Visiting Gettysburg and York, Pennsylvania

We have visited Gettysburg, PA several times previously, but we were compelled to come again as part of our summer multi-state Civil War battlefield tour.

So, off we went to Gettysburg National Military Park, where we participated in an informative and intriguing ranger-led program.  It helped me to understand the magnitude of this battle and to complete an extremely complex Junior Ranger booklet, earning myself another badge (yes, my mean parents made me EARN the badge, even though it was given to them at the time of receiving the booklet).

 

Now remember, folks, I am a cotton-brained stuffed rat, not a historian or Civil War expert.   And, in the interest of keeping you awake, I will refrain from providing too many details.

 

Up until this time in the Civil War, the South was putting up a good fight, despite the North being better equipped/supplied and having at least twice (sometimes three times!) as many troops whose skills were more polished.  With most of the battles occurring in Virginia, General Lee decided his home state needed a break from warfare, time to replant/re-harvest crops, and an opportunity to return to some level of normalcy.   So, General Lee goes north, seeking a major victory and an end to the war. 

 

But some things went very wrong for General Lee.   He no longer could rely on his right-hand man, Stonewall Jackson.  You see, just a few months earlier, Stonewall was wounded at the Battle of Chancellorsville, and subsequently, he died of pneumonia.   Then General Lee lost contact with General J.E.B. Stuart and his calvary, who performed reconnaissance.  With no “eyes and ears” to report intel, General Lee was not aware of the Union troop movements and was caught off guard by General Meade’s Army at Gettysburg.

    

Hence, the 3-day Battle at Gettysburg took place from July 1-3, 1863.  It included fighting at the Peach Orchard, Little Round Top, and Devil's Den, among other locations.  

The Peach Orchard.

New York Monuments on...

...Little Round Top.

Devil's Den is below and to the left of this 91st Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers Infantry Monument on Little Round Top.

But the Battle of Gettysburg is best known for the ill-fated Pickett’s Charge at Cemetery Ridge, where the Confederates, thinking the Union center was vulnerable, marched ¾ mile along open ground to attack, only to find the Union center had been fortified overnight.  The assault, ordered by General Lee, was a major mistake, and Pickett’s division suffered a 50% casualty rate in less than an hour of fighting.

 

The High Water Mark of the Rebellion Monument refers to Pickett's Charge, the deepest penetration into Union lines on July 3, 1863.

Union Regulars Monument near Cemetery Ridge.

Pennsylvania State Memorial at Cemetery Ridge.

Virginia Monument shows General Lee on his horse Traveler.  It stands in the location from which he watched his Confederate troops' final assault of the Battle of Gettysburg at Cemetery Ridge.

The Battle of Gettysburg represented the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, with 51,000 casualties, including 7,100 deaths.  The lives of 10 Generals, (5 Union, 5 Confederate), perished on this battlefield.  Though it was a major victory for the Union Army with Lee retreating on July 4, 1863 (the same day as the Union victory at Vicksburg), Lee took with him a 17-mile-long train of wagons, many of which were filled with supplies to continue the war.

Gettysburg National Military Park contains about 1,300 monuments.  Initially, only Union monuments were permitted here.  However, in 1917, the first Confederate monuments were erected within the Park, mostly funded by the Daughters of the Confederacy.  Some are tucked away off the beaten path, some stand proudly on the hilltops.  Some are elaborate, some are simplistic in design.  But all pay homage to those who sacrificed their lives for their beliefs/convictions. 

15th and 50th New York Engineers Monument.

13th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Monument.

Irish Brigade Monument.

North Carolina State Monument, sculpted by Gutzon Borglum of Mt. Rushmore fame.

Louisiana State Monument.

Mississippi State Monument.

Texas State Monument.

83rd New York Infantry Monument, where we spotted a hawk that was stalking his lunch.

We made a point of paying our respects at the National Cemetery at Gettysburg.  It was on these grounds that Lincoln delivered his epic Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863.

 

The Friend to Friend Masonic Memorial within Gettysburg National Cemetery is very poignant.

These squares marked the gravesites of the many unknown Union soldiers who perished at Gettysburg.

Monument commemorating Lincoln's Gettysburg Address of November 19, 1863.

God painted a masterpiece that evening in the cemetery.

We walked around Gettysburg’s downtown area.  Settled in 1780, Gettysburg has a rich history.  Its population has increased from 2,300 during the Civil War to nearly 9,000 today. Trying to blend history and modernism is no easy feat.  Many structures that were once homes of historic record are now commercial enterprises, from emporiums, to eateries, to locations of alleged paranormal activities.  Housed in one of Gettysburg's antebellum structures is Mama Ventura’s Italian Restaurant, where we enjoyed a delicious meal.  Magnifico! 

This dude was a combo of Uncle Si Robertson from Duck Dynasty and ZZ Top.

Jennie Wade was the only civilian casualty of the Battle of Gettysburg.  She was killed on July 3, 1863, by a stray bullet while she was baking biscuits for Union soldiers.

Exterior of Mamma Ventura's.

On another day in Gettysburg, we visited the Eisenhower National Historic Site.  This was the retirement home of Dwight D. Eisenhower (2-term President, 5-star General, and planner of D-day) and his wife, Mamie.  They lived here together from 1955 until 1969 when Dwight died.  Mamie continued to call this home until her death in 1979.  They decided in their early years here to donate the home to the National Park Service after their deaths.   They kept detailed records and a photo history of the home’s furnishings, which is why the home is 98% original.  They purchased the home for $42,000.  As they began renovations, they found a cabin from 1720 was INSIDE the late-1850s exterior.  Though they tore the original cabin down, they repurposed all the wood for Ike’s "man cave".  The tear down and other renovations cost the Eisenhowers $250,000, which would be $3.2 million today. 

Formal rooms...

...for entertaining.

But it was this enclosed back porch that was the Eisenhowers favorite room.  They often ate here with TV trays.

Ike's "man cave", where he/Mamie repurposed the wood from the 1720 cabin.

Just a sampling of the bedrooms.

Great views from the barn and pastures.

The home served as a family gathering place, but when Ike became President, many diplomatic activities took place here as well.  The USSR’s Nikita Khrushchev earned the title “most notorious guest”.

 

I am so glad we made this visit to the Eisenhower National Historic Site.  I enjoyed listening to the interpretive program presented by Volunteer Brooklyn, walking the bucolic grounds, and earning myself another Junior Ranger Badge!

 

My parents were super excited because we found a post on-line about line dance lessons being offered for $10/person at 2 venues in York, not far from Ben Franklin RV Park where we were staying in York.  What a disappointment when we arrived at one of the venues to learn the posted information was false.  There is no instruction.  The woman who did the post simply acts as a DJ, announcing the name of the song and the dance to be performed.  And, of course, my parents knew none of the dances.

 

At least they had an opportunity to play doubles in pickleball with Ivan/Morgan, a young, friendly couple whom we met on municipal courts in York.  Though they have played pickleball for about a month, it was their first foray in playing doubles.  Ivan/Morgan were grateful to learn the rules for doubles and my parents were happy to participate in a real game instead of just practicing/drilling.

 

Well, I’ll sign off now.  We are off to Washington, D.C. tomorrow.  I’ll talk to you again soon!

 

    

 

 

 

 

Central New York to South Jersey, Boondocking All the Way

 

We traveled along some lovely, pastural roads to arrive at Winn Hill Farm, another Harvest Host (HH) in Port Crane, New York.  We were glad we arrived early afternoon and got the most level spot and the only site with gravel, since three other HH guests came in late afternoon/early evening. 

We visited and made purchases at their country market, which basically contained products from the local Brynes Dairy and Deli Store—chips, ice cream, dairy, and baked goods—along with a few household items like potholders.

 

It is tough for Mom to get her walking/hiking steps in on travel days.  So, we drove to Chenango Valley State Park to clock a few miles around Chenango Lake.  I was a bit surprised that folks were swimming in the algae-covered lake.

You never know who you will meet on a trail!

Later, while Dad visited with a former work buddy, Mom and I walked for 2 miles along the rolling country roads near Winn Hill Farm, seeing God’s works of wonder. 

Les and Mel! Twin Brothers from other Mothers! 

We headed out to our next HH, a brewery in Mt. Bethel, Pennsylvania.  Unfortunately, we never made it there.  PA-611 was under construction, and the road was closed 1500 feet ahead.  But that didn’t stop Dad from going down the road anyway.  He was adamant that Google Maps showed a big parking lot just before the closure in which he could turn around.   (Good thing—it would be a pain in the butt backing up on a winding road and an earache from listening to Mom rant about putting us in that predicament.) All nearby alternate routes had weight limits that precluded Big Boomer/Suite Retreat.  Our only other option was to go into New Jersey and head in the back way.  But the traffic was at a standstill on I-80 on a Friday afternoon, so we nixed that idea.  We ended up staying overnight at the Pennsylvania Welcome Center at Delaware Water Gap, which worked out great.  Though signs say, “2-hour parking limit”, several staff members assured us that we would have no problems overnighting there.  However, don’t get the idea this is a good place to hang around for a few days, because if they see the RV unattended and/or parked for too long, they will have it towed at the owner’s expense.  We set-up in the lot then walked over to Sherwood Creek, where a local park had short trails for us to get some exercise.

As promised, we left early the next morning.  We wanted to beat the traffic into New Jersey.  Even on a Saturday, I-80, I-287, and I-95 (A.K.A. New Jersey Turnpike) are very busy.  It was interesting to see that New Jersey still accepts cash payments on the Turnpike since so many states require EZ-pass (or equivalent) or bill you by mail.   I was amazed to see how often drivers gave each other the finger that I wittily call the “New Jersey salute”. (What a nicer gesture it would be to just give the FULL peace sign instead of one finger!)

 

We arrived at Muddy Paws Animal Rescue, our HH in Southampton, New Jersey.  This is one of my favorite HH ever!  It offered easy access along a firm gravel road, a huge, gated, level parking area, friendly hosts, and lots of animals for me to meet.  They have a small market, but we opted to give a monetary donation to aid in the care of the animals.

Chairman of the Welcoming Committee.

Best of all, staying at Muddy Paws facilitated a quick visit to Aunt Maureen, Uncle Ted, and my animal friends at Misty Lee Farm (where we helped do farm chores when Uncle Ted was gravely ill in 2021. See blog post Misty Lee Farm 2021).  Dad was so happy that Valentine the horse remembered him, and Valentine was happy to have Dad cater to his latest whim.

New chicks arrived at Misty Lee Farm.

 

Muddy Paws is also near one of our other favorite places:  DiMeo Blueberry Farm in Hammonton, New Jersey.  This century old, 4th-generation family business has the BEST blueberries we have ever picked (and we have done our share of picking throughout the US).  They are delicious, plump, organic/non-GMO/heirloom berries on tall bushes in manicured fields—can’t get better than that!   The 900+acres also include nature trails along Hammonton Creek within the Pinelands of South Jersey.  With New Age music playing softly (Mr. DiMeo says the music assists with plant growth), birds singing, and dragonflies enjoying God’s bounty as much as we are, DiMeo Farms offers a unique and spiritual picking experience. We think DiMeo Farms would make a perfect future HH site.  Time will tell!

 

While Dad fueled up my Rambling RV Rat Pack Rubicon, I visited Mighty Joe, a Roadside America attraction.  Mighty Joe once graced the boardwalk of the Jersey shore.  Now he stands in Shamong, New Jersey, as a loving tribute from Larry and Barbara Valenzano to their son, who died of a brain tumor in 1999 at the age of 29. 

 

The next day we drove up to North Jersey for a quick visit to the graves of my beloved human grandparents and to catch up with long-time friend Barbara over lunch at Pompton Queen.  This is one of New Jersey’s few remaining 24 hour diners.  Then we looked in our rearview mirror and said, “adios New Jersey”!

What I love about Jersey diners:  Portions big enough to feed ya twice!

After a longer-than-anticipated drive along the Pennsylvania Turnpike due to congestion/ construction, we arrived at Ben Franklin RV Park in York, Pennsylvania.   It is a smaller, older Park, but it is well-maintained and affordable at $40/night for full hookups.  It also has a nice clubhouse, whose bathrooms I inspected personally and found to be very clean.  What it does NOT have is acceptable customer service.   No office staff was on site when we arrived (or at any time during our visit).   Nor was paperwork for our confirmed reservation (made in May) left for us in the bin outside the self check-in office with all the other reservations for the day.  Mom received no response to the voicemail and text messages to the cell phone number posted on the locked door.  Cranky, tired, and hungry, Mom, like a bloodhound, went on a hunt to find a worker.  She locates Nate, who made some phone inquiries and instructs us to go to Site 298, which is an easy back-in.  It was not until 3 hours later that the office staff responded to Mom’s various text messages (yes, Mom sent a second one asking for Wi-Fi code/site map/laundry info).   We were instructed to return to the bin outside the self check-in office to find all pertinent information. What!  They thought it was good customer service to inconvenience the guest?  How rude!   Perhaps my reaction was transmitted telepathically.  All I know is that a few minutes later the paperwork arrived via text.   But in reality, it should have been brought in person to us.  If there is one thing this Rambling RV Rat despises, it is conducting business with a phantom. 

 

A visit to Gifford Pinchot State Park, about 14 miles from the RV Park, was a perfect antidote for a stressful day. I saved some cheese money since there is no day-use fee for this park.  My parents met their goal of hiking 5 miles.  And we had the  amazing opportunity to watch a bald eagle sit in a field eating dinner.  We captured a video just as he was finishing up.  This visit was like winning a trifecta!  

Well, I am tuckered out, so I’ll sign off for now.  I’ll talk to you again soon!