Visit with Dick & Saundra Weller

On the way up to Annapolis for Homecoming at the Academy we stopped off in Fairfax, VA to spend a night with Dick & Saundra Weller - old friends from both VS-28 in Jacksonville and later at TPS in Pax River. Hadn't seen them in probably 15-20 years, but you wouldn't have known it from the ongoing conversations. Seemed as if we picked up a discussion from a few days earlier rather years. Their younger son Geoff was there too, so we got to meet him again - this time as an adult - and spoke with him at length. Appears that he's grown up to be a fine young man, which means he obviously takes more after Saundra than Dick.

Can't tell you how much fun it was to spend a couple of days with them. The gentle teasing that went back and forth had us smiling and laughing for hours - haven't laughed that much in years.

As you can see from the photo they haven't changed too much either. Dick is working for one of the beltway bandits in DC and Saundra is working with a local Medical Facility in the area. Both remain quite busy with their professional lives, although both remain as sweet-natured as we remembered from all those many years ago. Great time!

Jamestown & Williamsburg

Rita in front of one of the Indian hogans at Jamestown settlement

We're in Annapolis this week at the 40th reunion of my Naval Academy class. Really enjoying ourselves seeing a bunch of old geezers we haven't seen in years. Will get some photos out in a day or two, meanwhile here are a few photos of a couple of side trips we made from Yorktown last week, first to Jamestown and then to Williamsburg.


Artisan in period dress hard at work

Jamestown was the first English settlement in North America - believe that only St. Augustine (Spanish) predates it. The ships arrived from England in 1607 and by the end of the first winter only about 80 of the original 500 settlers were still alive. They had a love-hate relationship with the local Indians, who helped them thru the first difficult years only to be dispossessed later as more settlers poured in and established the Tidewater plantations that began the lucrative cultivation of tobacco from the West Indies. Once that cash crop got established the local tribes never had a chance.

This is the land of Pocahantas and John Smith - Smith was the first military commander of the settlement.


Talking to the armorer about Indian attack prevention


This guy was former Navy Enlisted...living in the area


Rita with Pocahantas. Rita's the one on the right. Interestingly they have Pocahantas in the garb of a plains Indian


The actual landing site and original fort was about a half mile down the road from the touristy Jamestown Settlement with it'e reenactors. There's been an excavation ongoing for years at the original site. One of the "finds" was about 20 graves that they've dated from the era, and which they believe belong to some of those who perished the first winter based on artifacts buried with them...and the evidence that they starved to death.


The original Statehouse which dates back to Jefferson, Washington, and the Virginia House of Burgesses that set the stage for American Independence in the southern colonies.

Spent the last pretty day in Williamsburg just up the road from Jamestown. In fact the capitol was moved from Jamestown to Williamsburg in 1692. We had been here many years before but never had time for a stroll. Really a pretty place, lots of history, and the College of William & Mary helps mellow out the local ambiance. Turned out it was homecoming weekend at W&M so there were a lot of old grads back in town.

A pretty little town on a pretty Autumn Day



One of the incandescent trees in Autumn dress that decorated the town. Had lunch in one of the old pubs dating from 1750...the kinds of places where the Founding Fathers debated, argued and generally hashed out the principles that begame the idea that became the United States. A neat place - we enjoyed it very much.

Spent a night with the Wellers before we headed to Annapolis. Great time reconnecting with them. Will get the photos up tomorrow.

Yorktown

Drove down here on a cold, rainy Sunday from Harpers Ferry. As luck would have it we arrived the day before the 228th anniversary of the British surrender at Yorktown on Oct. 19, 1781, an event that effectively ended the Revolutionary War. Our hosts gave us a head's up about the memorial festivities planned for the next day so we decided to go and enjoy them. It was a beautiful, sunny, crisp Autumn day which added to the whole package, especially since we hadn't seen the sun for several days.

They had a very charming, small-town parade featuring numerous bands and marching units in period regalia - including several fife and drum corps. The units came primarily from the various military bases in the area as well as the JROTC outfits from local high schools. After the parade everyone walked up Main St. to the Victory Monument for a memorial program featuring representatives from the French government, as well as local patriotic organizations. The French Army & Navy both played critical roles in enabling the victory. Fact is that there wouldn't have been a victory without them. One of the highlights was the singing of the French and American anthems. I've always thought the French National Anthem - Le Marseillaise - was the best on earth. The woman who sang it here did credit to it...and brought tears to the eye.

After the formal ceremonies broke up we walked around the battlefield and the charming little town and generally enjoyed the pretty Fall day. Next day we biked around the outer works along the National Park lanes - especially pretty in Autumn dress.

Here are a few photos:




Lots of these guys.


Kicking off the Parade.



Victory Monument. Authorized by Congress in 1782 but not funded until 100 years later - not much has changed in National Government since then.


On the drive down we stopped at a couple of other Civil War sites of interest near Richmond. The first was the battlefield at Cold Harbor - a horrendous battle in 1864 that led to the siege at Petersburg and the ultimate Confederate defeat although the battle itself was a Confederate victory - Lee's last one in the war.

The photo below is a view of the Confederate line with the entrenchments still visible. The Union lost 7000 killed in about 30 minutes trying to charge these works.


Second stop was a place called City Point - a peninsula on the James River near Richmond where Grant had his headquarters during the 10 month siege of Petersburg. It's also where Lincoln came down to confer with Grant, Sherman & Admiral Porter in the last days before Lee surrendered. Lincoln also stopped here 2 days after Richmond fell and took a small boat up the river to see what was left of the Southern capital - much to the terror of Adm. Porter, who apparently was scared to death that someone would take a potshot at the obvious target as they sailed up the narrow waterway to the wharf at Richmond. The main house and its surrounding grounds are historic in their own right - being one of the early Jamestown plantations in the 1600's and the site of a lot of Revolutionary war history.

This is Gen. Grant's cabin, which he used from June of 1864 until April of 1865.

We're thoroughly enjoying this area, both for the history and the Indian Summer days we've been having since we got here. Lots of Revolutionary War & Civil War history as well as Jamestown and Williamsburg nearby. Could probably spend a few months here just wringing out all the history.
We'll be leaving Saturday morning to drive up to DC and visit the Wellers before we head for Annapolis.

Here's a final look at the Yorktown Day Parade on Oct. 19.

Harpers Ferry

On our last day in the Gettysburg area we spent a couple of hours visiting the Eisenhower farm which is located just outside the battlefield. He apparently had a tour of duty here as a junior officer during WWI and fell in love with the area. After he retired from the Army (and before he was elected President) he purchased this 120 acre farm where he raised Black Angus cattle and grew corn & soybeans on his acreage. Made for a pleasant interlude before we made the short drive down to Harpers Ferry.



We last visited Harpers Ferry about 25 years ago when the boys were young but only spent part of a day here. This time we rented a pretty little cottage in the "upper town" and spent 5 days wandering about. The photo above was taken not far from our place at "Jefferson's Rock", so named because Thomas Jefferson apparently came here in the 1790's and gushed over the view of the Shenandoah & Potomac Rivers coming together...during the spring floods I guess. Anyway, all of the local guidebooks include his famous quote about the view. Back in the day I guess there weren't any trees around to block the panorama.



Here's another view of Jefferson's Rock. The Appalachian Trail winds past here at the midpoint of it's journey from Georgia to Maine. Lot's of hikers in town after it turned cold & rainy.

There's a lot of history here. Merriweather Lewis came to the Federal Armory in 1803 to buy muskets, tomahawks and other iron implements, with a letter of credit from Jefferson, to outfit the Corps of Discovery before the journey West in 1804.
One of the early surveyors in the area was a young George Washington. Later as President it was Washington who recommended that the Feds build an armory here to take advantage of all the free water power available. The Armory was burned by the Federal garrison in 1861 just after Virginia seceded from the Union. It was also the scene of a big battle in Sept. of 1862 - it was Stonewall Jackson & his troops that took the place.
Harpers Ferry was raided by John Brown, a fanatic abolitionist, in 1859. His failed attempt to incite a slave revolt set in motion a chain of events that led to the outbreak of the Civil War 18 months later. In an interesting historical footnote, the Army officer in charge of the detail that eventually captured Brown was Robert E. Lee, and witnesses to his hanging in nearby Charlestown, WV were Stonewall Jackson and John Wilkes Booth. The old firehouse above was the scene of the seige. As it happened we were in town for the 150th anniversary of the John Brown raid.



We made a side trip to the Antietam battlefield near Sharpsburg, MD one day. Antietam was the bloodiest one day battle of the Civil War, and the Union victory there allowed Lincoln to issue the draft of the Emancipation Proclamation.
The photo is the Dunker Church - one of the key geographic locations for both sides during the fight.



Another key point, and the location of much of the deadly fighting, is the Corn Field - still farmland after 147 years.


The Sunken Road was a particular scene of heavy fighting.



And lastly, the Stone Bridge is where the fighting reached a climax in the late afternoon. Gen. Burnside's troops suffered heavily trying to get across this bridge - taking heavy fire & losses from Georgia sharpshooters on the opposite bank.

Heading for Yorktown next - hoping for some sunny weather.

Gettysburg

Flew into BWI the afternoon of the 8th and drove up to Gettysburg, where we spent 5 days visiting the National Park and generally enjoying the pretty countryside that was awash in autumn colors. Here's the evidence:


It was a real treat for me to tramp the battlefield, which the park service has done a great job preserving. I've always been a Civil War buff and so really enjoyed the chance to walk around the battlefield and visit the scenes where so much American history unfolded during 3 July days back in 1863. The photo above is taken from Seminary Ridge - on the Confederate side and which is the spot where Pickett's Charge began - it's also the place where Lee rode out onto the battlefield to meet his defeated soldiers after the repulse.


Looking up at Little Round Top from the top of Devil's Den. Union General Dan Sickles was routed at a place called the Peach Orchard near here and his men conducted a fighting retreat thru the Wheatfield & Devil's Den as they tried to reach the safety of the main Union line at Little Round Top. This was our picnic spot one afternoon. Afterwords we found the location of the 20th Maine Regiment commanded by Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, who directed a downhill bayonette charge the evening of the second day that probably saved the Union line, the battle and the war for the North.




General Mead's Headquarters near the center of the battlefield.


There were some reenactors on hand on Saturday afternoon. These "Confederates" appear to be a little better fed than their counterparts were said to be back in 1863. They gave demonstrations on weapon loading, squad tactics and close order drill, finishing up with a simulated charge...including the rebel yell.



The countryside was especially beautiful thanks to the peaking Autumn colors. We stumbled upon this historic old covered bridge on one of the back roads as we were out driving one day. It was apparently used by both Union & Confederate soldiers at different stages of the battle.

The entrance to Evergreen Cemetery - the original cemetery in Gettysburg. There was a sign at the gate in 1863 that famously said "persons discharging firearms within these grounds will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law". After a Confederate artillery round dislocated it a Union General supposedly commented to his aide that he supposed the ordinance had been rescinded. Union artillery occupied the place for the duration of the battle.



There are still old farms located on the battlefield - many with historical significance. This is the Spangler Farm...where Longstreet's men anchored their line before charging across the field on the second day of the battle.


The scenic back roads and Fall colors made for pleasant walking.


A View of Downtown Gettysburg on a Saturday afternoon. Traffic must be a real bear during the high tourist months. Still, it was a pretty little town to walk around on a sunny Autumn afternoon.

USNA 40th Reunion

Tomorrow morning (early) we depart for BWI to begin a trip that we built around the 40 year anniversary of my Naval Academy class.

Here's a short version of our itinerary:

Oct. 8-13 in Gettysburg, PA

Oct. 13-18 in Harpers Ferry, WV

Oct. 18-23 in Yorktown/Williamsburg, VA

Oct. 23-26 still TBA, but we hope to see our old friends Dick & Saundra Weller in DC

Oct. 26-Nov.2 in Annapolis for the reunion festivities. We're actually arriving several days early and will be renting a house for the week with my old roomate Don Tanaka & his wife Susan who we visited in June at their home in Cincy.

Nov. 2-6 still TBD but will probably be heading down to the Patuxent River area, where we lived for many years during my tours at the Test Center and, later, at NavAir when it was located in Crystal City.

Nov. 6-11 in Valdosta to spend a few days with the kids and grand kids before heading home on the 11th.

Will try to update the blog as we go. If you need to connect with us while we're traveling you can reach us on Rita's cell at 229-269-3833.

Mt. Rainier

We just returned from a couple of days up at Mt. Rainier National Park - located about two hours north of us here in Vancouver. We hadn't been to that area before even though it's pretty nearby, so when the forecast called for clear weather for a few days we decided to give it a go. Glad we did. Although it was cloudy the afternoon we arrived it started clearing later on and, as advertised, "the mountain was out" (as the locals say) by the next morning.



Here's the view of the mountain from the north-east side, taken on one of our hikes back up into the hills above Sunrise - one of the popular though remote areas of the park. You can just see one or two of the glaciers peeking thru the clouds. The rolling clouds made for some very dramatic scenes as the curtain rose and fell.



By the next morning it was spectacular as you can see from the photo above. This time we set off from the Paradise Lodge - on the south side - which is by far the most visited section of the park. Rainier is located about an hour and a half from downtown Seattle so it's a popular day trip. Saw several tour buses pulling up just as we were leaving after our morning hike.

One of several pretty alpine valleys we passed thru.



Never thought I'd be saying this, but the hikes in and around Mt. Rainier are even prettier than New Zealand or Ireland, which is saying plenty. The combination of the mountain, the surrounding Alpine valleys and the beautiful weather made for one of the prettiest hikes we've ever done. There were even some wildflowers still blooming further up the slope. Although it was mid-September, and with the first snow of the winter only a few weeks away, we actually had to pass by several of last years snow drifts further up the mountain.

Our loop began behind the Paradise Lodge - at around 6000 ft - and wound its way up to the 8000 ft level before heading back downhill along the Nisqually glacier and then the Nisqually River. It was a weekday after Labor Day so the crowds were down as compared to the peak of summer when it apparently gets pretty clobbered. As usual, however, if you just walk 5 minutes up the hiking trails the crowds melt away fast and you have the place - and all of this gorgeous scenery - to yourself.



A rest stop & photo op on the way up the trail.



This was our lunch stop near the top of the pass - just across from the Nisqually Glacier. The waterfall you see passes underneath the glacier below until it emerges about a mile downhill...and forms the headwater of the Nisqually River in the valley below.



As we sat there eating our sandwiches we were startled by this fat little ground hog as he came around the corner, obviously having scavenged some grass to line his burrow for the coming winter. We were just off the well-travelled trail, at the 8000 ft level, sitting on some rocks and so didn't expect to see any wildlife at all. Actually heard him before we saw him. He was a pretty big guy - must have weighed about 25 lbs., and sounded like a person running up the path. He saw us at about the same time we saw him about 20 ft away., and stopped to size us up before continuing (and to allow us time to grab the camera).



This is a view of Mt. Adams from the top of the pass. Off to the lower right you can just see Mt. Hood in Oregon...about 95 miles away.




Stopped on the way back to go on a short hike thru the woods to an Old Growth forest. This Pacific Red Cedar is 1,000 years old and was surrounded by similarly aged Douglas Firs and Western Hemlock trees - all between 600 and 1,000 years old. Really a neat place.

On our way downhill from one of our hikes we came across this little chipmunk chowing down on the seed pods from whatever plant this is. We didn't seem to bother him at all as we stood there on the path about 10 ft away - he was pretty intent on what he was doing. Anyway, he was so cute that Rita shot the footage below as a present for our Granddaughter Makenna.