Day 4: The ghetto Sizzler

Fredericksburg National Military Park

Cemetery at Fredericksburg National Military Park

Cemetery at Fredericksburg National Military Park

Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson died in this house 144 years ago today

Photo gallery here

After getting my A/C working in my room (still no wi-fi) I took off for some dinner. I passed by a Golden Corral (a sort of ghetto version of a Sizzler). I had eaten at one years ago and thought it was pretty good. Boy have they changed. They're still ghetto, but now they're a buffet. All the other fat people and I lined up like cattle to get in, slap our $9 down for an all-you-can-eat extravaganza. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, steak, mac-n-cheese, salad, and anything else you could want. Finished it off with hot fudge ice cream. It was disgusting. Delicious, but gut-bustingly disgusting. There's nothing healthy in that place whatsoever. If I could swap the Torrance Souplantation for a Golden Corral, I'd do it in a second.

As if I wasn't full enough, I went across the street from the "Corral" to Pints and Pipes Scottish pub for a few Guinnesses. mmmmm. I played the electronic trivia game against some regulars and kicked their Confederate asses.

I'm glad I bought my ticket to Jamestown for Saturday because I found out that Pres. Bush is coming here for a visit on Sunday and it will be a traffic and access nightmare.

Observations from the day:
It's weird to walk into restaurants and bars and find people smoking. It's been so long since I've experienced that in California. Good news is that I can light up a big, fat cigar and enjoy my Guinness.
There are so many trees and wooded areas here. I think all the trees in the desert we call SoCal have been paved over with concrete.
I haven't seen a mullet hair cut yet, but plenty of people missing teeth.

Tomorrow: I'm driving down to North Carolina's Outer Banks and will visit Kill Devil Hills, the site of the Wright Brothers first flight. I spotted a Hooters in town tonight so guess where I'm having dinner tomorrow.

Day 4: What? No wi-fi?

Filled up today. I never thought sub $3 would look so good

I just checked into my hotel in Williamsburg, VA and much to my chagrin, they don't have wireless internet (wi-fi) here. Barbarians. They've got a brochure announcing high speed wireless, but nothing's active. I'll have to have a chat with the front desk. Also, the AC isn't working and it's hot and muggy. I'll have to talk with them aobut that as well.

Spent the day driving from Maryland to Williamsburg. Stopped at Fredericksburg, VA and toured the battlefield. There's still a house riddled with bullet holes from one of the battles that destroyed the town in 1862.

More to come.

Day 3: Gettysburg and even more monuments

Photo gallery here

If I thought Antietam had a lot of monuments and statues, you should see Gettysburg. Ai yai yai, there are over 1300 monuments alone. Plus, there are many more markers and placards.

Anyway, I took a short drive from Frederick to Gettysburg, PA to the National Military Park. I pulled into the visitors center and the place was full of tour and school buses and a ton of kids on field trips. I wanted to turn around and go back. I don't want any runny-nosed kid mucking up my photos. It turned out not to be a problem. The place is so big that everyone just spreads out as they tour the sites on their own from their vehicles.

A statue of Abraham Lincoln near the spot where he gave the Gettysburg Address

One of the cool things to see are the areas of the park that were photographed after the battle. The famous photo of the dead "sniper" at Devil's Den taken by Alexander Gardner is perhaps the most famous faked photo ever. The photographer dragged the dead Confederate soldier from about 40 yards away, propped a rifle against the rocks and shot the photo. Were there no ethics back then. Of course I've dragged dead bodies into different positions to make better photos. Who hasn't

Gardner's photo from 1863

My photo of the same spot in 2007

Over the 3-day battle of Gettyburg from July 1-3, 1863, 51,000 Americans were either killed, wounded or missing. Antietam was the worst single day battle and Gettysburg was the worst battle ever fought on U.S. soil.

Soldiers in battle at the Virginia Memorial

It's afternoon now and I'm beat.

Photo gallery here


Last night I went online to check my hotel reservations in Williamsburg, VA and then checked out the Jamestown website. The same Jamestown that the Queen of England visited the other day. I was hoping all of the hoopla would be over. WRONG! It turns out that this weekend is their big 400th anniversary celebration. Crap. That means big crowds. I had to buy my ticket in advance (triple the normal price). Found out where to pick it up at will call and which parking lot I need to park at in order to be shuttled in to Jamestown. Since they are anticipating huge crowds, the regular parking lot is closed and there are 8 shuttle equipped park and ride lots. Wait, it gets even better. It turns out Ricky Skaggs is performing the same day I'll be there. Not the day before or the day after, the exact SAME day. How awesome is that! Aw Crap.


Observations from the day:
Why would a kid - probably 16 or 17 - wear a heavy, wool Union "uniform" and hat to Gettysburg. It was way too warm for that. I mean, great, you're a Civil War buff, but relax kid and have a good time. Leave the uniform at home.

Tomorrow: Travel to Williamsburg, VA

Day 2: Monuments and Statues

School kids visit the New York Monument at Antietam

This is quickly becoming the summer tour of monuments and statues. I mean they are everywhere. And if there's not a statue or monument, then there's a historical marker telling you what happened on that spot 145 years ago. History is everwhere.

I got up very early and was out by 8:00. I was surprised that I only had to drive about 1/2 mile to Monocacy National Battlefield. I think I can actually see it from my hotel window.
This was the site of a July 1864 battle which stopped the advancing Confederate army from crossing the Monocacy River and eventually reaching Washington and is referred to as the "battle that saved Washington D.C." There's not a lot to see at the site. Mostly statues and monuments (of course) which are spread out over several acres of the battle site. There's also empty farm land and farm houses that got caught in the middle of the two armies.


After about an hour of touring Monocacy, I made the drive over to Sharpsburg, MD and the Antietam National Battlefield. This was the site of the bloodiest single day of the Civil War.

On September 17, 1862, 87,000 Union soldiers came upon the 40,000 Confederates who had dug in defensive positions. The battle lasted all day and no army really gained or lost much ground, but there were 23,000 killed or wounded soldiers left on the battlefield.

It's amazing to stand on the same spot where 145 years ago over 100,000 men were engaged in this huge battle. Even though nobody really won the battle, the South took it as a defeat because it stopped them from advancing North into Union territory. Also, photographer Alexander Gardner took those famous photos of the dead lying in the field two days after the battle. When published, people were shocked because it was one of the first times people could see the carnage of war instead of just reading about it. It helped sway public opinion to end the war as soon as possible.


Photo gallery here

Gardner's photo with Dunker Church in the background.
My view of the same church from a similar location as Gardner's

Another of Gardner's photo showing the bridge over the Antietam Creek that the Union fought to cross.

My photo of the same bridge but from the opposite side.

After a couple of hours at Antietam, I headed to West Virginia to Harper's Ferry. The town holds a lot of historical significance in the Civil War as well as the efforts to free the slaves. It's very well restored and maintained, but it was kind of boring. I didn't shoot many photos and walked around for a little more than an hour then headed back to Frederick .Greetings from Harper's Ferry

Photo gallery here

My rental Mitsubishi Eclipse. It has terrible blind spots, but the seats are comfortable and it's fun to drive.

After I got back to the hotel, I decided to check out the Frederick Keys minor league baseball team. They were playing the Kinston Indians.
The cheapest ticket at a Dodgers game: $10
The cheapest ticket at a Frederick Keys game: $8
Beer at Dodgers: Free in the press room after the game
Beer at the Keys: $8 for 12 oz.
Attendance at the Dodgers: 46,000
Attendance at the Keys: maybe 250
Better value: hmmm, let me think.


After the game I headed into town for dinner and then stopped by Frederick's only Irish pub for a Guinness or two.



Observations from the day:
I have yet to see a house made with stucco or an Hispanic person. All houses are made with bricks and most of the people are white. Where are all of the Latinos? I miss them. There's a Mexican restaurant in town, but I dare not go inside if there are no Mexicans working there making the food. They probably pronounce their tacos with a hard A as in tAcos.
There are a lot more bugs flying around than I'm used to.
Also, my shower sucks. A little water pressure would be great.


Tomorrow: Gettysburg, PA

Day 1: What the hell am I doing in Maryland

Off to an early start with a non-stop flight from Long Beach to Washington Dulles. When I boarded the flight I spotted a small baby in the row in front of me. I thought I was screwed. Luckily, the little person didn't cry the whole flight.
Whew!

Landed about 4:45 pm, got my rental car (a new Mistubishi Eclipse sports car), ran a red light leaving the airport (oops, I was still trying to figure out the car) No harm, no foul.
The good news is I remembered to bring my GPS navigator. What a great invention. Plug it in, tell it where I want to go and off I went to Frederick, Maryland. About an hour drive from Dulles.


One goofy thing I noticed on the airplane is an ash tray in the lavatory. What? Who puts an ash tray in a place where they warn us not to smoke? I realize the plane was built in France, but I don't think even the chain smoking French are allowed to smoke on planes. The funny thing is that there were ashes in the tray.


After checking in to the hotel, I searched the internet for restaurants, then it was off to downtown for dinner. I went to a micro brew/restaurant. It wasnt' bad, but it wasn't great. Had pulled pork sandwich and salad. Hefeweizen and Indian Pale Ale.

Observations from the day:
Beer costs the same, but gas is $2.95
I probably passed 100 antique stores on the way to Frederick. In L.A. you pass 100 Starbucks.
Everything is green and there are woods everywhere.
Signs with silhouettes of leaping deer have me worried.

Tomorrow, the actual vacation begins. Off to Harper's Ferry in West Virginia and several other sites.