We are home

After a few side trips we finished our Washington DC trip. We spent a few days with family in Athens Ohio, Pickerington Ohio and Findley Ohio.   We stopped at  one last battlefield on our way home. It is the site of the last battle of the Revolutionary War. Ten months after the surrender by the British on the east coast one last group of "Loyalist" along with about 300 Indians we discovered in Kentucky. This is the site of the Battle of Blue Licks.

Washington DC day 3

We have decided to not go back to DC today but instead visit the battlefields close by. One of the first battles of the civil war was the battle of Bull Run or Manassas. If you supported the North you called  it the battle of Bull Run. If you supported the South is was called the battle of Manassas.  There were two battles fought here. One in 1861 and the second 1862. Well the South won both battles as is happened early in the war. So we will call it the battle of Manassas.

This Picture was taken in 1865

 Becky standing next to a statue of General Jackson during the first encounter. This is the battle where he earned the nickname "Stonewall".

Washington DC day Two

Started the day the same as yesterday. Taking a bus then the train to DC. Today we went to the Holocaust Museum and stayed there for over two hours We were able to get the tickets that allows you to go to all the floors of the museum. What a horrible time, the images are hard to look at and for sure you should not forget what happened to the Jewish people.
 The only disappointment was the crowds. People everywhere.

They made Jews wear a star to identify themselves.

Many pictures like this

The ovens that they used.

 After the Holocaust Museum we spent the rest of the day visiting the Smithsonian's. American History, Natural History, and Air and Space.

American History Vietnam War era helicopter

This is the original Wright Brothers Plane

Lunar module for moon missions

We then had one more memorial to visit, George Washington and a view of the capital.

Capital Building

Washington Monument

Washington DC Day One

We learned something today. Living in a big city and getting around is an experience we are not use to. We took the bus to the train station. Bought train tickets out of a vending machine. Rode the subway to downtown DC. Having survived that, it was the start of an emotional trip back in time as we spent most the day visiting War Memorials. This is the entrance of the WWII Memorial. Due to a very slow internet connection only two pictures, we will add more pictures to this post later today. The biggest surprise to us it how big all these memorials are.

Part of the Vietnam War Memorial

WW Two

Korean War

FDR

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

View from Lincoln Memorial

Finally Skyline Drive

This is the third time we have tried to ride the length of Skyline Drive. First time, due to wear on the rear tire we decided not to go 100 miles out of our way. The second time, when Obama closed the road due to Congress shutting down the government. So today we finally made it end to end. Not as enjoyable as the Blue Ridge parkway but still a very nice scenic road with almost no traffic. Completely different when we approached Fairfax. Interstate highway growing to six lanes wide on each side and bumper to bumper traffic on a Saturday afternoon!! They can have it.

We will be heading to Washington DC tomorrow. Hope to have some nice pictures to share. Until then...

Wild Wonderful West Virginia

We were warned about some of the roads in West Virginia so it was not a surprise to have a rough ride . We took state road WV3 as a scenic way through the state,  well that was a interesting ride. We knew that we would pass a bunch of coal trucks and we did but it was the potholes that was the surprise. We passed holes in the road that could have thrown us off the bike. The next surprise was the switchbacks, some were 10 degree grade or worse. However looking to the right where the creeks were it was beautiful, Becky got to see it while I was watching the road. Anyway we final made it to US 19 and crossed the second highest and longest single arch bridge in the country.

View from the New River Gorge Bridge and in the second photo you see rafters.

 We completed the trip through West Virginia and are now in Virginia and on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Tomorrow Skyline drive. Then on to Fairfax.

Washington DC Trip

We have started our trip to Washington DC. Before we could leave we had a few surprise chores to do. Getting the grandkids ready and Lyndsy a break  by giving them a bath and washing their hair while she ran some errands. After about a two hour delay we were finally on our way.

We are now the Chapmanville West Virginia. We stopped here so we could have more time tomorrow for some sight seeing here in West Virginia. Tomorrow we will continue on the back roads go see the New River Gorge Bridge, then ride down the Midland Trail (US 60) to Lexington Virginia.

For those of you that are old enough to remember,  President LBJ declared the "war on Poverty" in 1964. It was because of a visit to the town of INEZ Ky. We went through there today. Billions of dollars spent there.