Photos of Valley Forge, DC, Mt. Vernon and Williamsburg

On the left, the house George Washington rented during the winter at Valley Forge.  On the right, replicas of the cabins the soldiers built for themselves, usually 12 men to one cabin.

Garvin wanted a creative shot, and suggested this one.  This is taken from the WW II Memorial.  Due to earthquake damage, the Washington Monument is closed for repairs.

I show this only because I like it -- a glorious day with the fall leaves and sunshine.  You might spot Garvin in the scene.  We ate lunch in this plaza after touring the White House Visitors' Center, which is in the background.  Wonderful exhibits on the presidents' families and the changes in the White House over the years.

A replica of the President's desk.  We've tried to visit or recreate as many scenes from the movies National Treasure 1 & 2 as possible. 

The Library of Congress (also in National Treasure) -- my favorite stop on our DC leg, and I think, one of my favorite buildings ever.  The artwork, mosaics, sculpture, and all the history and stories surrounding them would take days to absorb, not to mention all the books.

Mt. Vernon -- George Washington's home overlooking the Potomac.  We couldn't photograph inside, which is too bad.  You'd never believe the vibrant green of his dining room, a bright, creme de menthe shade.   Bright colors were the height of fashion and a sign of wealth.  The paint powder was ordered from England and mixed on site.  Mr. Washington took great pride in his home and was involved in every aspect of its design and decoration, including the layout of the grounds.

Another National Treasure tribute -- Mt. Vernon offers an additional tour which takes you to some spots from the movie.  We were able to go into the cellar, although those scenes were filmed on a set.  This is where Nicholas Cage comes out of hiding to join a party.

The Governor's Palace at Williamsburg.  What an amazing experience -- we could have stayed here much longer than we did, with all the craftspeople to visit, and historical events reenacted each day.

An arbor in the garden behind the Governor's Palace.

After we heard the reading of the Declaration of Independence, the fife and drum corps came through.  The Virginia Capitol is in the background.

In Williamsburg, all trades are practiced as they would have been in the 1700's -- no electricity, and using tools from the period.  This window is being made for a building at Mt. Vernon!

Since leaving Philly

Hello! I haven't abandoned the blog. My computer is failing, so we sent it to our guru for help. Internet connections at the campground outside of D.C. were very slow . . . blah, blah, blah. Here is a recap of recent events with photos to follow on another post.

It's pouring rain as I type this and we are warm and dry. However, about a month ago we were not as dry as we'd thought. Before leaving Colorado, Craig repaired a leak in the window in the bunk bed over the driver's area. Somewhere in Amish country, PA, at 9:45 one evening, Craig realized part of Garvin's mattress and a blanket were soaked. The blanket was so wet, water was dripping off it when we brought it down from the bunk. Craig took every plastic tub, container and storage cube we had and propped them under the mattress to dry it, and the bunk. The leak really is fixed now after three separate caulkings and he figured out how to alleviate most of the condensation, so we really are dry, finally.

From Philly, we headed to Valley Forge with four new tires, feeling all ship shape. It was sunny and beautiful, the museum at Valley Forge was exceptional, and we planned to go back in the morning, see a few more things, and head to D.C.

The next morning Craig notices one of our new tires looks low. Luckily we're near a Sear's Service Center, but they don't work on motorhomes and neither do any of the 15 places we call in the next few minutes, or they aren't open on a Saturday, or they close at noon and won't be able to fit us in . . . Finally Craig finds a place about 20 minutes away. They can fit us in later, giving us time to go back to Valley Forge, which we do. Then we spend an hour driving up and down the same road looking for the garage. Their directions weren't good to start with, and when we called to clarify, they assumed we were coming from a different direction, and sent us back the way we'd come. It all worked out fine once we finally made it there but we were a little cranky, and it was stressful for Craig driving back and forth on a two-lane road with a fair amount of traffic. They decided we needed a new valve stem and off we went.

A little info on Valley Forge -- no battles were fought there. It was the winter encampment for General Washington's army from December 1777 - June 1778. Soldiers were poorly outfitted, but when the army left there, after being drilled for months by a Prussian, Major General von Steuben, they were a no longer a rag-tag group of militia men, but a coordinated army. And even though the Revolution would continue for several more years, Valley Forge is considered a turning point because of the cohesion developed there.

North of D.C., we exited at Greenbelt, MD by mistake, then Craig saw there was a farmer's market, so we decided to check it out. Then we saw signs for "Historic Greenbelt" and were curious.

From the Greenbelt website -- "Greenbelt is one of three greenbelt towns envisioned by Rexford Guy Tugwell, friend and advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and created under the Resettlement Administration in 1935 under authority of the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act. (Greendale, Wisconsin, near Milwaukee, and Greenhills, Ohio, near Cincinnati, are the other two towns. A fourth town, to be located in New Jersey, was never built.)"

The idea was to get low-income families out of the inner city with access to better neighborhoods. A central business district is surrounded by houses, parks, walking and bike paths which go under busy intersections, giving kids and adults the ability to ride and walk most anywhere. It is now cooperatively owned by the people who live there and felt like a wonderful community.

And, I kid you not, we saw high school kids playing Quidditch. If you're not a Harry Potter fan, this won't mean a thing to you. They weren't flying or wearing robes, but they had brooms between their legs and hoops elevated on sticks. When we first went by them, we wondered, but then we saw their jerseys which read "Quidditch Team" and we knew we weren't seeing things.

There was one more tire issue while in D.C. The one with the replaced valve stem lost air again, so Craig took it to a garage (again with the bad directions, so he was sent hither and yon by the people who worked there) but the guys doing the work were great and they tightened the new valve stem and replaced one other, and now the tires remain inflated, for which we're very grateful.

We had a wonderful week in D.C., then went on to Mt. Vernon before arriving in Williamsburg, which is where we are now. Each spot was incredible. I have a much greater respect for George Washington than I remember having in school. He was a formidable and inspired leader, intelligent speaker, uncompromising rebel, and inventive farmer and business owner, just to name a few of his greater qualities. We could have spent days more in each place. Seeing the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution in the National Archives was almost hard to get my head around and yesterday in Williamsburg, a reenactment of events ended with the public reading of the Declaration which all colonies heard in the months following its adoption by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.

I don't think I've ever had the entire Declaration read to me before, and certainly not by people in period dress, standing in a building restored to look like the Virginia Capitol of 1776. As I've said previously -- I was moved, humbled, and awed by the foresight of our Founding Fathers. Had they failed they would have been tried and convicted of treason.
I've been wondering quite a bit what they'd say about our modern world.

Sending love, and photos next.

A few hiccups

So, we've been hanging out with friends for over a week, bless their hearts!  It wasn't our plan to stay so long, but we needed a day to air out the rv from the leak -- more on that shortly, then Craig had to do some minor construction so we can get the mattress above the driver's area out easily, and he mounted brackets for curtains . . . plus we were doing some sightseeing in the area, and in Philly between rain and then the snowstorm which took out the power and snapped tree limbs.  It's been an eventful week.

We decided to stay for Halloween so Garvin could go trick or treating with the kids of our friends friends.  Get that?

Craig went out to move the rv yesterday before we headed on our way and noticed dripping antifreeze. We started calling garages, and found one 4 miles from where we're staying.

We just heard from the mechanic; the good news is the leak was due to some loose clamps on a hose.  The more expensive, but not horrible news, we need 4 new tires.  They looked good when we bought the rv, but this is common when it sits for a long time and the tires are exposed to the sun.  It had been unused for about 10 months.

Luckily we weren't stranded anywhere and we ended up with a reliable mechanic.  Our friends have been beyond hospitable and we'll really be getting out of their hair tomorrow, heading to Valley Forge and then onto D.C.

The leak -- about 2 weeks ago we discovered at 9:45 pm that water had been slowly dripping beside and under Garvin's bed, above the driver's cab.  This was the window Craig caulked before we left Colorado, and we thought was fixed.  More caulking, and after more rain and snow there's no signs of moisture.  Yahoo!!!

That combined with condensation created a damp mattress, wet bedding . . . so Garvin was the first guest on the fold out bed which is also our dining area.  We haven't all sat together yet because the bikes have been strapped beside the table so they don't fly around the motor home.  We bought a bike rack on Monday.  I'm so pleased about this development I can't even express my delight.  We've all banged our legs, they've taken up so much space.  It will be a huge improvement.

Margaret mapped out a great bike ride near their house which crossed this bridge.  Then we came upon the bridge below.  The damage is from the flooding after Hurricane Irene.

This is Margaret's horse Sis.  Garvin wanted to give a gentle, mellow horse a try.

 The Liberty Bell with Independence Hall in the background.


We could not believe we left Colorado to come to a snowstorm in PA.  The irony -- every time Ron and Margaret visit us in Colorado, we have a huge snowstorm, or they leave one taking place back east.

The day after the snowstorm, clear blue skies.  Though Philly wasn't hit as hard.  Ron was a tourist with us.

Garvin and his new friends on Halloween.  He's been planning this costume for months -- Neo from The Matrix.  The coat came from a thrift shop in my grandpa's small town in Ohio.  Garvin and Craig made the guns here at our friends'.

For the full effect of the outfit.

Pennsylvania Countryside

I love Pennsylvania!!!  The rolling hills, the beautiful barns and old farmhouses, the changing leaves -- I can't seem to get enough of the scenery.

We've had a great week enjoying PA since leaving Gettysburg --

Outside of York we toured the Harley Davidson factory.

A day in Hershey sampling the treats -- this was the chocolate tasting "class" where we learned about the growing and harvesting of cocoa beans.

Getting ready to make our own chocolate bar, complete with a personalized label.  They are very serious about their hygiene; we're not sure why since we were nowhere near the chocolate, it was all behind glass.

The Hershey factory has gone upscale since Craig and I were here in 1992, though they still have the same ride which simulates a factory tour.  The only change, they've added singing cows.  I'm not sure it's an improvement.

Toured an old-fashioned pretzel "factory" in Lititz -- settled in the late 1700's by Moravians escaping religious persecution.  This shop produced hard baked pretzels -- which came about by accident.  As an apprentice, Mr. Sturgis often got too busy playing and forgot to take the pretzels out of the oven.  His master didn't think anyone would want crunchy pretzels, so years later, Sturgis built his own ovens at the back of the house where he was raised.

Houses in Lititz from the late 1700's.  I find them very charming, and luckily have seen similar ones throughout the area.

Amish country -- Garvin said we could stop telling him when a buggy was coming by, but I haven't  tired yet of hearing the clip clop of the hooves.

  This sign was outside the bank where we parked the RV last Saturday.

Our view from our parking spot.  In the space of about 15 minutes, all the spots were filled, and there was another buggy parked to the right.  We saw a much larger version of this horse port at the Wal-Mart!


Garvin, so happy to sample delicious jams and jellies.  We walked out of there with three jars of varying flavors.

Holding a chick at the farm where we also experienced the corn maze extravaganza.

Just before entering the maze.  We were not successful in solving it, and had to take the easy exit.  After an hour, we decided hot cider and a donut were more appealing.

And, because in the van Dernoot family we brake for weapon stores, and Renaissance festivals, we spent the day at Pennsylvania's festival.  Garvin had a blast, and thinks we all need period costumes.  Luckily Garvin brought his own bow and arrows, with quiver (all bought at a Renaissance festival during our travels in Mexico), Robin Hood hat, wrist and finger guards.  We had at least four people stop us and ask if the bows were being sold there.

Gettysburg, Day 4

Due to schedules, and intermittent internet access,  I'm just now posting what I started almost a week ago.

Our final day here -- we went to see the largest battlefield diorama in the U.S.  It has thousands of hand painted miniature soldiers, horses, cannons, the buildings of Gettysburg, . . . and gives a panorama of the battleground and the activity during the three days of battle.  It pulled together everything we've seen and heard these last few days since we could see the whole battleground at once and "watch" the events unfold.

The last activity, fittingly (and coincidentally), was the ranger walk through the memorial cemetery. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was written for the cemetery dedication on Nov. 19, 1863. Gettysburg was still struggling to properly care for all the bodies, and they wouldn't all be interred till months after the dedication.

The cemetery is on the high ground of the battlefield -- ground the Union held throughout the battle, in spite of many attempts by the Confederates to overtake the area.

Here, in case you haven't read it in awhile, or maybe never did, is Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. After walking around the battlefields, listening to the stories, and seeing some of the graves, it has a much deeper meaning than when I read it in school.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.


Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.


But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. 


It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Gettysburg, Day 3

Yesterday we learned that a number of soldiers signed up because it was a way to get girls.  In the beginning, women were encouraging men to sign up.  The ranger told of a gal who sent her fiance a dress and a note, saying he'd better sign up or start wearing the dress.  As the war went on, women then encouraged their men to drop out.

On Sunday, the other enactment we saw was a group of volunteers showing infantry, sharpshooting, and artillery.  They fired their guns, and a cannon.  Garvin was thrilled.

The men below are standing shoulder to shoulder as they would have done to march and fire in battle.

Our time here has been incredibly interesting, sobering, and humbling.  

We went to the Cyclorama painting display yesterday where a 360 degree painting (done after the war by a Frenchman) is lit and narrated to show the progression on the last day of the battle.  Then, in the museum, one of the final exhibits is a quiet room with a recording of the Gettysburg address.  Both events were so moving and gave a meaning to Lincoln's inspired speech and all the battles fought here which I appreciate much more fully now.

Last night we signed up for one of the numerous ghost tours in town.  It focuses on telling stories of various encounters people have had over the years and took us into the house of Jenny Wade, the only civilian killed in the battle of Gettysburg.  She had moved to her sister's house at the edge of town thinking she'd be safer since Confederates surrounded her house in town, and then even changed her position in the house while kneading dough to be away from a window.  Bullets struck all over the brick house, and then one came in and passed through two wooden doors before hitting her.  Much to Garvin's dismay, there were no ghostly appearances during the tour, though he was sure he heard footsteps. 

Gettysburg, Day 2

Back in our little home after a day of battle stories.  The wind is still blowing -- it's been windy since we left Colorado over a week ago.  We had a brief reprieve today during a ranger talk about Pickett's Charge. It took place on the third day and ended the battle of Gettysburg.  Lee insisted on charging toward the Union soldiers, against the advice of one of his generals.  General Meade and his Union soldiers had interviewed all the captured soldiers and anticipated from where the attack would come and the result was 5,000 casualties for the Confederate army in the hour long battle.

There was a camp set up by volunteers for the US Sanitary Commission.  When I saw the name I wondered what the heck the connection was.  The Sanitary Commission was begun by concerned women in the north who wanted to improve life for soldiers.  They helped them, or their families, collect pensions.  They also worked to improve life in the field, encouraging the army to avoid setting up camp in boggy areas (malaria) and to allow the commission to provide fruits and vegetables for the men -- just a few of the ways they helped.  The camp was a replica of ones set up for traveling soldiers who might need medical care, food, or a night's sleep.

Supplies on hand to share with soldiers.  Below is on of the volunteers showing us a block of tea they would give to the men.  It has raised artwork on it, and a wealthy family would have an entire illustrated tea square on display in their home.  These blocks traveled well; when tea was needed, they scraped some off with a knife.

This table below shows some of the other items provided for the soldiers.  In the lower left-hand corner is a basket with packets of hot chocolate mix, coffee, and lemonade, which they encouraged to avoid scurvy. The tea block is next to the basket.  Above the packets is a basket of sponges for wounds and washing.  To the right are ginger cookies (they traveled well) wrapped in wax paper, which could be later used to start a fire, and then wrapped in material scraps which could be used to patch clothes.  The little basket in the upper right corner has sewing kits.  They were called 'housewives' and soldiers left home with ones made by their wives, daughters . . . and usually out of cloth from a special dress. Volunteer women made new ones to replace those lost during battle.  Behind that is a yoke for carrying water buckets at the camp.   The basket in front on the right has bandage rolls, and a bandage roller is to the right of the basket.  In the center is an example of a letter which might have accompanied some of the supplies.  

I'm having technical difficulties downloading the photos of volunteers in soldier garb, so I'll save that for later.  The talks we heard today were excellent, and sobering.  As Craig said, it's just sad.  So many lives lost.  And in the case of the Confederate side, many were lost due to poor communication, misinformation, bad decisions, and faulty weaponry.