Two Days in Gettysburg

The hotel Cody and I stayed in, in Gettysburg the last couple of days had lousy internet. I would have been dead and buried by the time I had gotten anything loaded on there. So now that we are in a different hotel and about halfway home I’ll make a post and catch you all up.

Our first full day in Gettysburg, Cody and I head for my present favorite place on the battle field; Culp’s Hill. It was nice when we started out walking, cutting up through the cemetery. There are cows pastured in the field at the base of the hill. We leaned on the wooden fence and watched them move around for a while when we noticed one who had taken an interest in us. The little white calf had an ear tag that read 802, like our area code at home. As the calf seemed to follow us around we named him Little 802. He became my companion when ever I started for the hill.

That first morning we got rained on, but since we were already out there on the field, what’s a little rain. After climbing the tower and showing Cody the monument for the Washington County boys , we headed for the new Visitor’s Center. It was nice to get in out of the rain, and dry out. It’s a nice up grade and proof that our Government will spend way more money than needed on showy things that really don’t need replacing, while letting our roads go to hell. Anyhow the new place is very showy, and will stand up well, it has a much bigger gift shop, and a restaurant that isn’t worth the time or space it takes up. The very best thing about the whole new place is the new walking path that comes out right across the road from Mead’s head quarters.

With the sun back that afternoon we walked around town, and had dinner at the Farnsworth House. There is a really cool brass frog in the river that runs under the buildings there.
The second evening Cody and I drove out just before sunset to Little Round top so that I could get some shots of the sun going down. We talked for a while to a man from Albany,NY who was down there to look for ghosts. He was waiting for dark to go down by Devil’s Den. I don’t get this part of being on the field, but what ever makes you happy.

Today we headed north in a driving rain. There was a short stop at Cabala’s, and than onto the last exit in PA to buy fireworks for the 4th at camp. Tomorrow we will be home, it will be good to sleep in my bed once again, and to get my kisses from Granger. I’ve enjoyed this time with Cody, every parent should do a road trip with their child now and than.

It was a beautiful suuny start to the day, and we took advantage of the breakfast offered by the hotel. Once again we traveled by way to many trees and swamp land. Most of the land along Lake Superior is what my father used to say “did nothing but hold the rest of the world together“. I did get to see a white deer along the road about an hour out of Marquette. Everything on it was white except it’s two front legs.

We rolled down to Route 2 at noon, and got our first look at Lake Michigan. Cody and I both agree that we like Lake Michigan better than Superior. We stopped a couple of places along the way to look at impressive lake [I was looking for some drift wood I could take home to Mom, but luck wasn‘t with me]. Finally just before reaching St Ignatius ,MI we sighted the great Mackinaw bridge. I wish that it hadn’t been so hazy. I really wanted to get a picture of the bridge, but it wasn’t to be. We continued along toward the bridge and stopped for lunch just before crossing at a Big Boy’s.

After crossing the Mackinaw bridge at a snails pace, with out my looking anyway but straight ahead, we got onto I-75 south, and began hell driving. There are a lot of annoying people on the road out here, and way to much road work. I was never so glad in my life to see the Cabela’s in Dundee,MI and after nine hours of travel to find ourselves at the hotel. We are staying at the Holiday Inn Express, which is a really cool place. They have an indoor water park, and a hunting lodge theme all over the place including stuffed animals in the lobby. As a plus after all the time in the car, we could walk over to the Cabela’s, and over to Bob Evens for dinner.

I am not looking forward to getting back in the car in the morning.

On the Road Again

We got up to sunshine and Spring warmth, the first I’ve been told they’ve had in Ely this year. With the house all shut down, the car loaded, we headed south out of town. There is a small amount of sadness at leaving, but Cody and I will both be back in early August.

So anyhow we stopped at what used to be the BP station, and grab a strange mix to call breakfast. Cody had a can of cold ravioli, and I had a bag of beef jerky. When got to Duluth we hit the Best Buy to pick up a couple of comedy CD for the road, and than headed for WI. We ate lunch at a little dinner, which I wouldn’t recommend to anyone. It was called the Brackers. We passed lakes including the big one, and trees, and trees, and more trees. Can anyone say long boring drive with nothing new or different to look at for hours. [Sorry I’m from Vermont, we like our hills]. Cody and I did talk about how the little towns in Michigan’s UP have seen there better days.

We stopped by the Da Yooper’s Tourist Trap. Cool place worth the time to get out of the car for. The three words Red Neck Trash about covers it. Hey where else can you see the worlds largest snow blower.

So anyhow tonight after seven hours in a rental car we are in Marquette,MI. A quick meal delivered to the room from Domino’s, and if we look closely out of our room a view of Lake Superior. It's all good.

In Ely,MN

It was raining when I got into town yesterday, but it still feel like to home to me when I see the Ely,MN water tower. I admit to really loving this place that Cody chose for his schooling. Since Cody had invited a bunch of his friends over for a wrap up to the year cook out, I didn’t get to far from of the house yesterday. It was fun to see the kids as they dropped by , and meet some more of his friends and a few of their parents.

Today I will get out of the house, although most of the day will be spent getting the house ready for the summer, I am going to get a few walks in. The sun is out, and I think I need a good breakfast.

I walked up to Vertine’s, my favorite place in town for breakfast. Than back to house to clean and get it shut down for summer. Cody and I took two loads to the college dumpster, washed four loads of laundry, and now the house is ready to go. We walk over the baseball field tonight and paid a lady whose son is going to be mowing the lawn this summer. Cody also introduced me to his new football coach, we stopped the mail, it’s time to hit the road.

As a side note to this trip, I am reading a book by Jessamine West called “Double Discovery”, about a trip she made to Ireland and England in the 1920’s. [First let me tell you that if you have never read a book by Ms West your missing out]. Anyhow she traveled to the town of Ely England where she fell in love a Cathedral. I traveled to Ely,MN where there are the same number of churches in town as there are bars and liquor store, seven of each. Not bad for a town of just over 3,000.

Anyhow tomorrow we begin to head east.

Trip To Bring Cody Home / Day One

I got an early start on the trip to Cody . I can’t stand being at home with nothing to do but waiting to leave. So I left two hours earlier than I needed to, using the excuse that I need to stop at the bank and Post Office on my way out of town. It worked out well that I did leave early as, I encountered quite a bit of road construction, and arrived at the airport only half an hour earlier that I should have.

Albany Airport is a very easy place to get into and out of. I like to fly into and out of small airports. People are friendlier, and a smile and nice word get you farther. Having made this flight to Duluth more times than I care to count over the last year, being at Gate 4A is a lot like coming home. I already know where to sit so that I can plug in my computer, I know what I’ll find here to eat, and that if I want my favorite kind of Ice Tea I’ll have to walk down to Gate B. This is comfortable, low stress travel.

In about an hour I’ll be on a plane heading west to Detroit. It’ll be at least a two hour flight, and for what ever reason it will take about 20 minutes from the time we touch down until they let us off the plane. I fly NorthWest, because I like the airline, because I belong to their awards program, but mostly I fly them, because they are the only airline that goes into Duluth,MN. I have nothing but good to say about NorthWest, and have always felt that I was somehow important to them. Any problems that have come up in the past while I was flying with NorthWest were handled quickly and to my satisfaction, which I can’t say about other airlines.

My arrival in Detroit was a little early which left me with just over two hours to kill, before the flight to Duluth. If any of you have been in the Detroit Airport you know about the tunnel that takes you from the A gates to the B and C gates. I am always left with the feeling when walking through it that this must be what it is like to live under the ice of a frozen lake. I know that it designed to make you think of fish and water, but my thought as the music plays and lights glow in ever changing colors, is of being locked inside a large block of ice. It really is quite lovely.
When in the airport if you have the time between flights and find yourself in Gates B or C you can’t go wrong eating at the Guinness Irish Pub. This is the second time I’ve ate there and I love it. Now I’m not a drinker so I can’t recommend the beer, but I sure can recommend the Fish and Chips dinner. The fish is light, and how can you ever go wrong with home made potato chips served with coleslaw and a bottle of vinegar.

So a two hour flight latter, on a small plane, where my feet froze, and my butt went to sleep [I don’t know why they don’t pad those seats a little more] and I’m in Duluth,MN. It is still winter here. There aren’t any leaves on the tree yet, and it snowed just yesterday. I am staying the night in the Country Inn and Suites, which for my money is the only place to spend the night when you fly in late. The hotel is close to the airport, and it has big comfortable room at good price. There is one draw back to the big booming town of Duluth, it’s not a late night city. The Outback Steakhouse closes at 9pm, the nearest gas station closes at 10, but hey they have a 24 hour Wal-mart.

And so I am off on what will be at least a week long trip. A chance for Cody and I to get to know each other again, after a long winter. My only regret is that Eddie didn’t choose to come along. But for now I say good night all.