shed blood for our freedom.
It was a short Metro ride back to The Mall, where we grabbed some chow and listened to a little bit of music. There was a Smithsonian Folklife Festival going on there, and one of the stages had blues music. It's the first time I ever heard John Prine's "Sam Stone" done as a blues tune. Nevertheless, it was a very appropriate song to listen to right after having visited Arlington.
We made the journey over to the Tidal Basin and saw the Jefferson Memorial...
...and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial:
All the memorials and monuments made me wonder what a president has to do to get memorialized. "Something good," says Dave.
Our last stop of the day was the Air & Space Museum. We hadn't planned on going there, but we decided to do it because it was free! We're glad we stopped in. We saw some pretty historically important flying contraptions, such as Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis:
The actual plane that the Wright Brothers flew (the fabric has been replaced):
And a plane the once belonged to Amelia Earhart:
Over 28,000 steps later, we were spent. We headed back to Donna's office and relaxed for a while, contemplating the sights of the day.
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And across the street we saw the house they carried him, and where he subsequently died:
From there it was on to the National Archives, home of the Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights, and The Constitution. We waited in line for about 15 minutes, but it was worth it. It was humbling to think that right before our eyes lay the very documents that were handled by the country's founding fathers. It's nice that they have been so well preserved for future generations to enjoy and appreciate. Photography is not allowed inside the building, but I snuck one of the outside:
Our next stop would involve our first experience riding the Metro (that's the subway). We trekked over to L'Enfant Plaza and rode the escalator down under the streets of DC. We bought our farecards and found the Blue Line and we were on our way to Arlington National Cemetery.
Arlington is hallowed ground, and one really feels that vibe strolling the grounds. We walked up the hill to the JFK grave site:
We continued on up the hill to Arlington House, once the home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee:
What a view of DC from up there!
We made it over to the Tomb of The Unknowns just in time to see the changing of the guard.
Arlington was our favorite stop of the day. It was an honor to be in the presence of the spirits of all those soldiers who gave service and shed blood for our freedom.
It was a short Metro ride back to The Mall, where we grabbed some chow and listened to a little bit of music. There was a Smithsonian Folklife Festival going on there, and one of the stages had blues music. It's the first time I ever heard John Prine's "Sam Stone" done as a blues tune. Nevertheless, it was a very appropriate song to listen to right after having visited Arlington.
We made the journey over to the Tidal Basin and saw the Jefferson Memorial...
...and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial:
All the memorials and monuments made me wonder what a president has to do to get memorialized. "Something good," says Dave.
Our last stop of the day was the Air & Space Museum. We hadn't planned on going there, but we decided to do it because it was free! We're glad we stopped in. We saw some pretty historically important flying contraptions, such as Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis:
The actual plane that the Wright Brothers flew (the fabric has been replaced):
And a plane the once belonged to Amelia Earhart:
Over 28,000 steps later, we were spent. We headed back to Donna's office and relaxed for a while, contemplating the sights of the day.
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Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Three States in One Day
We woke up Wednesday morning in Maryland, in the fine city of Hagerstown. I tried to find out some interesting information about Hagerstown, but there was seemingly none to be had. Nobody famous that I ever heard of was born there. There were no Civil War battles fought here. Nice town all he same.
We headed south. Destination: Harpers Ferry. On the way there, we briefly passed out of Maryland, through Virginia, and then drove into West Virginia. This was my first time in WV, so there's another state to cross off of the list, and three states in a matter of minutes.
In October of 1859, abolitionist John Brown led a raid on an armory and munitions storage in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. He was hoping to gather arms to supply a slave revolt, which he was sure would happen as soon as they found out he'd taken the armory. The president sent Robert E. Lee and his men to take care of the problem. After a day or two of exchanging gunfire in the streets of Harpers Ferry, Brown and his men were either captured or killed. Brown was captured, tried and hanged. The slave revolt never happened, but John Brown was a martyr to the abolitionist cause, and many say his actions set into motion the events that eventually led to the War Between the States, which started 18 months after the siege at Harpers Ferry.
Harpers Ferry itself is a picturesque little town, set in a valley at the confluence of the Potomac and the Shenandoah Rivers. Here are some pictures of the landscape and the historic Lower Town that I took today:
Visitors Center
The shuttle we rode from the Visitors Center to the historic site:
Stepping off of the tour bus, this is the first thing you see:
A look up one of the main drags in Harpers Ferry:
John Brown's Fort, where he held up during the siege:
That's the original building, still standing today. It originally stood in a spot about 100 feet away, as indicated by this marker:
This is where the Potomac and the Shenandoah meet:
The Appalachian Trail runs through Harpers Ferry. Here's Dave standing on an old railroad bridge that serves as part of the trail:
Another shot looking along the main drag:
Dave contemplating life along the shores of the Shenandoah River:
Back on the shuttle after an exhausting but satisfying day:
One last parting shot:
We had a great time exploring Harpers Ferry, and what we'll most remember it for is the beauty of the landscape and the richness of it's history.
Also, there were no tall towers for me to climb, but there was this really high bridge...
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We headed south. Destination: Harpers Ferry. On the way there, we briefly passed out of Maryland, through Virginia, and then drove into West Virginia. This was my first time in WV, so there's another state to cross off of the list, and three states in a matter of minutes.
In October of 1859, abolitionist John Brown led a raid on an armory and munitions storage in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. He was hoping to gather arms to supply a slave revolt, which he was sure would happen as soon as they found out he'd taken the armory. The president sent Robert E. Lee and his men to take care of the problem. After a day or two of exchanging gunfire in the streets of Harpers Ferry, Brown and his men were either captured or killed. Brown was captured, tried and hanged. The slave revolt never happened, but John Brown was a martyr to the abolitionist cause, and many say his actions set into motion the events that eventually led to the War Between the States, which started 18 months after the siege at Harpers Ferry.
Harpers Ferry itself is a picturesque little town, set in a valley at the confluence of the Potomac and the Shenandoah Rivers. Here are some pictures of the landscape and the historic Lower Town that I took today:
Visitors Center
The shuttle we rode from the Visitors Center to the historic site:
Stepping off of the tour bus, this is the first thing you see:
A look up one of the main drags in Harpers Ferry:
John Brown's Fort, where he held up during the siege:
That's the original building, still standing today. It originally stood in a spot about 100 feet away, as indicated by this marker:
This is where the Potomac and the Shenandoah meet:
The Appalachian Trail runs through Harpers Ferry. Here's Dave standing on an old railroad bridge that serves as part of the trail:
Another shot looking along the main drag:
Dave contemplating life along the shores of the Shenandoah River:
Back on the shuttle after an exhausting but satisfying day:
One last parting shot:
We had a great time exploring Harpers Ferry, and what we'll most remember it for is the beauty of the landscape and the richness of it's history.
Also, there were no tall towers for me to climb, but there was this really high bridge...
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Antietam Battlefield
We left Gettysburg around 2:30 in the afternoon, and headed south for another battlefield: Antietam. It was a very scenic drive that took us up and over part of the Blue Ridge mountains.
I didn't really know a lot about Antietam. I knew that it wasn't really a decisive victory for either side. I was familiar with the Sunken Road, or the "Bloody Lane", as it came to be known. Here's what it looks like today:
Here's how it looked in 1862 (and why it got it's name):
The end of the Bloody Lane is marked by a very, very tall observation tower.
Guess what, I made it all the way to the top! Here's proof: I took this picture of Dave looking out over the battlefield, and then I got my butt down as quickly as I could!
The other famous Antietam landmark is Burnside's Bridge, over Antietam Creek. This is where the Union Army was able to push Lee's forces back into West Virginia. Here's the bridge today:
This was a very calm and peaceful part of the battlefield, and it's hard to imagine the carnage that must have taken place here 149 years ago.
After our tour of Antietam in 93 degree heat, we drove to nearby Hagerstown, MD and settled into a Super 8 for a little rest and relaxation.
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I didn't really know a lot about Antietam. I knew that it wasn't really a decisive victory for either side. I was familiar with the Sunken Road, or the "Bloody Lane", as it came to be known. Here's what it looks like today:
Here's how it looked in 1862 (and why it got it's name):
The end of the Bloody Lane is marked by a very, very tall observation tower.
Guess what, I made it all the way to the top! Here's proof: I took this picture of Dave looking out over the battlefield, and then I got my butt down as quickly as I could!
The other famous Antietam landmark is Burnside's Bridge, over Antietam Creek. This is where the Union Army was able to push Lee's forces back into West Virginia. Here's the bridge today:
This was a very calm and peaceful part of the battlefield, and it's hard to imagine the carnage that must have taken place here 149 years ago.
After our tour of Antietam in 93 degree heat, we drove to nearby Hagerstown, MD and settled into a Super 8 for a little rest and relaxation.
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Location:Antietam Battlefield
On The Road to Gettysburg
Bright and early Tuesday morning found us on the road to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to tour the great battlefield. This have me a chance to test my driving skills against Washington DC traffic. DC traffic kicked my butt! I missed my first really important turn, and therefore had to do some fancy re-calculating of my internal GPS, along with some help from Dave and my iPad, my trusty team of navigators. We managed to right ourselves rather quickly, and before we knew it we were approaching the great crossroads much like the Army of Potomac did 148 years ago (I don't think they had Kias back then, however.)
We started out our day at the Visitors Center. It's an all new facility they they have built-in response to all of the interest in the battlefield from tourists. This was a great way to start the day. First, we watched a video that capsulized the events leading up to Gettysburg, the actual three days of battle, and then the aftermath. Anyone going to Gettysburg really needs to watch this video.
After the video we were treated to a Cyclorama depicting Pickett's Charge, on the third day of the battle. It was a huge 360 degree painting on canvas, painted in 1884.
Then we spent about two hours walking through the museum at the Visitors Center. I don't imagine that the museum curators downtown were any too happy about this new museum, because it's easily the best one around. It's full of pictures and stories and relics from the battle. Very cool.
We decided to forego the guided tours and just set off on our own, following the Auto Tour signs. The first stop was at McPherson's Ridge, where Day One of the battle took place.
Then we made our way across Seminary Ridge, which was the offensive position that the Confederate Army held for the second and third days of the battle. On Day Two, some of the bloodiest action took place here in The Devil's Den:
This what it looked like from the Union Army's vantage point, high atop Little Round Top:
There's a very, very, very tall observation tower on Seminary Ridge, which Dave climbed. He said the view was breathtaking. I took his word for it. (Do you see how tall that thing is?) If you look closely, you can see Dave walking down the steps:
Day Three of the battle ended with Pickett's Charge, and served as the "high water mark" of the whole Civil War. It's as far as the Rebels got before they were turned back. Their objective was to charge across this field and make it over the stone wall...
...to this "clump of trees":
Of the 12,000 men that started the charge, only a handful made it over the wall, and that was the last thing they ever did.
Our Auto Tour took us through the cemetery that Lincoln dedicated with his famous Gettysburg Address.
A monument marks the approximate spot where Lincoln stood for those brief few minutes and made history:
After the tour was over, we drove into historic downtown Gettysburg, and we saw the house where lincoln stayed the night before he delivered his famous speech:
Then we had a beer to toast our successful afternoon, and filled our bellies full of burgers and fries at The Pub:
It was a hot, 90 degree day, but it was worth it. It was fun revisiting Gettysburg, and seeing all of the things I had been reading and singing about for the last ten years. We popped into a few gift shops to look for my CD, but didn't find it. What are they thinking?
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We started out our day at the Visitors Center. It's an all new facility they they have built-in response to all of the interest in the battlefield from tourists. This was a great way to start the day. First, we watched a video that capsulized the events leading up to Gettysburg, the actual three days of battle, and then the aftermath. Anyone going to Gettysburg really needs to watch this video.
After the video we were treated to a Cyclorama depicting Pickett's Charge, on the third day of the battle. It was a huge 360 degree painting on canvas, painted in 1884.
Then we spent about two hours walking through the museum at the Visitors Center. I don't imagine that the museum curators downtown were any too happy about this new museum, because it's easily the best one around. It's full of pictures and stories and relics from the battle. Very cool.
We decided to forego the guided tours and just set off on our own, following the Auto Tour signs. The first stop was at McPherson's Ridge, where Day One of the battle took place.
Then we made our way across Seminary Ridge, which was the offensive position that the Confederate Army held for the second and third days of the battle. On Day Two, some of the bloodiest action took place here in The Devil's Den:
This what it looked like from the Union Army's vantage point, high atop Little Round Top:
There's a very, very, very tall observation tower on Seminary Ridge, which Dave climbed. He said the view was breathtaking. I took his word for it. (Do you see how tall that thing is?) If you look closely, you can see Dave walking down the steps:
Day Three of the battle ended with Pickett's Charge, and served as the "high water mark" of the whole Civil War. It's as far as the Rebels got before they were turned back. Their objective was to charge across this field and make it over the stone wall...
...to this "clump of trees":
Of the 12,000 men that started the charge, only a handful made it over the wall, and that was the last thing they ever did.
Our Auto Tour took us through the cemetery that Lincoln dedicated with his famous Gettysburg Address.
A monument marks the approximate spot where Lincoln stood for those brief few minutes and made history:
After the tour was over, we drove into historic downtown Gettysburg, and we saw the house where lincoln stayed the night before he delivered his famous speech:
Then we had a beer to toast our successful afternoon, and filled our bellies full of burgers and fries at The Pub:
It was a hot, 90 degree day, but it was worth it. It was fun revisiting Gettysburg, and seeing all of the things I had been reading and singing about for the last ten years. We popped into a few gift shops to look for my CD, but didn't find it. What are they thinking?
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Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Dinner at Old Ebbit Grill
Old Ebbitt Grill is a storied and historic restaurant located a couple of blocks from the White House. We decided to cap off our successful DC day by treating Donna to a nice dinner.
Dave and I got there early, so while we waited for a table we bellied up (quite literally) to the bar and had ourselves a couple of ice cold beers. Donna got caught up in traffics, so we had a couple more beers.
Donna arrived on cue, just as we were being called for our table. We had a great dinner, and great conversation. The atmosphere was spectacular and the barbecued ribs were awesome.
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Dave and I got there early, so while we waited for a table we bellied up (quite literally) to the bar and had ourselves a couple of ice cold beers. Donna got caught up in traffics, so we had a couple more beers.
Donna arrived on cue, just as we were being called for our table. We had a great dinner, and great conversation. The atmosphere was spectacular and the barbecued ribs were awesome.
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The Washington Monument
We had the opportunity to go up to the top of the Washington Monument. And when I say "we" I mean Dave. (Have you seen how tall that thing is?). Here's Dave pre-ascent:
I sent my "good" camera up with him (as opposed to my iPod camera, with which most of the pictures in this blog were taken) and Dave took these four pictures, one looking each direction.
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I sent my "good" camera up with him (as opposed to my iPod camera, with which most of the pictures in this blog were taken) and Dave took these four pictures, one looking each direction.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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