On the Road Again

Thursday

Well it rained hard off and on last night, it woke me a time or two.  It was wet but not raining when we got up this morning.  We finished packing, turned down the heat and headed out the driveway.  Todays destination is Gettysburg.  Its just a brief overnight stop at the Hampton Inn.  We are hoping to get to at least drive around the battlefield.

We almost caught up to the rain a time or two.  We had a little drizzle and mist at times.  We stopped once at the Pennsylvania visitors center near Ives Run and used the facilities.  Bonnie drove for the next couple of hours and then I took over again.  We decided to stop for gas and found a Sheetz.  Then about 30 minutes later we were in Gettysburg.  We checked in and then headed for the visitors center.  We got a map and drove the auto tour route, pausing to read just a few of the many many markers.  The sun was sinking fast.

We could spend several days here we have a couple hours

Wonder what they see

We owe Mr Lincoln so much

The guns we quiet today

So peaceful today

Tens of thousands died on this ground

We stayed as long as we could but the sun was gone and it was dark when we pulled into the hotel.  We relaxed for about an hour and then went across the street to the Gettysburg Family restaurant for dinner.  Large portions and very good.  Bonnie had the fish fry and I had the Homemade meat loaf.

Tomorrow we may try to tour Eisenhower's farm or downtown Gettysburg.  Then we will head to Spotsylvania, VA.

Friday

Its late in the evening and the rest of the house has gone to sleep.  We started this morning in Gettysburg at the Hampton Inn.  We were both up shortly after 8am and soon were ready to go down to breakfast.  Bonnie said that as long as we were here we should go ahead and see the Eisenhower Farm.  So we went up packed and checked out of the hotel.  I could not find my hat and thought I had left it at supper which was just across the steer.  So we stopped there but no hat.

We got to the visitors center and I open my suitcase to get the camera out and Bonnie said there's your hat.  So I am in good shape I have my camera and my hat, but it appears I am losing my mind.  We got our tickets and walked down to the bus stop.  The bus was right on time and shuttled us over to the Farm.  We were met by a park ranger who gave us a nice introduction and then walked us over to the family house.  Another volunteer gave us a talk on the history of the house and then let us tour the house on our own.  Here are some of the pictures of the house and grounds.

Our Ranger

Ike''s barn 

 The old milk house on this end of the barn served as the Secret Service Office.

Our Ranger gave us the talk about the putting green. 

The famous putting green

From there we headed over for the tour of the house.  They bought the whole farm for $40,00 but ended up putting $200,000 into renovations and additions to the house.

Mamie's formal living room

 Ike spent little time in the living room, too fancy for him.  He much preferred the back porch.

The porch.  They had there RCA color TV out here and ate lunch down at the far end

Their dinning room

 Mamie liked pink and it is the dominate color throughout the house.

Mamie's sink

The Master Bedroom

 The house was modest in many ways but for the 1950's very nice and comfortable.  Several bathrooms and phones located throughout the house.  Mamie had a maid and boasted that she never learned how to cook.

Ike's Man Cave

Ike's Office

 Ike's office was small and near a door.  The Ranger told us he often would have to come in from the putting green and take encrypted phone calls from the White House here.  Where the Ranger is standing the floor is scarred and scratched from his golf shoes.

BBQ area

 Ike liked to grill and since he raised Angus steers would serve his guests grilled steaks in this area.

A view of the back of the house

 Eisenhower was renamed General of the Army after he was President and insisted people call him General instead of Mr. President.

The General's 5 Star flag is hoisted everyday below the Stars and Stripes

The Secret Service control center

 When Ike left office the Secret Service left the farm.  But after JFK was assassinated they returned under new laws and the security of the Farm was upgraded.

Then we jumped in the car and headed south.  One quick stop At Chick-Filet for lunch.

All was going well until we got to the DC beltway.  As we sat in stop and go traffic for the next couple of hours it brought back memories of what it was like to work here, so happy we do not have traffic like this here.  The combination of accidents, Friday afternoon traffic and it being the start of a long weekend made for a miserable last 50 miles.

Traffic started to speed up again

At last we arrived in Spotsylvania at Don and Linda's house.  Its been quite a few years since we have seen each other but seemed like just a few days.  We had a great time catching up and than sat down to a delicious meal that Linda had prepared.  Afterward we Don and I won a couple games of uker.  Then we relaxed bit in their den, we each had our own recliner.  I think we all were getting sleepy, but there is so much to catch up on.  We called it a night.  Don helped me bring in the suit cases and we all headed off to bed.

I  decided to write a little before I forget the day but am headed off to sleep now.

Saturday

I was the first one up today and spent some time adding photos to yesterdays blogs.  Don got up and made coffee and we spent an hour chatting down in the den.  Then the girls got up and we had some cereal and sweet rolls.  Shortly after the girls headed for town and Don and I drove around the area so he could show me how much it has changed.  I need the GPS just to get around the old neighborhood.  There are bypasses and many new houses and buildings.  We tried to visit a person or two but they were not home.  So we had lunch at the pizza place at the courthouse.  Then headed home.

Our Old House

When we got back to the house Don opened up their new 5h wheel and gave me a tour.

Don and his new Cougar

The Cougar

Very nice interior

Don's automatic door locks were not working on the truck so we watched a youtube video and then went out and took the door apart.  Trouble came after we got the door opened up.  His locks did not look like the ones in the video.  But we kept digging.  We finally got it apart but then it was apparent that we could not repair it like the guy on line did.  Don made a few quick calls and I checked on line.  On line 26.87 in town about $47.  We went to advance auto and they had the right box and part number but the part in the box was wrong, another store had it and we headed there and got the part and a 10% discount since we are old people.  Back home and we had an hour until friends were coming over for the evening.  I talked Don into trying to get it back together before we forgot how it came apart.  We had it back together in 30 minutes and it works.  The girls got home around then and Don headed for the shower.  Friends are arriving so I will finish this latter.

We had a very nice evening with friends that we have not seen for 13 years.  Its been fun catching up and hearing what everyone has been up to.

Sunday

We were all up showered and headed to church by about 9:50am this morning.  Church is not far and it was great to see a lot of our friends that we have not seen for 13 years.

Goshen Baptist Church

We went to Sunday School also and Bill V taught the class,  he had been our son's teacher years ago, so it was good to hear him teach.  Then I said hello to more friends as they arrived for the second service.  We stopped at the house briefly and then headed up to Central Park for lunch.  We ate at the Hibachi Grill and Buffet.  They had just about everything there.  I think I ate way to much.  We got back to the house and it was such a nice sunny day that we sat out in the yard for a while.  I came in and made some reservations for Ocracoke Island for tomorrow.  Don and I took the lock actuator apart and tried to repair it.  We put it back together and it worked when we put some power to it.

Bonnie and I headed over then to visit for awhile with Mike and Sharlene.  We got to meet their new family of dogs.

A nice Husky

Long Haired German Shepard

It was dark when we got back to Don and Linda's.  We had some of the sandwiches from last night and then decided to play some more uker.  All I will say is that Don and I are undefeated.

Its been a great weekend and we have enjoyed visiting and catching up here.  We would have liked to seen a lot more people but you can only do so much in a couple days.  Hopefully next time we visit we will have the coach and we can spend a lot more time.  Well time to get this posted and get some sleep tomorrow we are headed to the outer banks.

Thanks For Checking In!

"If Your Dreams Don't Scare You, They Are Not Big Enough"