Day 67 Thursday July 12

Jack decided he may never get back here so we should see Gettysburg. He was here a long time ago with the guys and I was here as a little girl I think. Anyway, we took the 2 hour "quicky" bus tour which was enough for me but I can see how people get into this war stuff although too complicated for me and I lose track of who is who and what is what before long. However, 64,000 people died in 3 days. All Americans by the way - obviously. The cannons were so loud Mary Todd Lincoln heard them in DC and you could see the smoke in Pittsburgh. Gettysburg the little town is a little nicer than I remember it but still mucho touristy but in a nice way. I didn't remember that the battle actually included the town. You can see bullet and cannon holes in some of the buildings. They are restoring the whole battle site to the way it actually was in 1860s by cutting down trees where there used to be empty fields, etc. Picture of statue commemorating NC soldiers. 1 in 4 killed there were from NC.

There were a lot of bikers and then we saw a sign that welcomed them for bikers' week. Parade of Chrome on the 14th to be led by the Clysdales from Budweiser. Seems a little odd although I see the connection.

Onto Eisenhower home. Mamie was a little weird. Everyone had to sign into the guest book when they came into the house included grandkids who may have signed 4 or 5 times a day. Her collection included a plate from Stuckeys with their picture on it and plastic presidents that came in cereal boxes??? The sun room was the favorite room where they watched Ike's favorite show - Bonanza.

We then headed out of town and quickly cut across MD and WV. Ended up in Winchester VA for the night. Will be continuing down the Shenandoah Valley with the key word being valley with no particular goal in mind and stopping along the way if something strikes our fancy. Will not be going to WV. Just more forests and mountains and enough of that. Our neighbors tonight are from guess where? No, Brandon. They are here for big family reunion of the Morgans as in Morgantown WV etc. Nine generations ago her Great to the 9th grandfather also settled here. The homestead is now a historical site and they will be meeting in the pavilion there. That's kind of nice.

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