5. USA: Gettysburg

Wednesday, June 27, 215 mile drive, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Nags Head to Chincoteague, Virginia.  We push off again, this time reluctantly, following a visit to the Wright Brothers Memorial at Kitty Hawk.  We are beach people and missed not being able to enjoy the ocean.  If it weren't for the nor'easter, Nags Head, we're sure, would have been the best place we stopped.  We leave the island and cross the bridge back to the hustle and bustle of the freeway system.  I get lost on the beltway around Norfolk, but finally find the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel.  We cross the bridge to the tourist stop and look around a bit before heading under the bay to the "eastern shore," the upper part of Virginia.  Soon we are in country which bears a slight resemblance to coastal Georgia, with its grasslands and waterways, then leave the highway and turn east to Chincoteague. 

Our hotel is a big disappointment: one room with two queen sized beds in a run down, one story affair; but we have a good crab dinner overlooking the harbor and, afterwards, from the pool, we enjoy a beautiful full moon rise over the land.  There's nothing that a few sights like that won't cure.

Thursday, June 28, 250 mile drive, 9:15 a.m. to 4:50 p.m., Chincoteague to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  Friday, June 29, Gettysburg.  In the morning we visit the Chincoteague preserve at the shore and see the ponies.  There is other wildlife.  The scenery is rugged and beautiful.  The beach looks as if it would have been nice to visit, but after some snapshots and a stamp for our national parks book, we hop in the car and head off to Gettysburg.

Today seems like a long drive, as we make our detour through Delaware to catch an extra state (Delaware is number 13, excluding Nevada), then head west towards the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, stopping on the eastern side for crab cakes.  The bay looks inviting, the weather is clear and breezy.  Many sailboats are out, taking advantage of a fine summer day.

Despite my initial intentions, we bypass Baltimore (beautiful trees!).  It looked so easy on the map, but even the briefest of visits would put us back hours.  Instead we continue on into the rolling hills and trees of Pennsylvania, arriving in Gettysburg close to five in the afternoon on a hot, hazy day.  The day reminds me of visiting Mer in Pasadena.  I completely unload the car for the third time.  The Days' Inn motel is brand new, and we have a huge ground floor room ("Devil's Den," a battlefield site), actually two normal rooms without a dividing wall.  There are three double beds, two of which fold up.  Next door, by the hotel pool, is a Perkins restaurant.  I am pleased with my selection. 

 In the evening we take a drive along the Confederate lines and see fireflies and deer.  The humidity increases.  How did the soldiers manage? 

Friday, we hire a guide who comes with us in our car and directs us around the battlefield.  The heat, humidity and smog today are worse.  Somewhere I read they have acid rain here.  We return our guide and visit the commercial tourist areas.  I begin to read The Fallen Angels about the battle.  In the afternoon we swim in the pool.  Dinner is submarine sandwiches.  Next door we watch Union dressed soldiers (a band) get off of a train and march into town.  In the evening we see "The Rocketeer."  "Robin Hood" was much better, but we recognize the "The Rocketeer" locations in Disneyworld.

Devil's Den

The Gettysburg Battlefield

Gettysburg Tour

 Robert now has a cold, our first illness of the trip.  He calls himself (with a sleek smile for Cathy), "your fat little butterball."  Other recent images and impressions: Thomas and Jeffrey in the bath with Jeffrey's high voice when he's excited or imagining; competent, young lady Mara, so demanding at times.

 I call the office, my share of the PR money is even better than I expected, but it will take awhile before we get it.  As we prepare to leave we spend extra time packing away for good the USA tourist stuff along with shorts and other casual clothing that don't seem appropriate for Europe.