I Do Love A Man in Uniform!!

Annapolis – not only Maryland’s state capital but home to the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA). Full of history, and only a 30 minute drive, that’s where we headed Wed. morning. Our first stop was the visitor’s center, where we watched a brief film, “To Lead and To Serve”, while waiting for the guided walking tour to begin. After the film we still had a few minutes so looked at some of the exhibits which include the Mercury Freedom 7 capsule flown by USNA grad, Alan B. Shephard, Jr.

It was time for the tour and our guide, Betty, must have thought we were all in training to join the academy! She was about our age but kept the pace at a good clip because we were “on a schedule”. If you didn’t stay up with her, she didn’t wait for you before she starting talking about the next stop! The tour was to last 1 hr. 15 min. so I guess with as much ground as we covered, had we gone any slower it would have taken much longer. But good grief! Anyway, I digress.

The student body consists of 4,440, and we were amazed at the strict criteria required to stay in the academy and graduate. Little things that you would not even think about. She said that if you don’t know how to swim when you arrive, you will by the time you graduate. It’s a requirement with specific benchmarks to be achieved each year. There is an Olympic size pool, and the student must swim four lengths of it by the end of the first year to pass. The criterion only gets tougher each year, but anyone who does not pass the criteria will be dismissed from the academy.

Students must be in top physical condition. They are required to be part of some athletic team, whether competitive or intramural, all four years. Learning to work as part of a team is critical in the development of these young men and women.

Every student has a full scholarship to the USNA and only a Bachelor of Science degree is offered. In return for their schooling, they are required to give five years of service after graduation. Some other famous grads are John McCain, Jimmy Carter, Jim Lovell, David Robinson, and Roger Staubach, all of whom had to give their five years of service before moving on with their professional careers. Yes, even Heisman trophy winner and NFL quarterback, Roger Staubach.

The entire student body eats breakfast and lunch together all at the same time. As you can imagine, being a military facility the entire process is extremely organized and well run. Run by an outside agency but overseen by a naval officer, just setting the tables takes the staff 3 hours! To show just how organized this process is, the entire mealtime process is completed in 30 minutes.

One of our stops on the tour was Memorial Hall within Bancroft Hall. Bancroft Hall is the 2nd largest dormitory in the world, and Memorial Hall is where scrolls and plaques commemorate alumni lost in battle and those who lost their lives while still midshipmen.

Another stop was the Chapel, a fairly simple church with beautiful Tiffany stained glass windows. There is one pew set aside that is dedicated to the memory of all POWs and MIAs, and no one is allowed to sit in that pew. In the basement of the Chapel is the crypt of John Paul Jones, America’s first great naval hero, who is best remembered for saying, “I have not yet begun to fight."


When the tour was over, we headed for Dahlgren Hall to have lunch at the Drydock Restaurant right there on campus. As we drove back home, we passed the Navy-Marine Corps. Memorial Stadium. On both sides of the stadium, the seats are painted bright blue with yellow paint on some seats that spell out the words GO NAVY. Though this stadium has never hosted the Army-Navy football game (the game is held on a neutral site), Navy has won the last 5 years and the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy is proudly displayed in Bancroft Hall.















The historic district around the USNA is very quaint with narrow streets, brick sidewalks, and a gazillion shops and restaurants. Located right on the water, there are plenty of ships and boats.

Though Thurs. was our one year anniversary of being on the road, we didn’t do any celebrating or go anywhere that day, but we did take another drive into D.C. that night. This time we left a little earlier (6:45 p.m.) and drove to the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. After hanging out there for a bit (mainly watching the comings and goings of all the high school students in town on tours), we headed towards the Washington Monument. As we arrived “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Corps band was just finishing a summer concert (http://www.marineband.usmc.mil/). From the monument we walked back to our car, which was parked across the water from the Jefferson Memorial and took some great photos with our tripod from across the waterway. Then we drove over to the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, a huge bronze replica of the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima. It is truly an awe-inspiring monument. From here we drove out to the Washington National Cathedral, quite an impressive site. Unfortunately, it wasn’t open (imagine that at 11 p.m.!), but maybe one of these days I’ll get to see the interior. Anyway, here are some photos of the sites we saw that night, some taken from across the way with tripod and zoom lens. Some incredible sights!





































Russ still isn’t feeling good so we’re taking today as a day of rest. Tomorrow (Sat.) we leave for Millsboro, DE, so I can visit with my sister for a few days as she lives about 20 min. from there in Rehoboth Beach, DE.

A Year on the Road

So today it’s been a year on the road, and we still ask ourselves what in the hell were we thinking?!? So many things have changed but some things aren’t much different. We still have bills to pay, meals to cook, trash to take out, dishes to wash, minor home repairs to fix, laundry to do, pets to feed, and doctors to see. We, however, no longer do yard work. If the grass gets high, we just move down the road

We seem to talk and listen to each other more. We hold hands more as we take in the beauty around us. We laugh more and take things less seriously. Little things that in the past we may have missed, we now take joy in seeing. Some days have been stressful, but we are constantly asking each other what day of the week it is. We have visited with family, some of whom we had not seen in over 20 years. We have spent time with friends that we haven’t seen since high school. We have visited with most from our wedding party, and although it was over 25 years ago, they are still our dearest friends. We have reconnected with those in places where we have lived with visits to St. Louis, Charleston, and Baton Rouge. We have also made new friends while on the road, including a couple from Denmark.

We are constantly amazed by the things we see. We have become more in tune with nature and the absolute beauty of this country. We have walked on the beaches of the Atlantic and the Gulf. We were awed by the roar of a shuttle launch and humbled by our visit to Gettysburg. We have seen the most spectacular sunsets. We have gazed at the moon with wonder, mesmerized by the tranquility that it provides. We marvel at the number of stars we see at night. They are all there; you just need to get out of the city to see them. As we drive through the small towns of America, we slow down. Every single one of them offers something unique to see if you are willing to take the time to look. We talk to as many people as we can. They all have a story and are a wealth of knowledge, information, and experiences.

This lifestyle may not be for everyone, but it does offer the opportunity to slow down. We all take vacations, and many visit the same places where we have traveled. The difference is we don't feel the need to cram everything in as we always did while taking those one week trips. Looking back we missed so much as our concern for getting home and heading back to work on Monday was always in the back of our mind. Many times on vacation, like many of you, Russ was on the phone taking care of business. Our decision was probably made easier in that we never had any children and that our family is spread out around the country, which made leaving our last home much easier. Through our travels over the years we have lived in 8 different cities and used to joke that home was where the paycheck was. Today home is where we park the bus.

We are always asked if we are having fun. The answer is yes. People we meet are shocked when they find out that we basically sold everything and hit the road without test driving the lifestyle. They also seem to admire the fact that we did it that way. No looking back; no going home. Just moving down the road and enjoying the moment. The fork in the road offers two choices - follow the GPS or follow our heart. It is our choice to make. If we knew a year ago, what we know now, would we do it all over again? Absolutely!!! We are glad we got on the bus. We think even Mikey, Abby, and Jo would agree.

BY THE NUMBERS

18,656 number of less miles driven compared to the last year we both worked

8,483 Saturn miles
7,861 RV miles
1,572 monthly health insurance premium
1,084 gallons of diesel
559 longest 1 day drive
106 highest temperature
81 most consecutive days in one place
45 cost of our membership (best investment we have ever made)
36 National Parks/monuments Cancellations (in our National Parks Passport book)

35 annual fee for that membership
29 lowest temperature
28 campgrounds

24 National Parks/monuments visited

23 Saturn mpg
19 states traveled in
16 family members visited
15 states spent the night in
8 RV mpg
5 Sweet Adelines choruses visited
4 Cardinals games
3 MLB parks
2 Missour Tigers football games
2 states of residence
1 Bowl game
1 shuttle launch
1 night spent in Wal-Mart parking lot
0 fish caught
0 weight gain/loss for the two of us (we both weigh the same as when we left)

BEST/WORST

National Park

Picking the best National Park is a tough one. We are going to go with Shenandoah Valley for its sheer beauty and solitude, and Gettysburg for its significance and the most humbling experience. There really isn't a "worst" National Park.

Campground

The Fiesta Key KOA in Long Key, FL, with its view out the front window of the Gulf and sunsets is hard to beat. Shiloh's RV & Travel Resort in Monroe, LA, was by far the worst.
Location
Long Key, FL, and Front Royal, VA, were equally enjoyable. No need to rush, no traffic, just the time to spend as you like. See Monroe, LA, for the worst.

Restaurant
If you ever make it to Titusville, FL, the Dixie Crossroads is the place to eat. If you ever make it to DeFuniak Springs, FL, Bo's Family Country Cafe is a place of last resort.

Pizza

Lombardo's in St. Louis, MO, is hard to beat. Think it has something to do with the cheese! Buck's in Denham Springs, LA, leaves a lot to be desired.

Pizza - frozen
Franchetta Supreme is the best. All the rest tie for the worst.

Roads
Georgia and Texas seem to consistently have the best roads. Louisiana are the worst with New Jersey not far behind.

Wal-Mart
The best Wal-Mart was in Front Royal, VA, and had only been open a few days when we visited. The worst is in Berlin, NJ, and we can understand why Russ' sister is not big on Wal-Marts!

Supermarket
The Schnuck's in Eureka, MO, was great. We have never been to a Piggly Wiggly that is worth the price of admission.
Bakery
Tellico Grains Bakery in Tellico Plains, TN, was fantastic. As far as the worst, is there really a bad bakery??
Moment
Another tough one. Watching the shuttle launch, seeing the Milky Way from the Keys, and a big black bear on the Appalachian Trail. The worst moment....was that the awning?!?!

A FEW THINGS WE'VE LEARNED

1) A possum is a flat animal that sleeps in the middle of the road.
2) There are 10,000 species of spiders, and most have visited us.
3) Gnats do not taste good.
4) The average person standing on any street corner of any city or town in this country has more common sense than the entire U.S. Congress combined.
5) There are as many varieties of camping vehicles as there are people out doing it.

Air, Space, & Beyond

Tues. morning found us making our way into D.C. for a daylight trip. We caught the Metrobus that stops here at the campground ($1.35 each), which took us to the Metrorail system, where we purchased tickets for downtown D.C. ($3.30 each). In all the trip was 1 hr. 10 min., but we didn’t have to fight traffic or parking.

Our first stop was the Library of Congress. Physically housed in 3 buildings, we only visited the main one known as the Thomas Jefferson Building, which is incredibly beautiful inside. The marble columns, the two marble grand staircases with carved figurines, the stained glass ceiling skylights, the multitude of paintings and murals on the walls and ceilings, the bronze statues…all make this a work of art in its own right. It is, however, a working library, primarily a research source for Congress. We were able to view the Main Reading Room from the Gallery during our last visit, and it is spectacular in its art and architecture as well. The majestic dome tops the Main Reading Room, and in front of the building is the Court of Neptune Fountain. There are several corridors in the Library, and this trip we toured the “Creating the United States” exhibit showcasing documents from the earliest beginnings of our nation.

From there we walked a few blocks to the Supreme Court. After climbing the steps, you enter the Great Hall that leads to the Courtroom. It was roped off when we arrived, and we decided not to wait in the very long line for the next courtroom lecture tour. Along the walls are marble busts of all former Chief Justices, and we walked downstairs to view more displays and exhibits. At the end of the hall is a huge statue of John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice, which was sculpted in 1883. Behind the statue is a tribute to the Chief Justice telling the story of his life and outlining important rulings of his Court. As we were leaving, we noticed five young adults standing at the base of the steps with wide pieces of red tape with the word LIFE written on it across their mouths. They were obviously silently protesting, one of the rights and freedoms we have in this country.

We crossed the street to the U.S. Capitol, but even though it was across the street we had to walk all the way around to the front for access. But as it turns out there were no more tour passes available for the day since the Senate and House would be starting their sessions shortly. The guard told me that we could go to our Congressman’s or Senator’s office nearby and pick up a pass to sit in the gallery to watch the session, but gee, that would require us to know who our Congressman or Senator was in Florida! Guess we need to learn that. The photo at the left is the east side of the Capitol as we passed going around to the front (west side) with the Senate wing closest to us. By the way, do you know how to tell who's in session? If the Senate is in session, an American flag flies over their wing of the Capitol, and the if the House is in session, one flies over their wing. At this point neither were in session yet; the flag you see is actually over the east central portion of the building and flies 24 hours a day as does the one over the west central portion. The photo on the right is looking from the west front of the Capitol down the Mall towards the Washington Monument.

So we walked across the street to the United States Botanic Gardens, the oldest continually operating botanic garden in the U.S. Run by Congress, the building includes a large greenhouse and several different rooms that each simulates a different habitat. We walked through some of them, and it was really pretty and interesting, but we were getting hungry.

We decided to head for the National Air & Space Museum (part of the Smithsonian), where we knew they had a food court, so we could kill two birds with one stone. This is probably our favorite of the Smithsonian Museums, and we enjoy spending time here. There are hundreds of historic aircraft, rockets, spacecraft, engines, and flight displays including the original Wright Brothers plane (photo left below) and the Apollo 11 lunar command module (photo right below). And this photo on the left is of the Hubble Telescope taken from the second floor of the museum. You can see how huge it is, something we never really thought about! And of course I had to throw in a pic of the Spirit of St. Louis! We spent a little while here at the Air & Space Museum but decided we’d come back another day as we were both getting tired and Russ’ back was hurting for some reason.

So it was back to the Metrorail station (only $1.85 each this time cause it was off-peak time), then transfer to the bus (only 45 cents each this time cause we had a transfer for the ride back). Since we had just missed a bus, we had to wait 30 min. for the next one, which put our return trip at 1 hr. 40 min. Guess it was worth not fighting with the traffic and parking, but sure does make for an even longer day.

Oh, Say Can You See...Why, Yes, They are Crabs!

Monday we drove about 25 miles to Baltimore to experience Fort McHenry (http://www.nps.gov/archive/fomc/home.htm), the place that inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star Spangled Banner”. Being run by the National Park Service, we had planned to start our visit by viewing the movie, but when we arrived (timing is everything!), a park ranger had just begun describing the events that occurred there back in 1814. We had previously mentioned how the rangers bring the events to life, but Jim was the best, going above and beyond anyone we’ve seen! The 45-minute talk actually lasted over an hour, but the time flew by as he very animatedly described the events leading up to the War of 1812, and the battle on that day in 1814 when the soldiers saved the city of Baltimore from the British invasion. He nearly made us want to pick up muskets and join the fight! Nearing the end of his talk while telling how Key took pen and paper to describe what he saw and felt, you could feel a swell of patriotism take over. We never did see the movie because we figured there was no way that little 15 minute film could ever give us any more than what we had already experienced with Jim!

The War of 1812 was one that we do not remember being covered in school in any great detail. We learned today what a significant turning point this was in our nation’s history. Britain and France had been fighting a war for almost 20 years, and British ships were actually raiding private U.S. ships and kidnapping U.S. citizens to the fill the ranks of the British Navy. Finally Congress acted after more than 10 years of basically ignoring the situation. With the British and French war still raging, Britain was too occupied to initially take this new war as a threat. It wasn’t until almost 2 years later, after Britain’s defeat of France, that they turned their attention towards their old colonies. The British had 50,000 battle-tested British troops along with over 500 naval vessels. The U.S. had 10,000 militia (mostly farmers and shopkeepers) and a navy consisting of 10 ships. Days before the attack on Fort McHenry, our nation’s capital at Washington had been captured in short order. All Federal buildings were torched, and the fires could be seen from the ramparts of the fort.

Historians agree that Britain, if they were to win this war, would not want to colonize the states once again, but instead force through surrender annexation of lands to the west, north, and south. All lands from the Louisiana Purchase, as well as Florida, what is now known as Maine, and a re-drawn northern border extending Canada 100 miles to the south was the prize. This would effectively land lock all of the Great Lakes into Canadian territory. Canada’s territory would also wrap around south, west of the Mississippi River, quadrupling the size of that country and leaving the United States with Tennessee as its most western border.

After more than 24 hours of constant bombardment, the British Navy sensed the futility of the situation and withdrew to fight another day. Although skirmishes continued, the British lost interest when Napoleon (fresh from exile) forced them to re-direct their attention back toward France. In December 1814 The Treaty of Ghent effectively ended the war and allowed for westward expansion. This treaty also legitimized the United States as a player on the world stage. As we continue our travels and education, we are constantly amazed by what we did not know. The outcome of this seemingly minor war during our brief history would have had enormous consequences for what we now enjoy in this country.

By the way, before going to war, the U.S. government attempted diplomacy, sanctions, and an embargo with Britain. None of which worked. They do say that history repeats itself.

After walking around the Fort, we walked to the visitor’s center and outside was a very colorful character named Alex running the concession stand. Russ figured he was a local and wanted to ask his advice on a place to eat that had steamed crabs that you crack yourself. Alex described himself as a “Pollock” who’s lived all his life in the “neighborhood” and knew just the place. It was just down the street from his house (which he and his wife bought in 1973 for $9,100.00) and a couple blocks from the school where he teaches. Told you he was a character! Very talkative, very friendly, and very East Coast! By the way the streets in that area remind us of St. Louis with row houses and a bar on every corner.

The place he sent us to was L.P. Steamers (http://www.lpsteamers.com/). The place is nothing fancy, just a neighborhood bar that serves food. Russ had enjoyed steamed crabs many years ago with his sister and brother-in-law, but I have never tried them. As we travel we try to enjoy some of the local flavors, and crab cakes and steam crab are what Baltimore is famous for. We ordered up a half a dozen crabs, enjoyed a couple of cold Budweisers, and pounded away on the wood table that had brown paper placed over it! When the waitress asked if we needed bibs, Russ stated, “We don’t need no stinkin’ bibs! We’re here for the atmosphere!” And it was a unique atmosphere. It was a lot of work for little reward but also a lot of fun.

A Night on the Town

They say you should never drive in to D.C. to see the sights. Traffic is terrible and parking is pretty much non-existent. So after arriving at Cherry Hill Park Resort in College Park, MD, on Sunday we decided to drive into D.C.! We had spent a week here four years ago, and one of our favorite times to visit the monuments was at night time. So at 9 p.m. we started our 18 mile journey into the nation’s capital, arriving about a half hour later and parking about a ¼ mile from the Lincoln Memorial. We walked over to the Memorial and spent some time just gazing from the top steps all the way down the National Mall looking at the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol beyond.

From there we walked along the Vietnam Memorial, and although it is dimly lit at night, it still brings a very humbling feeling toward the war that we grew up with. Since the day before was Flag Day, there were a number of small flags and floral tributes along the entire length of the wall. Even with its simplicity, we believe that this memorial perhaps is the most emotional experience of all those monuments and memorials throughout the country.

From there we continued down the mall to the World War II Memorial, which we had visited on its opening day four years earlier. This tribute to “the greatest generation” not only honors those men and women who fought in WWII, but the “Rosie Riveters” who stayed behind but added so much to the war efforts. Turning back towards the Lincoln Memorial, we walked the other side of the Mall stopping at the Korean War Memorial. This memorial consists of a number of life-size bronze soldiers in full battle dress depicting their units march across an open field. From there we returned to our car finishing an approximate two hour walk along the National Mall.

We then decided to go by the White House (even though George and Laura weren’t home). We were able to park right around the corner within one block of the residential home of the American President. Our next stop was the Capitol building, again parking within a short walk. It was now around 1 a.m. and with the exception of Capitol police, we saw almost no other visitors. This allowed us time to not only pose in our own pictures but to reflect on all that this historic site has seen. From Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to the protest during the Vietnam War, standing there the vision of Jenny running through the Reflection Pool to embrace Forrest Gump came to life. The solitude of the moment allowed us to just sit on the steps, enjoying the full moon, with the Capitol behind us, and the Washington Monument shining brightly to the front.

You would think that it would be time to head home, but with the streets empty, we chose to just drive around for awhile past the Smithsonian Museums and Federal buildings. As we slowly toured the sights with the windows down and the sunroof open, we were able to enjoy the area as few others take the time to do. Finally around 2:30 a.m. we headed back home. It was a great start to our visit here in Washington.