Hi.
We traveled from Virginia to North Carolina on Wednesday.
Prior to leaving Virginia we visited the "historic triangle" comprised of Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown. Colonial Williamsburg was, at one time or another, the home of Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, James Madison, and George Washington during the time it was the capitol of Virginia. Jamestown was established in 1607 and became the first permanent British settlement in America! Yorktown is the location of the battle where the Colonists defeated the British; and General Cornwallis surrendered to General Washington, effectively ending the Revolutionary War. A lot of fascinating history here, with each of the towns within about 10 miles of each other.
On Thursday, we visited Kitty Hawk, North Carolina and the Wright Brothers National Memorial, recognizing the first sustained powered flight by an airplane in 1903. We were able to walk the path of the four flights they made on December 17, 1903. Fun!
On Friday we took the "wild horses" Jeep tour on the North Carolina "Outer Banks". Mustangs were brought to the Outer Banks back in 1520 when the Spanish established a mission in the area. This herd of mustangs runs free in the Northern part of the Outer Banks area. On our 2-hour Jeep tour our guide drove us to the beach, on the beach, through water (over "hill and dale")...and we saw approximately 25 horses during our ride. The horses are absolutely beautiful. This adventure is now in our top five list of "fun things" from our 100-day road trip. We highly recommend it!
After our wild mustang adventure, we visited the nearby "Currituck Beach Light Station" (lighthouse), a beautiful red-brick structure built in 1875. It is 162 feet tall and has 214 steps to the top...we know...we climbed 'em. The view from on high was quite lovely as we could see both the bay and the Atlantic Ocean from the lighthouse, built on the narrow strand of land known as the Outer Banks.
We head-off to Florida (via South Carolina and Georgia) starting tomorrow.
Bye for now...take care.
Don & Sandi
Don & Sandi at "home", back in the Stockton area.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Wrapping-up in D.C.
Hi.
We have now completed a wonderful (but exhausting in a good way) week in Washingon, D.C. In the past couple of days we have:
-Parking? Tried to find parking in downtown D.C. on a Saturday when there was an AIDS walk, a "unity" rally on the mall, war protests, and so on...only took us an hour to find a place.
-Smithsonian's "American History" Museum: We saw Dorothy's "ruby slippers" from the "Wizard of Oz", the top hat that Lincoln wore to Ford's Theater, First Lady's Inagural dresses, the "Stars and Stripes" flag that inspired the national anthem, and lots more...3 floors more...lots of fun.
-White House: We walked by the White House (front and back)...beautiful building. The home owners did not come out and wave at us.
-Air & Space Museum #2: The Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum near the mall ran out of space for all of its displays; so an additional Air and Space Museum was opened next to Dulles International Airport. It is cram-packed full of all sorts of airplanes and space-related craft, including a shuttle. The shuttle "Enterprise" never flew in space but it was the first shuttle; and it was used to test flying (gliding) characteristics by being released from on top of a 747 and then flown down to the runway. It was very exciting to see this first shuttle up-close. Another interesting airplane in the museum is the "Enola Gay", the B-29 bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. This is an amazing museum to visit if you are ever in the DC area!
And that's a wrap for the D.C. area. On Monday we head out for Virginia, then the Carolinas and down to Florida. Today we plotted out our calendar for the approximately 50 days we have left before arriving back home in the Stockton area...boy, the time is flying by! See you soon ;-).
Take care.
Don & Sandi
We have now completed a wonderful (but exhausting in a good way) week in Washingon, D.C. In the past couple of days we have:
-Parking? Tried to find parking in downtown D.C. on a Saturday when there was an AIDS walk, a "unity" rally on the mall, war protests, and so on...only took us an hour to find a place.
-Smithsonian's "American History" Museum: We saw Dorothy's "ruby slippers" from the "Wizard of Oz", the top hat that Lincoln wore to Ford's Theater, First Lady's Inagural dresses, the "Stars and Stripes" flag that inspired the national anthem, and lots more...3 floors more...lots of fun.
-White House: We walked by the White House (front and back)...beautiful building. The home owners did not come out and wave at us.
-Air & Space Museum #2: The Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum near the mall ran out of space for all of its displays; so an additional Air and Space Museum was opened next to Dulles International Airport. It is cram-packed full of all sorts of airplanes and space-related craft, including a shuttle. The shuttle "Enterprise" never flew in space but it was the first shuttle; and it was used to test flying (gliding) characteristics by being released from on top of a 747 and then flown down to the runway. It was very exciting to see this first shuttle up-close. Another interesting airplane in the museum is the "Enola Gay", the B-29 bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. This is an amazing museum to visit if you are ever in the DC area!
And that's a wrap for the D.C. area. On Monday we head out for Virginia, then the Carolinas and down to Florida. Today we plotted out our calendar for the approximately 50 days we have left before arriving back home in the Stockton area...boy, the time is flying by! See you soon ;-).
Take care.
Don & Sandi
Friday, October 1, 2010
Days 2 & 3 in D.C.
Hi.
Boy, have we been busy! There is sooo much to see in DC, we may have to stay around an extra day or two. Here is a quick run-down on what we were up to on Thursday and Friday.
-Holocaust Museum: We spent about 3 hours taking the self-guided tour of the history and horror of the Holocaust...really overwhelming.
-Air and Space Museum: Aircraft hanging from the ceiling, including Lindbergh's "Spirit of St. Louis", probably my favorite artifact of any I've seen so far on this trip. The Wright Brother's "Flyer" (first airplane) is also housed in the museum.
-U.S. Capitol: We took a tour and had a chance to sit in the House chamber (but not in session again until November).
-Library of Congress: What a beautiful interior...I think the most beautiful of all of the facilities we have seen on our 100-day adventure. (And you get searched as you leave this building!)
-Supreme Court: We didn't get to go inside as the Court was having the official "investiture" ceremony for new Justice, Elena Kagan; so the Court was closed to the public. We did get to see Justice Kagan and Chief Justice Roberts as they came out of the front doors for their "photo op", following the ceremony.
-President Obama: A special guest at the investiture was President Obama. There was a lot of police activity around the front of the Court and the rumor was circulating that the President would be at the ceremony. Well, he was at the private ceremony; and then when his entourage of vehicles left, they drove by the front of the Court. So, we got to see him in a "blur" through the dark-tinted glass of his presidential limo...they sped by rather quickly, all 15 vehicles! It was very exciting.
-Arlington Cemetery: We visited President Kennedy's grave, as well as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We were there for the "Changing of the Guard" ceremony...inspiring and moving.
Again, more photos than usual...but we have to share.
Take care.
Don & Sandi
Boy, have we been busy! There is sooo much to see in DC, we may have to stay around an extra day or two. Here is a quick run-down on what we were up to on Thursday and Friday.
-Holocaust Museum: We spent about 3 hours taking the self-guided tour of the history and horror of the Holocaust...really overwhelming.
-Air and Space Museum: Aircraft hanging from the ceiling, including Lindbergh's "Spirit of St. Louis", probably my favorite artifact of any I've seen so far on this trip. The Wright Brother's "Flyer" (first airplane) is also housed in the museum.
-U.S. Capitol: We took a tour and had a chance to sit in the House chamber (but not in session again until November).
-Library of Congress: What a beautiful interior...I think the most beautiful of all of the facilities we have seen on our 100-day adventure. (And you get searched as you leave this building!)
-Supreme Court: We didn't get to go inside as the Court was having the official "investiture" ceremony for new Justice, Elena Kagan; so the Court was closed to the public. We did get to see Justice Kagan and Chief Justice Roberts as they came out of the front doors for their "photo op", following the ceremony.
-President Obama: A special guest at the investiture was President Obama. There was a lot of police activity around the front of the Court and the rumor was circulating that the President would be at the ceremony. Well, he was at the private ceremony; and then when his entourage of vehicles left, they drove by the front of the Court. So, we got to see him in a "blur" through the dark-tinted glass of his presidential limo...they sped by rather quickly, all 15 vehicles! It was very exciting.
-Arlington Cemetery: We visited President Kennedy's grave, as well as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We were there for the "Changing of the Guard" ceremony...inspiring and moving.
Again, more photos than usual...but we have to share.
Take care.
Don & Sandi
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