Day 48 - Burley, ID to Home

Sorry about posting this so late. Just had to take a little time a think about the trip. Hope you enjoyed coming along with us. We sure liked hearing from all of you.

Today was a really early start and we were ready when the continental breakfast opened at 6:00 am. Twenty minutes later the little HHR was loaded and we were on Interstate 84 West. After the weather yesterday I was a little worried about the possibility of ice or maybe even snow. However, the roads were clear and shortly the rising sun to reveal a pretty nice day.

Really an uneventful drive today. We crossed into Oregon, found our way through Ontario after crossing the Snake River and then headed west on Highway 20. After passing through the farmland of eastern Oregon, the scenery was about the same as forty eight days ago. I suppose there is a certain beauty to so much open land covered with sagebrush if you raise cattle, but after so many trips it’s just so much open land covered with sagebrush. And yes, we saw a lot of cattle.

We made a quick stop in Hines to split a sandwich and before we knew it we were in Bend. A short fourteen miles later we were home and unpacking. Next was a trip into Redmond to drop off the rental car and pick of a half gallon of milk.

We are now pretty much back to normal. Sounds like the Honda will be done in three weeks or so. AAA in Bend was very helpful in referring us to a company that will transport the car back home. Turns out that is much less expensive then motels, food and gas for us to go get it. And I don’t want to drive to Colorado and back in winter.

Overall, it was a really wonderful trip and one deer that had a bad day will not keep us off the road in the future. 512 miles on the last day.

Days - 48
Miles Driven 11,667
States Visited - 32
Best Dinner – Union Oyster House, Boston, MA
Best Lunch – Peck's Seafood Restaurant, Slidell, LA
Best Breakfast – Inn of the Governors, Santa Fe, NM
Best Italian – Any place Earl takes you in Chicago, IL
Best Burger – Moab Brewery, Moab, UT
Best Battlefield – Shiloh National Military Park, Shiloh, TN
Best Drive – Natchez Trace Parkway, MS
Best City Tour – Freedom Trail, Boston, MA
Best Boat Ride – Riverwalk, San Antonio, TX
Best Visual Impact – Vermont
Best B & B – The Northfield Inn, Northfield, VT
Best Shopping – L.L. Bean, Freeport, ME
Best Side Trip – Amish Country, Lancaster, PA
Best Night Life – Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA

Day 47 - Moab, UT to Burley, ID

It was another one of those “or maybe” days. With an alarm set for 6:30, we were sitting in bed at 6:00 drinking coffee and deciding what to do today. Both of us wanted to go home and it was a game day decision to do just that. Scratch West Wendover and Reno; add Burley and we’re home in two days instead of three. And I don’t lose my $2.57 to the penny slots. Quick continental breakfast and we’re loading the car under a mostly clear and sunny sky.

We’re not in too much of a hurry to get home to pass up a couple of hours at Arches National Park. The park, established in 1929, covers 76,359 acres and is home to over 2000 natural sandstone arches. After a few minutes of driving I added this to my ever expanding list of places you must see. Getting to Burley at a decent hour limited us to about two hours, but we will be back for a two day visit.

We stopped in Green River, Utah for a coffee and then turned off Interstate 70 for a shortcut to Interstate 15, south of Provo, Utah. This one cuts a lot of miles, turning an interstate only drive of 285 miles into an easy 127 mile drive. However, when it began to snow at a little over 7,700 feet there was reason to question our shortcut choice of the day. But, with home in our sights we continued on.

The rest of the day was a mix of rain, hail, snow, fog and wind. Through it all the little HHR chugged on, at times straining all of its four cylinders and sounding as though there was a rubber band unwinding somewhere deep within its less than sleek profile, which turned out to be an easy target for the high crosswinds of Idaho. To be fair, I couldn’t help but smile at the 29.3 MGP on the cleaver little digital readout.

Our first night on the road was spent in Burley, Idaho. We stayed in the Fairfield and ate at a Mexican restaurant. Tonight is the forty seventh night on the road and we are in Burley, Idaho. Same motel. Same Mexican restaurant. Must mean something. Tomorrow night we will sleep safe and sound at home. 452 miles today.

Arches National Park

Day 46 - Pagosa Springs, CO to Moab, UT

Well, today was a little better than yesterday, but then what day wouldn’t be? With nothing to do, we were up a 6:45. Go figure.

Before having breakfast I called the body shop in Grand Junction. It seems the problem with getting the car to Grand Junction is going to be the road. Known as the Million Dollar Highway, Highway 550 is a narrow, winding, mountainous road as it travels from Durango, Colorado north toward Grand Junction. Difficult to drive in summer, it can be a real challenge in winter and winter is now here. Coal Bank Pass (10,640 feet), Molas Pass (10,790 feet) and Red Mountain Pass (11,018 feet) are but a few of the obstacles the highway offers up. Barb and I have been over these and other passes in the area during our stay in Colorado. Rumor has it that fill dirt used in building the road contains over a million dollars in gold.

Next was a call to the rental car company, and I was told there might or might not be a car available. I suggested he find one. He called back a short time later with two cars. The first one was a Mustang convertible. His boss wanted it moved out of winter weather. Perhaps he doesn’t know where Oregon is. The other was a Chevy HHR. Kinda looks like a small SUV, with lots of room. I took it. A little research on the internet told me HHR stands for Heritage High Roof. Really? That’s good to know.

We finally drove away in the car about 12:30. Apparently he is a one man operation, which means he cleans them, rents them and delivers them. And after he had just washed the car we drove away from the rental office on a half mile muddy road.

About forty minutes later we split a Subway sandwich in the small town of Bayfield and then on to Durango. By then the rain had stopped and the sun was starting to come out. Not much going on the next 137 miles, except for passing the entrance to Mesa Verde National Park and crossing into Utah. We visited Mesa Verde during our Colorado time and it’s another one of those must see places. I’d like to think we added another state today, but Utah was number three way back on day two.

Around Looking Glass Road the real scenery of Southern Utah begins, with some to the most beautiful red rock formations and mountains you will ever see. Yesterday was the day we were to explore Canyonlands National Park, but our four-legged friend has put a hold on that one. By stopping for the night in Moab we are back on schedule and will have a chance to spend some time in Arches National Park.

Dinner tonight was at the Moab Brewery, which has easily won the best Burger of the Trip award. And their beer is pretty darn good too.

Tomorrow after Arches we head to West Wendover, Nevada via Salt Lake City. I’ve been saving my pennies since day one and intend to gamble the whole $2.57 away, even if it takes till midnight. 220 miles today.

Day 45 - Santa Fe, NM to Moab, UT

Ok, today has been a disaster. We were on our way to Moab, but are now sitting in a motel in Pagosa Springs. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Wanting to get an early start today I set the alarm on the Blackberry for 5:30, which would give us time to dress, pack and get down to breakfast at 6:30. Small problem. I glance at the clock on the nightstand as we are about to go to breakfast and it shows 5:20. What gives? Oh, the Blackberry is still on Central Time. What to do? We wait because it’s a very good full breakfast and included in the room rate.

So we hit the road at 7:02. I spy a Starbucks sign on an Albertsons and am rewarded with a Mocha for my quick left turn. North of Santa Fe the drive is beautiful, especially with the sun rising in the East. Lots of the canyons, mountains and red rock that showed up so often in O’Keeffe’s paintings.

It was cold and cloudy, but no rain. We saw a little snow on the higher mountains and the temperature was in the high forties.

About four miles out of Pagosa a deer thought about crossing in front of me, but a quick foot on the brakes and a game time decision by the deer to make a right turn avoided disaster.

About three miles out of Pagosa a deer suddenly appeared at the right headlight. After a rather healthy impact it was lifted onto the hood, careened into the windshield and disappeared off to the right clearing the oncoming lane and making a hard landing on the shoulder.

We are now in a motel in Pagosa. The car is a mess. Right headlight is gone, as is the bumper and hood. Right fender is pushed back into the passenger door and windshield pillar. This brut of a deer hit the windshield directly in front of me. Fortunately the glass held, although there is a small area that’s pushed in and there are small flakes of glass on the dashboard.

A number of really nice people stopped to see if we were ok, which we were. Except for Barb, but soon the tears were gone and she was making plans to buy a new car. Spent some time with the insurance company and I think everything is under control. Hopefully the car will be towed the 200+ miles to Grand Junction tomorrow. I opted for their preferred shop and a nearby Honda dealer for parts. And a rental car should be available after 9:00 am.

We now have a motel room full of everything that was in the car and neither of us can believe we got all this stuff in there. On the plus side, we have repacked and filled a large wastebasket. I don’t know what we are going to do next. I suppose we will load up the rental car and head for Grand Junction tomorrow to await the verdict on the car. If it’s to be repaired we will probably head back home and figure out how to get the car back to Oregon later on.

This could be a bummer way to end our trip. But it won’t. Nothing will take away from the wonderful time we have had for the last forty four days. 164 miles today.

Day 44 - Santa Fe, NM

No need to drive today, so we slept in a little and then headed down for a really great breakfast. Since we weren’t meeting our friends till 10:30, a little scouting trip was up next.

The heart of Santa Fe is the plaza. Like other Spanish cities in the Southwest, one side of the square is devoted to a government building and in Santa Fe this is The Palace of the Governors. Built in 1610, it is the oldest continuously occupied public building in the United States. The rest of Santa Fe is devoted to shops and restaurants.

Silver and turquoise jewelry handcrafted by the Navajo Nation. Pottery from the Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Acoma and Zuni pueblos. Kachina dolls fashioned by the Hopi. And Barb’s favorite the chickens of Edith John. All of these and more make Santa Fe a shopping experience equaled by few.

Meeting up with our friends we made another circuit of the plaza and nearby streets, making our way through most shops. After a quick stop for lunch and more shops we took a tour of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. O’Keeffe was a major figure in American art and responsible for pushing the boundaries of American artistic style. Then on to The Loretto Chapel, which is known for its spiral staircase. Built by an unknown carpenter in 1878, the staircase makes two complete revolutions, lacks a central support and was assembled using only wooden pegs. Although handrails were added later, as originally built there were was nothing but the spiral steps.

After a short rest, we were off to dinner. It was excellent, as were the margaritas. Tomorrow we leave early for Moab, Utah.

Day 43 - Amarillo, TX to Santa Fe, NM

Wanted to get to Santa Fe early, so set the alarm for 6:00 am. Out of bed, in and out of the shower, bags in the car and on our way to Starbucks at 7:10. We ordered up two of the regular and split a blueberry muffin before heading west of a fogbound Interstate 40. And it stayed fogbound until New Mexico.

Ah yes, New Mexico. Lots of nothing. Wide open spaces, little traffic and a 75 mph speed limit. Crossing the border put us back an hour, so we really didn’t have to get up at 6:00. At least today I had two headlights. Our only stops were at the Visitor’s Center on the border and for gas in Tucumcari.

It looks like New Mexico may have opted for billboards rather than road kill. Approaching a town of any size, and fortunately there weren’t many of them, the road is lined with billboards on each side advertising the single store that sells everything you need. Knives, pottery, jewelry, burgers, cold drinks, moccasins, blankets, ice cream and others, which I choose to forget, appeared over and over. Disgusting. It was along in here that we got a call from our Chicago friends, who were in the fog about two hours behind us.

Having seen a number of Old Route 66 signs and because we had a couple of hours on our friends, I decided drive a few miles on the old highway. Followed a sign off the freeway, looked around, couldn’t find Old Route 66 and headed back to the safety of the interstate.

Took a right at Clines Corners near the Shell Food Mart and Clines Corners Retail, neither of which exceeds 1.5 stars on Google, onto Highway 285 heading north. Then a short drive on Interstate 25 into Santa Fe. It was only about noon so our room wasn’t ready, but we got upgraded to a suite. Very nice.

Ok, so today I’m wearing shorts. I’ve been wearing shorts for weeks. What else would you wear in the South? Right, shorts and a t-shirt. So today its 44 degrees and windy. I can’t get into the room to change. So off we go looking for a Wells Fargo and lunch. I see one other guy with shorts, he just arrived from Florida. Anyway, found a bank and we split a sandwich for lunch. I had a cold beer with it. And followed that up with a margarita.

We are now is the room and I’ve changed into jeans. Just got a call from our friends and we will be meeting them soon for dinner. Tomorrow will be spent window shopping in Santa Fe. 276 miles today.

Day 42 - San Antonio, TX to Amarillo, TX

Thought this was going to be a nothing day, without much to talk about. Well, Texas came through with a few things for me.

Wanting to get out of San Antonio early, we set the alarm for 6:00 am. But there we were making coffee at 5:45. Heading out of town at 5:55 meant no continental breakfast and beating the traffic was more important than a Starbucks. Bummer.

Once again we found ourselves steering west on Interstate 10. By the way, this highway has got to be one of the longest in the country, stretching 2,434 miles from Jacksonville, Florida to Santa Monica, California. We weren’t on it for long this time, turning north on Highway 87. Six o’clock is pretty dark out in the middle of Texas and I found myself having to use the high beams whenever possible. Once the sun started to show itself we were in and out of fog.

We passed near Luckenbach, Texas, made famous in a Waylon Jennings song and even closer to the LBJ ranch. We were now in the hill country of Texas, with altitude ranging from 1600 to 2000 feet. Pretty country when you could see it through the fog. We finally stopped after about 140 miles for a quick breakfast in Brady. While eating a guy walks in. Cowboy shirt, jeans, silver buckle the size of a salad plate, boots, spurs and a …….. baseball cap. I wanted to ask what happened to the Stetson, but didn’t. 259 miles down the road in Abilene I got a Starbucks. That sounds like a long ways, but when you leave at 5:55 and drive at least 65 mph, it’s not so bad.

There are a lot of ranches in this part of the country and it seems like everyone has a name and some kind of arch type of thing over the driveway. The best name today, and I’m not kidding, was Belly Acres.

Once we got past Abilene three things suddenly appeared. First there was cotton. Cotton like you wouldn’t believe. Both sides of the road and as far as you could see. Second, oil wells began to show up out in the sage brush and in the middle of the cotton fields. No derricks of course, just the pumpjacks working oil to the surface. Lastly, there were wind turbines. Thousands of them, at least that’s my guess. Oh, and one other thing: there were a dozen or so longhorns.

About an hour out of Amarillo we pulled into a rest stop. A guy who was in front of me pointed out that one of my headlights was out. Hummm, maybe that’s why it was so dark this morning. The friendly Honda GPS gave me the name and phone number of the dealer in Amarillo, and a quick call confirmed that they could squeeze in this traveler in need. And they did.

The rest of the evening was uneventful. We checked into the hotel, got a little dinner and are now watching the Giants vs. Phillies. Tomorrow we are off the Santa Fe, New Mexico, where we will be meeting up with our friends from Chicago for two days. Now up to 10,040 miles. Almost time for another oil change. 546 miles today.

Day 41 - San Antonio, TX

Yes! Zero miles and slept into 8:00. We had a decent continental breakfast and set out for River Walk. One level down from the street we found the ticket office and purchased two at the senior rate of $6.00.

For 45 minutes the boat travels through a canyon of hotels and restaurants, passes under bridges and lush vegetation, floats by waterfall and shops, and is a journey through San Antonio history. Hopefully you have had a chance to visit River Walk, but if not do so when in town.

After the boat ride we took River Walk to Rivercenter Mall for a little shopping. We were lead to believe it would be a WOW, but it turned out to be just another aging mall. Barb found a place to get her bangs cut and there was a Macy’s, where I found two shirts and Barb got skunked.

Now it was time for lunch and we found a table right on River Walk. We split a couple of enchiladas, beans and rice. Oh, and a couple of Dos Equis Amber. After eating we were a little tired of the heat, so we headed back to the motel for some rest, before heading back to River Walk to look around a little more and find dinner.

If you choose the correct side of the street in the late afternoon you can walk almost all the way to River Walk in the shade. We followed the loop around to the Rio Rio Cantina, where we ordered a couple of margaritas and again shared chicken fajitas. Great food and a great setting. Only problem with being right on the water is the ducks pecking at your feet trying to get a handout. A slow walk back to the motel and off to bed early. We’ll be heading to Amarillo and it’s going to be one of those 500+ mile days.

River Walk

Day 40 - Conroe, TX to San Antonio, TX

Once again I woke up with Barb already out of the shower and getting dressed. Either I’m sleeping very soundly or she is very quiet. Very nice continental breakfast for a change. After packing the car we suffered through the freeway construction for a Starbucks.

I was tempted to take some back roads to avoid Houston morning traffic, but wound up heading south on Interstate 45. Actually the traffic wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be and by taking Interstate 610 around the west side of the city we avoided the downtown.

A couple of things about Texas roads. First, I have never seen so much road kill per mile. Everything from deer to possum to armadillo to squirrels. It’s all there. Second, trucks must come to Texas to lose rubber off their recaps. Third, Texas has the best roadside rests we’ve seen so far. Every one is like a visitor’s center. Nice big buildings, with clean restrooms and well kept landscaping.

I am a little disappointed with two things so far, no longhorn steers and no oil wells. What gives?

Barb got us a motel right in the middle of the action in San Antonio. And she got it on points. We’re seven blocks from the Alamo and four blocks from River Walk, plus close to lots of restaurants and shopping. No driving tomorrow.

After checking in we picked up a map from the motel and headed for the Alamo. Quite a place. Although much of it is not original, it is sufficient to give a clear picture of what transpired in 1836. Defending the Alamo during the 13 day siege was a small group of Texans, including well known frontiersmen James Bowie, Davy Crockett and William Travis. In the end, the estimated 182 to 260 defenders could not withstand the assault of over 2,000 Mexican troops under General Santa Anna. The few survivors that surrendered were immediately executed, an act which was not forgotten as Texans moved forward toward independence from Mexico.

On the way back to the motel we took the steps down to River Walk, which is a network of walkways along the San Antonio River one story below street level. Having its beginning after a flood swept through San Antonio in 1926, it slowly developed into the major tourist attraction it is today. Shops and restaurants line the walkway today and boats offer tours of the waterway. We stopped at one of the restaurants and sipped a cold beer from a table overlooking the river. Looked like a good menu, so we made a 7:00 reservation for dinner.

After a little rest at the motel, we headed back to the restaurant and got a table with another great view of the water. For dinner were shared excellent chicken fajitas. And the margaritas were great too. Or two. Back at the motel Barb did a little laundry and looked up the history of our motel. Turns out it has been around since 1878 and was a jail until 1962, when it was remodeled. Executions were carried out from the third floor, with the drop being down to the second floor. Glad we are on the fifth.

Tomorrow we will do a little more exploring around town and take a boat tour on the river. 244 miles today.

Day 39 - Natchez, MS to Conroe, TX

Kinda slept in until 6:45 pm and after a bagel and loading the car we headed west, immediately crossing the Mississippi River. I spent the first 15 minutes back in Louisiana unsuccessfully trying to catch up with a tug pushing a bunch of barges south. No photo of that tonight.

Big difference from one side of the river to the other. For some reason, and I have no idea why, the Mississippi side looks like the elegant old South, while the Louisiana side just looks poor. There was also a big change in agriculture. We saw one small cotton field earlier, Tennessee I think, but now there was cotton everywhere. Not only in the fields, but beside the road in huge bales waiting to be hauled off. And little puffs of the stuff all over.

Seventy-four miles down the road we rolled into Alexandria, Louisiana, and found a Starbucks. Located in an Albertsons, we had both coffee and a convenient rest stop. As we were walking toward the back of the store I spied some gallon sized jars, which looked like they were filled with crayfish. Turned out they were pickled pig’s lips. Quite popular in the South.

Not much to comment on for the rest of the drive. We passed near Fort Polk, the Army’s Joint Readiness Training Center, and shortly thereafter crossed the Sabine River entering into Texas. Jasper offered a chance to split a sandwich and stretch a little. I’m getting a little tired of driving. After lunch did a two mile drive across Lake Steinhagen and spent a little time in the Sam Houston National Forest. Just before getting to Conroe we passed through Cut and Shoot, Texas. Being the curious type I checked out the name. According to one legend, it all had to do with a church dispute; it was either the design of a new steeple, who would be allowed to preach or land claims among church members. Other than the name, the town’s claim to fame is boxer Roy Harris, who fought Floyd Patterson for the heavyweight title in 1958.

Very nice motel in the middle of freeway construction. It took two passes before we found our way in. Dinner was Mexican and very good. Tomorrow we head to San Antonio for two nights. Up to 9,250 miles and 30 states. Really starting to think about getting back home. 346 miles today.

Spanish Moss

Day 38 - Vicksburg, MS to Natchez, MS

Without an alarm we were up at 6:15 and getting ready for yet another day. Not being overly impressed with the motel, we elected to eat breakfast out. Walked into an unnamed restaurant and walked right back out. We have this thing about eating in places that look clean. Drove the few extra miles and had a great breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Back at the motel we loaded up and headed for Clinton, Mississippi.

Clinton offered two things. First and foremost, Clinton has the only Starbucks within 100 miles. Second, there’s an entry onto the Natchez Trace Parkway. So with Starbucks in hand, we started out on a 94 mile drive to Natchez.

Opened in 2005, the Parkway extends 444 miles from Nashville, Tennessee to Natchez, Mississippi and had its beginnings as an ancient salt lick to grazing pasture migratory route for American Bison. Later Native Americans and early frontiersman continued using the Trace until it became a well established route complete with taverns and overnight stops for travelers. Over hundreds of years, constant use wore the Trace down until sections of it became a sunken road. In time it was the primary return route for those taking flat-boats down the Mississippi River. Flat-boats built and loaded with goods would be sailed down to New Orleans. Once there, goods and flat-boats would be sold and the Trace used for the return to the upper reaches of the rivers.

So why was this simple two lane road be such an amazing drive? Maybe it was the way it gently winds through the surrounding forests and farmland. Maybe it was the trees dressed in fall colors. Or perhaps the exclusion of commercial traffic. Maybe it was the wild turkeys along the road. It was in fact all that and more. You don’t have to drive the whole 444 miles, but if you are in the area drive some of it.

Founded by the French as a trading post in 1714, Natchez passed back and forth between Spain and America until 1795. As part of the Old South it abounds in history. Fortunately the early surrender to Admiral David Farragut during the Civil War saved the city’s architecture from the destruction suffered elsewhere in the South and there are many of the old southern plantations still standing. We took some time to see some of the homes and other sites in the city, including the frantically waving lady trying to tell me I was driving the wrong way on a one way street. Barb was pretty excited about that.

Our motel tonight is pretty nice. Less than a year old and we have a room with a view of the Mississippi. Ok, it’s not a great view, but is better than looking at the parking lot. Tomorrow we continue west toward home and will spend the next four nights in Texas. 178 miles today.

Old Natchez Trace

Day 37 - New Orleans, LA to Vicksburg, MS

We wanted to sneak out of New Orleans early, so were up at 6:00 am. It’s dark then. A quick continental breakfast and we were on Interstate 10 headed west. Before getting too far, the GPS had us make a quick stop in Kenner for a couple of Starbucks.

We now followed Interstates 10 and 55 along the western shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Thirty-six of the miles along the lake were driven on elevated roadway over the Maurepas Swamp and several wildlife management areas.

A few more miles and I began to think about how a rest stop would fit nicely into my plan for the day. So, when the sign announced the Mississippi Visitor’s Center was just down the road I quickly moved to the right lane in anticipation. Closed. Checked the GPS and found another a short 30 miles down the road. Ok, no problem. Closed. Finally Magnolia, Mississippi came to the rescue with an Exxon station.

All this interstate driving gets a little boring. Time for a short cut, which turned out to be a pleasant drive down a little two-lane country road. Barb was happy and I saved 21 miles. We stopped to split a sandwich for lunch and then off to Vicksburg National Military Park.

First stop was the Visitor’s Center, which had one of those really neat digital maps. These maps have to be the very best way to visualize a battle progressing over days or, in the case of Vicksburg, even months. We picked up an auto tour map for the 16 mile drive over the park’s 1,736 acres. Vicksburg was a different kind of battle for us. In our travels from Gettysburg to Shiloh, battles have been won or lost by Union and Confederate forces fighting and dying on blood soaked fields. The high ground of Vicksburg offered the Confederates excellent ground to defend and the first two major assaults by Union forces were soundly defeated. After the heavy losses, Grant laid siege to Vicksburg beginning on May 25, 1863. With all access to resupply cut off, Confederate forces finally had to surrender on July 4th. The loss of the Mississippi River, along with Lee’s defeat the previous day at Gettysburg, was devastating for the South.

Probably the most interesting stop on the tour was at the USS Cairo. The Cairo was a city class ironclad gunboat, which served with both the Army’s Western Gunboat Fleet and later the US Navy. In December 1862, while clearing mines on the Yazoo River she struck a torpedo and sunk. In 1964, after several setbacks, Cairo was lifted onto barges and moved to Pascagoula, Mississippi, for restoration. She now resides in a special shelter at the park and, along with the museum, is well worth seeing.

While checking into the motel, Barb found out the vine we keep seeing is kudzu. It’s a climbing, coiling and trailing vine native to Japan and China. In the Southeastern United States it is known as “foot-a-night vine”, “mile-a-minute vine” and “the vine that ate the South”.

The rest of the day was uneventful, with Barb doing a little laundry after dinner. We are really looking forward to tomorrow, when we will travel the Natchez Trace Parkway to Natchez, Tennessee. 251 miles today.

Ulysses S. Grant Monument
Vicksburg National Battlefield
Vicksburg, Mississippi

Day 36 - South Louisiana

Up about 8:00, downstairs for a really good continental breakfast and on the road by 9:25. We drove a few miles south on Highway 90 and then picked up Highway 23 near Terrytown. Once through Belle Chasse, highway 23 would follow the Mississippi River down toward the Gulf.

Chevron and Conoco both have large refineries on the river and we passed several heliports, which transport work crews out to oil rigs in the Gulf. There seems to be a sports fishing industry in the area and we did see some orange orchards, but other than that I don’t have any idea what people do down there. Oh, they are still rebuilding houses.

At one time sulfur was big business in Gulf area and Port Sulphur was named for the Freeport Sulphur Company. Yes, the town and company are spelled Sulphur. The Grande Ecaille mine located in a marsh ten miles west of town was the largest sulfur deposit in the world when production began in 1933. Sulfur from other mines in the area was processed in Port Sulphur, including a mine 50 miles offshore in 300 feet of water.

Near the end of the road is Venice, which is a collection of fishing boats and the county sheriff’s office in a C Class RV. Continuing to the very end we encountered the “You Have Reached the Southernmost Point In Louisiana” sign. You don’t go any further on wheels.

Not a big decision on what to do next, turn around and head back the way we came. And it was time to look for lunch. The first two we stopped at didn’t pass muster, but the third, Lil G’s Kajun Restaurant, looked hole-in-wall enough to try. Two bowls of gumbo and two Coronas hit the spot. The gumbo was shrimp, crab, okra, rice and I don’t know what else. It got a 10 from me and 9.5 from Barb.

Couple of things about this part of the country. First, there are a lot of houses on stilts. Looks a little odd, but when a hurricane raises the water level you’re good for at least 10 feet. Second, those who have passed on are buried above ground. With an elevation of 4 feet above sea level, you can’t dig too far without finding water. Third, there are a few banana trees mixed in with the oranges.

Ok, so now is the time I have to tell you about another lousy dinner. On the recommendation of the concierge we made reservations at Oceania on Conti Street. Typical French Quarter restaurant. Casual, noisy and big menu. First up was a chardonnay for Barb and a Newcastle Brown for me. For an appetizer we shared Louisiana Crabmeat Cakes, with Crawfish Cream Sauce. Wonderful. Main course for Barb was Red Beans and Rice, with Sausage, while I opted for the Shrimp Creole. Both were excellent. The shared dessert was New Orleans Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce. Outstanding. Barb finished her wine, while I ended the meal with a 15 year old Glenfiddich.

A stroll down Bourbon Street on a Friday evening offers a rich mixture of sights. From the local street entertainers trying to earn a living to your fellow travelers, there is something to see every minute. Tomorrow we will be off early for Vicksburg, Mississippi, and the Vicksburg National Military Park. 176 miles today.

Shrimp boats
Venice, Louisiana

Day 35 - Mobile, AL to New Orleans, LA

We split a Starbucks blueberry muffin for breakfast and were on Interstate 10 heading west by 8:12 am. Ok, we did have a mocha and coffee too. A few miles down the road we left the Interstate and followed US 90 to drive along the Gulf Coast.

Crossing the Pascagoula River near Pascagoula and Gautier, Mississippi, we began to see the lasting damage from Katrina. Along the highway driveways led to vacant lots. Some with the remains of a foundation and others with what looked like a once upon a time driveway. Many more homes with significant damage, windows and doors covered with plywood. What a mess. There was some construction going on, but it didn’t seem like much.

A little further along we encountered Biloxi, Mississippi, which has miles of beautiful white sand beach and a lot of casinos. And the devastation from Katrina continued. At this point the beach towns came one after another, as if joined at the hip. Gulfport, Long Beach, Pass Christian, Bay St. Louis, and Waveland took us back to Interstate 10 and the hunt for lunch.

This was the Gulf and that meant seafood. We wanted a place on the water, but were now heading away from the coast. Putting our trust in the GPS, we headed for Slidell, Louisiana, and Peck’s Seafood. Peck’s is the kind of place you walk into and immediately start considering how to leave. Ambiance none. Cafeteria tables and chairs. Order at the counter before finding your own table. But sometimes these little hole-in-wall places have really good food and when the big menu on the wall screamed out SEAFOOD GUMBO we ordered two bowls and two Coronas. Remember the best ever gumbo last night? This was better.

The rest of the drive into New Orleans was pretty easy. With our room not ready, we spent a couple of hours walking the French Quarter. Bars, restaurants and shops selling t-shirts. Narrow streets, old buildings and balconies with wrought iron railings. Tourists, delivery trucks and horse drawn carriages. Having been there once, I wouldn’t go back. Barb described it as dirty. It is, but perhaps part of the experience. There was a positive for me. I have a few CD’s of The Preservation Hall Jazz Band and there at 726 St. Peter Street was the Preservation Hall. Even better, two of the musicians, drums and sax, were playing out front.

Dinner tonight was at the Red Fish Grill. We shared an appetizer of grilled shrimp with a ginger glaze and crab stuffed spring rolls. We then shared a main dish of shrimp and jambalaya with a crab and shrimp cake. We followed that with a shared double chocolate bread pudding. Barb opted for coffee, while I choose a 15 year old Glenfiddich scotch neat. From start to finish, this was one of the best meals we have ever had. If you ever get a chance, eat at the Red Fish Grill. I don’t know how we can do any better tomorrow.

After dinner we walked Bourbon Street and it was just like in the movies. With the street blocked off there were people and musicians everywhere. Yes, there really are people on the balconies and Barb caught necklaces to prove it. What fun. I’m beginning to like New Orleans.

Another state today. Sometime I’ll have to sit down and figure out exactly where we have been. Tomorrow we head south out into the bayous of Louisiana. 154 miles today.

Gulf coast
Biloxi, Mississippi

Joseph Lastie Jr.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
New Orleans, Louisiana

Day 34 - Savannah, TN to Mobile, AL

Last night I set the alarm for 6:00 am. When I woke up 5:45 Barb had already taken a shower and was getting dressed. So, a quick shower and shave later I was out in the dark packing the car. We decided to drive awhile before having breakfast and finally stopped at the Waffle House in Corinth. Then it was south on Highway 45 headed for Tupelo, Mississippi and Starbucks.

Today was the longest drive since day 21 and could easily have been considered boring, but we have learned that every day offers something. Today we watched as pine forests began to encroach on the changing colors for fall. And those pines began to remind us of home. We also added another piece to the agriculture jigsaw puzzle by slipping the cotton piece into place.

The road today was neither interstate nor back road. A beautiful four-lane divided highway gave the appearance of an interstate, but the occasional driveways and stop signs imparted a rural look. Towns with names like Okolona, Shuqualak, Scooba, Shubuta, Citronelle and Chunchula made us feel we were out of the mainstream.

I now know the purpose of the Rocky Mountains. They have been strategically placed to balance all of the bricks used in Southern buildings. It seems like every house, church, business, courthouse and library is built of brick. Beautiful homes are everywhere. And prices are unbelievable.

We asked at the desk for a dinner recommendation and then headed for the Original Oyster House out on Battleship Causeway. Probably the best dinner since Boston. We started with a couple of Coronas and sharing a bowl of seafood gumbo. Best gumbo we’ve ever had. Flounder, crawfish, shrimp, beans, rice and who knows what else. I had Blackened Shrimp and Grits. Sounds a little far out, but seafood and grits seems to be a southern thing. Dinner included red beans and rice, red potatoes and hush puppies. Barb had the same except for grilled shrimp instead of blackened.

On the way back to the motel we stopped so I could get a photo of the USS Alabama (BB-60), which is now a museum ship on permanent display in Mobile Bay. Now up to 8,145 miles and I think Alabama is number 28. Tomorrow we will take a lazy drive along the gulf coast to New Orleans, Louisiana. 473 miles today.

Day 33 - Shiloh National Military Park and Corinth, MS

Planning on an easy day, we finally left the motel at 9:31 headed for Shiloh. We started with a visit to the Visitor’s Center, which had a great 32 minute video on the battle. Afterwards we continued through all the exhibits and picked up the auto tour guide.

We knew from our visit here 12 years ago that this was the battlefield to beat and that opinion hasn’t changed. If you could only see one Civil War battlefield this is the one. At 3,997 acres it’s not the largest, but we think it offers the best overall feeling of what a Civil War battle was like. Monuments placed by states for their solders and plaques positioned by the park service all help the visitor picture the battle as it happened. As for cannons, I would bet a few sips of my recently acquired Jack Daniels that Shiloh has more than any other military park.

Of the twenty stops on the tour three were not available due to road construction, so we were not able to visit Bloody Pond, the Peach Orchard or the site where General Albert Sidney Johnson died. Bloody Pond changed hands several times and was used by both sides for drinking water and to bathe wounds. After two days of fighting, it was said the pond was stained red with the blood of both sides.

We did walk down the Sunken Road and into the Hornet’s Nest, where Union troops under Brigadier Benjamin Prentiss withstood an estimated 14 Confederate assaults, giving Major General Ulysses S. Grant time to establish a final defensive line near Pittsburg Landing. All the stops offered insights into how the battle ebbed and flowed over the battlefield.

The National Cemetery at Shiloh occupies a quiet corner of the park overlooking the Tennessee River. With large shade trees and gently rolling land, it is a most suitable resting place for the many that died at Shiloh. Union and Confederate casualties totaled 23,741 for the two days.

Leaving Shiloh we drove 38 miles south to the town of Corinth, Mississippi. Corinth is from where Johnson marched north to attack Grant at Shiloh and to where he withdrew when faced with the Union onslaught. Corinth is actually part of Shiloh National Military Park and doesn’t have a battlefield as such. Rather much of the downtown is a walking tour of old homes and business. We didn’t have time for the tour; however we did stop at an outstanding Visitor’s Center.

We stayed in Corinth for dinner and then had to outrun a thunder and lightning storm back to Savannah. Before closing, Barb reminded me earlier that yesterday I forgot to give her credit for a little housekeeping. So, here goes. After checking into our motel yesterday, I took Barb to Suds Your Duds. We now have clean clothes for a few more days. Tomorrow we are off to Mobile, Alabama. 106 miles today.

Shiloh National Battlefield
Shiloh, Tennessee

Day 32 - Chattanooga, TN to Savannah, TN

Glad to see y’all back.

We were up at 7:00 am today and off to Cracker Barrel a little after 8:00. Hilton doesn’t have a continental breakfast, so we had to fend for ourselves. Our plan for today was to drive straight through to Savannah, which was about 203 miles. Looking for something to do on the way, we headed northwest on Interstate 24 to Murfreesboro, Tennessee and the Stones River National Battlefield. With 23,515 casualties over a two day period, Stones River had the highest percentage of casualties of any Civil War battle.

We were a little disappointed with the construction around the Visitor’s Center, which kept us from finding a parking space. With nowhere to turn around we started the auto tour. The second stop found us wandering down a path through the trees and limestone outcroppings of The Slaughter Pen. Union forces under Major General Philip Sheridan warded off several determined Confederate assaults and held long enough for other Union forces to form a new defensive line. Sheridan’s losses were heavy; more than one third of his men were casualties in four hours of fighting and all three of his brigade commanders were killed.

After finishing the tour we were able to get into the Visitor’s Center, which was first class. We spent over an hour looking through many rooms filled with details on the battle, as well as artifacts from both Union and Confederate forces.

Across the street was the National Cemetery, which in my book is always worth a visit. Very sobering to see so many small gravestones marching across that quiet space. “Stevens Vermont”, “Wilson Kentucky”, “Chambers New York”, “Daniels Mississippi” and on it goes. Thousands of times. In all there were 23,515 Union and Confederate casualties at Stones River.

Moving from Eastern Time to Central Time gave us an unexpected extra hour, so we took off for Lynchburg, Tennessee and the Jack Daniels Distillery. We spent about an hour looking through the various displays and finally ended up in the store. Bet that’s a surprise. Somehow I came away with a bottle of Gentleman Jack 2010 Limited Edition Twice Charcoal Mellowed sipping whisky.

Finally we pointed the car for west and arrived at Savannah without further deviation. The last part in from Lynchburg was mostly country roads, passing through farmland and horse country. Large southern mansions, complete with two story white columns, lined much of the road. Our motel is the same we stayed in 12 years ago during our last visit to Shiloh National Battlefield Park. And that’s what is on the agenda for tomorrow. 315 miles today.

Stones River National Battlefield
Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Day 31 - Chickamauga National Military Park and Lookout Mountain

Up at 6:45 and headed for IHOP at 7:46. The motel was so bad we didn’t even think of trying the continental breakfast. Before leaving I took a few photos to send on to the chain management. Anyway, after a good breakfast and knowing tonight would be somewhere else, we were ready to have a great day.

Chickamauga was the fifth battlefield of the trip and one we really didn’t know much about. Not only is it hard to spell and occasionally hard to pronounce, it just didn’t (for us) have a big time name like Gettysburg or Antietam. So how did we miss the first and largest of the country’s Military Parks? Or what many consider the bloodiest two days of the Civil War? Only Gettysburg had more casualties than Chickamauga. Or that it was the scene of the last victory for the South in the Civil War? I don’t have a clue how we missed all that, but we were about to make amends.

Arrived at the park visitor center shortly after 8:30 and spent an unusually long time there. First there was a short movie, which gave a little background on the battle, and then a really great display area with lots of information and artifacts. However, the best part was the Fuller Collection of American Military Arms. Donated to the National Parks Service in 1954, by Claude and Zenada Fuller, it contains 346 examples of military long arms used in America. Flintlocks and Percussion. Muzzle and breach loaders. Muskets and rifles. Enfield, Spencer, Springfield and Colt. They are all there and if you are anywhere near Chattanooga, go see the collection.

And also see the park. Overall, it is probably the best so far. At 5,200 acres the park is large, but there is a comprehensive auto tour which provides many opportunities to explore on foot. Small paths lead back into the woods where monuments are hidden. And speaking of monuments, Chickamauga has over 1,400 of all sizes, placed by supporters of the park as well as soldiers who fought there. The Wilder Brigade Monument honors Colonel John T. Wilder and his brigade of mounted infantry. Armed with seven-shot Spencer repeating rifles they drove back a larger confederate force before withdrawing. For taking the fight to the confederates while the rest of the Union Army was making a hasty retreat, Wilder’s Brigade received an 85-foot tall monument that looks like a castle. Inside, a narrow circular staircase leads to an observation deck. Barb and I know all too well there are 136 steps (one way). Great park. Go there if you get the chance.

By the time we were done it was getting warm, so we headed into Chattanooga to pick up a couple bottles of water. Once refreshed, we found our way up to Lookout Mountain, which was held by the Confederates after Chattanooga fell to Union forces. From their vantage point 1,716 feet above, Confederate artillery could reach the city with ease. When Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge finally passed into Union hands, the door had been opened for Sherman’s march through Georgia.

Next we took a drive south along the Lookout Mountain Parkway. I want everyone to understand this was an intentional drive away from our ultimate destination. I was not lost. Barb was not convinced. Anyway, we found the Hilton and checked into a very nice room. So nice in fact that Barb has just changed our Mobile, Alabama, reservation to a Hilton. Tomorrow we continue west to Savannah, Tennessee, and Shiloh National Military Park. We visited Shiloh once before. The battlefield was great; the county was dry. 91 miles today.

Chickamauga Battle Field

Day 30 - Asheville, NC to Fort Oglethorpe, GA

Up at 6:00 and heading out by 7:02. The GPS found a Starbucks less than a mile away, but it was in a Barnes & Noble that didn’t open till 9:00. The backup was something over a mile away. Only Barb’s sharp eye caught the sign a couple of blocks from where we were looking.

Not needing breakfast after last night’s birthday dinner, we found an entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway and started out. I have to say this was one of the most beautiful parts of the trip so far. The parkway, established in 1934 to protect the last of the more than four million acres of the southern Appalachian forest, covers 520,976 acres and extends 469 miles from Rockfish Gap, Virginia, to Cherokee, North Carolina. Our destination today was Cherokee.

The parkway is a two-lane twisty road, with 26 tunnels and speed limits that alternate between 35 and 45. I never came close to 45. We only drove about 54 miles of the parkway. But around every curve, through every opening in the trees a new vista opened. Blue sky, sunlight through the trees, the reds, oranges and yellows of fall. One mountain ridge after another turning a lighter and lighter gray in the distance. Distant valleys filled with haze. And one turkey standing beside the road.

Sounds good so far, right? And it was, until we stopped at one of the many viewpoints and I took a good look at the GPS. We were on our way to Rockfish Gap, Virginia. Yup, headed the wrong direction. For 54 miles beautiful miles. A quick 57 mile drive, most of it on interstate, and we were back in Ashville. Continuing west we picked up the Smokey Mountain Expressway and were back on course.

Remember what I said about flea markets yesterday? Well, today was Saturday and they were in full force. Some were organized with stalls for the vendors, but most seemed to have just sprung up on grassy sections beside the road. Goods spread out on blankets or tables and sellers reclining in lawn chairs waiting for the sale.

And then there was the corn, something we hadn’t seen in days. At first small plots beside rural homes, but then large fields. It was like a reunion with an old friend.

The four-lane expressway also had great color, but a lot more traffic and all of it in a hurry to get somewhere. We finally passed onto a two-lane road and crossed into Tennessee near the small city of Ducktown. Honest, look it up on a map. The latter part of our drive passed along the Ocoee River and skirted Ocoee Lake. There are several Ocoee Dams in the area, all of which are part of the Tennessee Valley Authority. The Ocoee River draws kayakers, white water rafters and those with a fly rod.

The last part of the day was just like entering any other city. Multi-lane freeways and traffic. On ramps and turn signals. Brake lights and lane changes. Checked into our motel and with a little work it could be a 1 out of 5. Barb cancelled the second night and got us into the Hilton in Chattanooga. Tomorrow we visit Chickamauga National Military Park and Lookout Mountain. Passed 7,000 miles today (7,196) and added Georgia for 27 states. 340 miles today.

Day 29 - Hickory, NC

First of all I want to apologize for yesterday’s post. I wasn’t feeling too good and I left some things out. Like crossing the French Broad River on our way to Hendersonville. How could I forget that? Anyway, it seems that a lot of rivers in North Carolina end in Broad and this particular river was discovered by a Frenchmen. So there you are. I also see in my notes that I wanted to mention what may be the North Carolina pastime. Flea markets. Lots of them. One we saw was 10 acres. Now 10 acres has got to be a lot of stuff.

So what happened today? We slept in for one thing. Past 8:00 am. Although the motel had a continental breakfast we headed to IHOP for Barb’s birthday breakfast. Then it was off for some exciting travel maintenance. First stop was Best Buy to acquire another lens cap. This will be the last one, as I promised Barb I would use the little attachment thingy. Next was Walgreens for toothpaste, a card and a few other essentials.

With those chores taken care of we headed for the furniture capital of the United States. Yup, Hickory, North Carolina. Hickory, as I’m sure you know, was the birthplace of the Blue Sky Boys. That’s right, Earl and Bill Bolick, two of my favorite pure blue grass gospel singers from the 30’s and 40’s. With no interest in furniture and the Boys unavailable, having passed on, we stopped at two active retirement communities. The first was not worth the visit, but the second was outstanding. Wynnshire Ridge offers everything we want in a retirement community, except of course our Oregon friends. Guess we will just have to stay where we are.

The drive to Hickory was scenic for an interstate. For the return drive we took some back roads and while taking longer on the two lane roads it was a much prettier ride. Lots of trees changing to their fall colors, small creeks and some really beautiful homes set back in the woods. We passed through Chimney Rock and Bat Cave, skirted Lake Lure and couldn’t find a rest stop.

Some North Carolina observations. If you have lots of old cars in your yard, it’s ok to leave icicle lights up all year. 98% of all Baptist churches are built of red brick, feature white steeples and have four or six white columns at the entry. A good part of North Carolina is held together by a green vine-like plant. People say y’all a lot.

Barb elected Red Lobster for her birthday dinner and is now resting quietly in bed watching a movie. Tomorrow we head to Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, via the Blue Ridge Parkway and Smoky Mountain Expressway. 212 miles today.

Day 28 - Pigeon Forge, TN to Asheville, NC

We wanted out of this town early, so the alarm was set for 6:00 am, followed by yet another lousy breakfast at 7:00 and Starbucks at 7:23. It was just getting light when we crossed into the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

It’s not a long drive through the park from Gatlinburg, Tennessee to Cherokee, North Carolina. A little over 30 miles of two lane road and every one of those miles is beautiful. Much of the drive curved through a tree covered lane. In the early morning hours the sun through those trees was music for the eyes. A small stream played tag with one side of the road and then the other. And just as you become comfortable with that view, the trees give way to expansive views of the Smokey Mountains. For me to pull over and let cars pass is unheard of. But I did. A side trip to 6,643 foot Clingmans Dome took us to the highest point in the park.

Exiting the park took us into the Cherokee Indian Reservation and the town of Cherokee, which unfortunately looked like a miniature version of yesterday. I guess the tourist dollar is just too irresistible.

We continued on to Asheville, lunch and our motel. After checking in we headed to Hendersonville, North Carolina to visit with Bill, a real estate agent there. Got a great rundown on the area and a lot of literature to review. Then off to look at some 55+ residential areas. Amazing what you can get for $200,000 in that part of the country.

Tomorrow we’re off to Hickory and Blowing Rock, North Carolina. 215 miles today.

Great Smoky Mountains

Day 27 - Lynchburg, VA to Pigeon Forge, TN

I can describe this day with one word. Bummer. Ok, I’ll give a little and say mostly bummer. The alarm went off at 6:00 am and we were checking out shortly after 7:00. No continental breakfast at this establishment, so we were on our own. Filled up the tank with $2.57 gas and headed west. It was during this early part of the day that I began to have odd stomach pains. Eventually we turned southwest on Interstate 81 and if you like being surrounded by 18 wheelers this is the road for you. They were all over. Sometime three abreast on a three lane highway. Perhaps the traffic has something to do with the increase in stomach pains.

Finally stopped at a Waffle House in Christiansburg, Virginia for breakfast. I showed respect for my stomach by going with a couple of scrambles eggs. Once back on the road, I lasted a few miles and then turned the driving over to Barb. She loved the trucks. After an hour or so she pulled into a rest stop and made it clear she wouldn’t go another mile.

So while driving I noticed the Maintenance Required message hiding out behind the steering wheel. Asked Barb what she had done and received a rude response. Checked the GPS for the nearest Honda dealer, which was in Morristown, Virginia, only 24 miles away. After checking all fluids and fussing around under the hood for a few minutes, Mr. Honda’s finest was given a clean bill of health. With the warning message reset, we were once again on our way.

Now the day really went downhill. I won’t say much about the Pigeon Forge area except that it looks like a cheap copy of Las Vegas. Arriving there was a huge disappointment and it will remain that way until I can escape early tomorrow morning. I would never return. There, I didn’t say much. Oh, and this is a dry county.

Since it’s a short day how about a few stats: 6,429 miles, 27 days, 24 states, 11 motels, 5 cemeteries, 4 battlefields, 2 B & B’s and 1 oil change. 346 miles today.

Day 26 - Manassas, VA to Lynchburg, VA

Up at 6:15 and down for a 2 out of 5 continental breakfast. More raisin bran in a small box. This is getting as bad as the earlier Italian rut. On the road at 7:23 and already the traffic was bumper to bumper headed into Washington DC. And we thought the Capital Beltway was bad Sunday afternoon. Heading southeast took us away from the bumper cars on the Interstate and eventually to Highway 29. This turned out to be the perfect highway.

Known also as the 29th Infantry Division Highway and the Seminole Trail Highway, it is a four lane tour through some of the most beautiful agriculture country you would ever want to see. I can’t tell you how many times Barb said “ok, we’re moving here.” It’s not limited access and does pass through a few towns, but there was practically no traffic.

About 40 miles out we came across Culpeper, Virginia, a town in which Barb assured me there would be no Starbucks. The GPS said different and the GPS won. With a Mocha and coffee in hand, we were back on the road. Somewhere along the way Highway 29 seems to have added the additional name of the Thomas Nelson Highway. South of Charlottesville, Virginia, we passed through the storied land that was home to John Boy and the Walton Clan. Anyone remember going to Rockfish for the picture show?

We made one more stop at a visitor center and when the nice lady found out we were headed to Lynchburg, we were told we had to have lunch at The Farm Basket. So we did and it was very good. Next up was a 24 mile drive east to Appomattox Court House National Historical Park.

It was at Appomattox on April 9, 1865, that General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to General Ulysses S. Grant, thereby effectively ending the Civil War. After abandoning Richmond and Petersburg on April 2nd, Lee’s army marched south in hopes of joining forces with General Joseph E. Johnston’s army and then moving against General William T. Sherman. But it wasn’t to be. Grant dogged him the entire way, with more than 20 engagements before the destruction of Lee’s supply trains at The Battle of Appomattox Station. Lee began his march south with over 60,000 men. Barely 30,000 arrived at Appomattox. They were tired. They were hungry. They were beaten. Lee had no choice and in short order other armies of the South also surrendered.

Although many of the buildings have been rebuilt, two important structures remain as they were in 1864. Grant and Lee sat down in a parlor of The McLean House to sign the surrender documents. Wilmer McLean moved to Appomattox seeking to avoid war after the First Battle of Bull Run took place on his farm. It is said the Civil War began in his back yard and ended in his parlor. Built in 1819, the Clover Hill Tavern served as a stopover for travelers on the Richmond-Lynchburg Road. In one night printing presses brought to the tavern produced all the parole passes needed for Lee’s army.

On the recommendation of the desk clerk, we hiked down towards the James River and the Depot Grill. In a renovated train depot we shared an excellent dinner of Calamari, Caesar Salad and Shrimp & Scallop Scampi. Tomorrow we are off to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and then The Great Smokey Mountains. 223 miles today.

One of many
Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia

Day 25 - Manassas, VA

We planned a short day, so slept in late and headed down for breakfast at 9:30. Should have had plenty of time, since the motel advertised breakfast until 10:00. Wrong. Looked like they don’t restock during the last half hour and with other diners crowding in to get what was left we took off for Cracker Barrel and a breakfast that would also be lunch.

With 5,860 miles on the clock since leaving Redmond, it was time to stop at the local Honda dealer for an oil change and service. An hour later and after a short stop at the motel we headed out to the Manassas National Battlefield. The two Civil War battles fought there are known as First and Second Manassas in the South and First and Second Bull Run in the North. I use Manassas simply because it’s the name of the nearby town and I’ve spent hours learning to spell it.

At 5,073 acres, Manassas is almost as large as Gettysburg; however the visitor’s center had a unique way of depicting the progress of the battle. A large 20 foot square map was outfitted with hundreds of small LED lights, which when turned on and off portrayed the movement of troops across the battlefield, as well as artillery duels. Confederate and Union columns moved snakelike from one position to another. This presentation is by far the best way we have seen to understand the ebb and flow of a battle.

First Manassas is a walking tour, which we would have done had it not been a rainy and cold day. The 18 mile auto tour stops at a number of locations that figured prominently in the second battle. We stopped at them all, but several stood out. The Groveton Confederate Cemetery contains about 500 Confederates, buried in trench graves identified only by state. The cemetery has only two headstones that identify individual solders by name. Chinn Ridge, once the home of Benjamin Chinn, was the site of an artillery duel and desperate struggle by Union troops to delay Confederate counterattacks. All that remains today is the stone foundation of a farmhouse. From Battery Heights Union, artillery silenced opposing Confederate batteries, while two days later Confederate artillery occupied the same ground and from there repulsed a Union attack. Near Lee Highway on the east side of the park is the Stone Bridge. It was here that the Union army crossed Bull Run Creek and returned to the safety of Washington. Nearby Stone House served as a Union field hospital during both battle. Our last stop was the Sudley United Methodist Church. Yes Phil, we took a casserole.

The first battle lasted one day and resulted in 4,878 casualties, while the second battle was three days and added 25,251. So now we have visited three battlefields. Eight days of fighting. 96,582 casualties. And still two years of war to go.

Back to the motel for a couple of hours and then off to Ruby Tuesdays for the salad bar and a beer. Tomorrow we head to Lynchburg, Virginia, for a visit to Appomattox Court House. 38 miles today.

Barb at the Stone Bridge
Manassas National Battlefield
Manassas, Virginia

Day 24 - Lancaster, PA to Manassas, VA

On the road at 8:30, after another of those little boxes of raisin bran, but did find a Starbucks. It took a little work to locate highway 283, but once on it we were unknowingly headed for a great day and it was a quick trip to Sharpsburg, Maryland.

Once in there, we found the Antietam Battlefield Visitors Center, took a look at the displays and picked up car tour map. Our first stop was a short walk to the Dunker Church and then back to the car for a very well laid out tour of the battlefield. In 30 minutes the 24 acre Cornfield accounted for 60 percent casualties in one Louisiana Brigade. Next door in the West Woods over 2,200 Union soldiers were killed or wounded in 20 minutes. Nearby is the Sunken Road. Worn down over the decades, it became known as “Bloody Lane” for the number killed in a three hour standoff. Toward the end of the tour we parked and walked down to Burnside Bridge, where Union troops under the command of General Ambrose Burnside crossed Antietam Creek, forcing Confederates away from the battlefield.

Antietam and Gettysburg were different is a couple of ways. At 3,255 acres Antietam is much easier to visit and a one day battle is much easier to visualize than three. But in both soldiers die. In the case of Antietam, over 22,720 were killed, wounded or missing in one day. Compare that to 43,733 at Gettysburg in three days.

We started looking for a place to have lunch and ended up at Betty’s in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. You are no more amazed at how we do these things than we are. The words West Virginia had never entered our minds. But there we were in a town of 1,208 hardy souls, a whole lot of old building and Shepherdstown University. Betty’s was packed, but we found space to split a ham sandwich. After lunch we found out about their world famous crab cakes, for which even employees must pay full price.

So what to do next. Plugged Harper’s Ferry into the GPS and promptly got lost. Taking a chance, I ignored the road closed sign, followed the Shenandoah River for a few miles and found the road really was closed. It took a little while, but we finally arrived at the Harper’s Ferry National Park. Golden Age Pass worked again and we took a park bus down to the town. What a great place for us to stumble on. More museums than we could possibly go through. John Brown’s Fort. The old C & O Canal. Great view of the Shenandoah flowing into the Potomac. For anyone interested in the Civil War this is a must see.

We still had an 80 mile drive to our motel, which doesn’t seem like much. Only problem was the Capital Beltway at rush hour. I really don’t like that kind of driving. Everyone is in a hurry. Got checked into our motel and headed for Olive Garden. Tomorrow is Manassas National Battlefield. Added Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia today, so should be up to 23 states. 258 miles today.

Antietam National Battlefield

Burnside Bridge
Antietam National Battlefield
Sharpsburg, Maryland

Day 23 - Gettysburg, PA to Lancaster, PA

Up with the alarm at 6:45, which turned out to be just a tad early. Barb thought we had signed on for breakfast at 8:00, when it was really 8:30. No problem, a little coffee and the Gettysburg Times and before we knew it our hosts called us into the dining room.

Breakfast was an improvement over yesterday. Fruit cup, Crème Brulee French Toast, sausage, juice and coffee. All of it made even better by a bonus group of fellow diners. No more talk of muscle cars and the days of youth long past. As for the B & B, it was ok. Is that meaningful for you?

On the road at 9:15, one stop for gas and then we were heading north on highway 15 to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I missed a couple of turns on the way to the Capitol City Mall in Camp Hill for a Starbucks, but we were soon crossing the Susquehanna River into Harrisburg. It came as a surprise to me that Harrisburg is the state capitol; I would have thought Philadelphia or Pittsburg. A short drive east on highway 283 brought us to Lancaster and our motel, which surprisingly had our room ready.

After checking out a few maps we headed east into farm country. Actually Amish farm country and it was by far the most beautiful farm country we have ever seen. You see pictures of this country and form an image in your mind of what it will look like. The image for me wasn’t even close. Rolling hills and white houses. Silos and barns. Corn fields and dairy cows. Horse drawn buggies and straw hats. Photos will never do it justice, but I now have photos in my mind.

Today is Saturday in Amish country, and I’m guessing its laundry day, for there are pants and shirts flying like flags in the wind from unbelievably long clothes lines. There are so many houses with buggies and no power lines. We watched a corn field being cleared by a horse drawn harvester and earth being turned by a horse drawn plow.

Lunch was at the Revere Tavern in Paradise, Pennsylvania, which began providing travelers with lodging, food and spirits in 1740. In 1841, the tavern became the residence of Reverend Edward Buchanan and in 1854 it was purchased by the Reverend’s brother, James Buchanan, the Fifteenth President of the United States. Adding further to the tavern’s history, composer Stephen Foster penned many of his songs while a guest of his sister Eliza, who was the wife of the Reverend Buchanan.

We spent some time searching for some of the 30 odd covered bridges in Lancaster County and came up empty. Back at the motel I began writing up some notes for the blog, while Barb made use of the guest laundry. Tomorrow we will head south to Manassas, Virginia, stopping along the way to explore the Antietam Battlefield in Maryland. Up to 5,419 miles and almost to the halfway point. 158 miles today.

Amish farmland

Day 22 - Gettysburg National Battlefield

This entry is going to be really short, because there is no way I can describe for you what we saw and did today. Read all the books you want. Watch The Civil War film by Ken Burns and the Martin Sheen as Robert E. Lee version of the battle in the movie Gettysburg. There is nothing that will compare to being there. Can I tell you what it’s like to walk along the stone walls were the 20th Maine turned back the Confederates on Little Round Top; or walk around in the boulders of the Devils Den where Confederate sharpshooters plied their trade; or to stand on Cemetery Ridge and imagine the men of Pickett’s division moving out of the trees on Seminary Ridge? And can I tell what it’s like to look out at that beautiful land where there were 43,733 causalities in three days of fighting? No, I can’t. So I won’t.

Anyway, we were up at 7:30 and downstairs for a coffee and the Gettysburg newspaper. News must be a little scarce around this part of the country, because page 2 was the obituaries. Breakfast was at best ok; nothing like the B & B in Vermont and the company of the other two couples was non-existent.

After that start, it was a good thing Barb had called and made reservations for a guided tour of the battlefield. I usually stay far away from such outings; however this was just what we needed. Gettysburg is big. 5,990 acres worth of big spread out over a variety of landscape. In two hours the guide gave us a better understanding of the layout of the battlefield than we could have gained on our own in a week.

After the tour we passed on lunch and with our new found knowledge of the battlefield set out to get lost. And not just once. What I really wanted was to walk up Little Round Top to where Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain had ordered the bayonet charge that saved the Union on day. Only took three tries.

After dinner there was much discussion on what to do tomorrow. Do we go to Lancaster, Pennsylvania as planned or head south to Antietam? In the end we decided to stay with Lancaster and explore a little of the Amish country 34 miles today.

Gettysburg National Battlefield
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania