[Key: Memoir in Times New Roman, Travel Journal in Arial]
9/24/92 Pensacola/Sweetwater, Tenn.
Left Pensacola at 7:30 + arrived at our Quality Inn in Sweetwater around 4:30 – 456 mi. It was good getting behind the wheel of the van again after 6 mos recuperating from shoulder surgery.
Dinner at the Cracker Barrel – good turkey, dressing, the works.
Read, watched a little TV + retired early.
9/25/92 Sweetwater/Falmouth
Got away at 8 am for Joyce + Rob’s in Falmouth, Va. The skies opened up on us shortly after noon + the windshield wipers got a steady workout. Joyce + Rob arrived shortly after we did from work. Had a delicious shrimp dinner at Chesapeake Bay Seafood House in Fredericksburg. Gabe is a delightful 8 yr old! We watched 20-20 + had long discussions on world affairs, family values, etc.
9/26/92 Falmouth
We did the shops on Caroline St. in Fredericksburg after breakfast at the Virginia Deli. (We crossed the Rappahonneck River from Falmouth to Fredericksburg.) The afternoon was spent at Lake Anna in Spotsylvania Co. visiting Audrey G, Rob’s mother. Her cottage is unique with beautiful furniture from her world travels. Her lead glass + jewelry designs are outstanding!
9/27/92 Falmouth/Gettysburg
After a hearty breakfast with Joyce, Rob + Gabe we took off for Gettysburg about 10:30. At Chancellorsville we retraced this important Civil War battle with the help of the park ranger. This was followed by a 12 min. slide show in the auditorium at the station. Our Elderhostel at the Day’s Inn began at 4:30 after check-in where we were given our info packets. After dinner we had an interesting talk on gravestone epitaphs by Mira Graves! We looked over our brochures + watched TV before retiring early.
9/28/92 Gettysburg
Today’s speakers were excellent. Charles Fennell spoke on Three Days in July + Gary Shaffer talked about the place + people of Gettysburg. The Accounts of a Civil War was about a Capt. David Atcheson of Washington, Pa. a heroic soldier who was killed at Gettysburg at the age of 21. It was a slide presentation by Sally Walter. After dinner we learned about the artillery that was used. It was an exciting day.
9/29/92 Gettysburg
Again we had classes in the morning much the same as yesterday but with emphasis on the second day of battle.
In the afternoon we took a tour to Eisenhower’s farm + visited Electric Map at the Visitors Center.
The farm covered 189 acres originally but was transformed by stages into the 230 acre estate of our 34th Pres.
The Electric Map is 750 sq. ft. + has 600 lights representing the landmarks, points of interest, fighting + movements of both the Union + Confed. forces.
9/30/92 Gettysburg
After breakfast we boarded the bus for the Cyclorama. This is a large circular painting 356’x26’ with a sound + light program recreating the scene of the fighting on the third day of the battle. This battle, known as Pickett’s Charge, marked a turning point in the war for the Confederacy. Robt. E. Lee sent 12,000 men into the battle. All told these three days of bitter fighting cost over 50,000 lives.
We toured some of the sights to see the monuments in the afternoon with our knowledgeable instructor Chas. Fennell. Dinner at Gettysburg College.
10/1/92 Gettysburg
We boarded the bus with Charles Fennell instructing on the battlefield tour. Places we covered were Culp’s Hill + Big + Little Round Top. This was the culmination of the third day of battle which was a terrible defeat for the Confederates.
Afternoon was spent on a walking tour with Gary Shaffer taking us through the downtown area.
We were given coasters at graduation for having moved from the “north coast of U.I. to south coast of U.I.”
10/2/92 Gettysburg/Providence
It was a real treat to have Tom Jolin come this a.m. to play the hammer dulcimer, button accordion, harmonica + banjo for us. Gary Shaffer gave us the conclusion to his People + Places talk. After lunch we took off for Kent’s arriving there about 9:30 after a hectic drive over the Tappan Zee Bridge, Conn. Thruway + into Providence on I-95 driving a total of 398 miles today. The only stops we made en route were at an apple + fruit stand outside Gettysburg, and a sandwich in E. Conn. It was wonderful seeing the kids + we were happy to have arrived safely – 1509 miles from home.
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