Looking forward to the food photos.
Re: Confederate flags: we ran across one just a week or so ago, when we stayed in the historic town of Dunsmuir (CA) on our way to Ashland, OR. It was in front of a house right across from our motel. There was both an American flag and a Confederate flag, both full-sized. I have to say it made me a bit nervous.
So you don't have to go very far south for the experience.
Dee
12 Sept.
Rain and more rain followed by mud and more mud. The Boogs do not get rain on the days that they both ride (see Pacific Northwest,Denmark, Southeast, Middle America, and recent Europe trip, for proof of concept. Today Sharon told long walks and I rode in the mud, lots of it.
Mud increased while riding from Williamsport to Hancock.
Had to take off my shirt and change before going into a lunch restaurant. A perfect diner-family restaurant with all the classic American dishes, home made pies and waitresses that smile and act perky. Very perky and friendly and helpful – just have to give them a fistfull sized tip.
We also ate dinner there. When QB puts up the pics proof positive of items like curley fries, pork chops, club sandwiches that make a mockery of "tower food".
We will miss the Canal-Apple Day as it starts afternoon of the Morrow. They do have a parade for us, will try to document.
After lunch rode the Western Maryland Rail Trail. A perfect asphalt surface. It runs paralled to the canal trail and is, of course, without mud. Did a 20+ mile loop at high speed (high for me) just to see if I could do a 50 mile day and still feel OK. So far, so good. Maybe it was the curley fries.
Pics are of Dam 5, one that Stonewall Jackson repeatedly tried, and failed, to demolish. The canal was thought to be very important to the North for supplies and commerce. The Dam was well defended and cannons were not strong enough to destroy it.
As a side note breakfast at the B&B in Sharpsburg was good but the company was excellent. All civil war history buffs, we expertise on the revolutionary war thrown in a well. Three other couples, from different parts of the US, one with a confederate flag on his car, were visiting the battlefields and other items in the area.
Question for the day: is a confederate flag display still a marker for segregation? Is it stilll considered racist? Everywhere?
HiHi
11 Sept.
Little forward progress but excellent touristing.
Rode the trail for a while while QB walked. Then we met up at Taylors Landing and drove to Antietam and the National Park. Saw the film, listened to the ranger talk, and then rode the rolling trail of the battlefield. QB walked a piece.
The amount of pain, misery, futility, death are all unimaginable. 23000 killed or badly hurt. No real leadership on the battle field leading to "shooting galleries" for some of the troups some of the time. All for very little. It hurts to tour especially when you see the geography and layout of the conflict.
Dinner in a really good restaurant back in Shepardstown. We are in Sharpsburg where Lee and his forces started from. Just a few miles from where we stayed last evening. Little forward progress but significant lateral experience.
A few pics attached. QB has put up her flickr pics.
HiHi
10 Sept.
From Whites Ferry to Shepardstown via Brunswick (overated but ok), then Harpers Ferry (wonderful talk by the National Park ranger, walk through this underated historic park and town – replete with the history of John Brown, Lee and Antietam, six reoccupations during the Civil War, etc.) to the very cute town of Sheperdstown and a good meal.
One highlight was the company of blue heron. It flew along the canal right at my side as we were both going at the same rate. Lated between 1/4 and 1/2 mile. It was spectacular. No way to take a photo. Has to be great luck!
Flickr pics are already up. QB was energetic.
HiHi
9 Sept.
Left the land of Porc and headed out on the canal path (after a breakfast at Deanne and Delluca, its origins are NYC) towards the oldest town in Virginia. Lee came through Leesburgh on his way to Antietam, the bloodest battle ground of the civil war.
The path is a real bone shaker, hardpack with rocks. The parts that are not bone shakers are bone breakers.
That said it is a lovely ride along the path. The Potomac is on the left and at milepost 14.1 is Great Falls, truely worth seeing. The Potomac narrows from 1000 feet wide to 60 feet wide. Ice ace blockages forced the water to carve a wonderful weaving path. Took a walk along a boardwalk that goes through this natural wonder, now a park constructed by Olmstead' yes the same one who designed Central Park NYC.
Pictures of Great Falls will be on Flickr site soon. If you need the URL please just ask.
Same one as the previous trip.
Leesburgh has preserved some of its old charm. A few pics attached.
HiHi
8 Sept.
Arrived and after a nap off to see some Porc, Washington style. That is, what them dere folks are doing with our taxes.
Off to the Potomac and a bowl of Maryland crab seafood soup. Need to be in shape when viewing Porc.
It is just a short stroll to the Kennedy Center, a large concrete stucture with many theaters. Tax dollars certainly at work here – just not well spent. Virtually no Kunst on the roof top terrace. Boring expanses of outdoor tiled flooring without a sign. Great views, however. A stroll around the terrace is worth the time.
Georgetown row houses are a break from the Porc, but all roads lead to K Street, pictured. Hard to imagine the impact of this street from the view in Georgetown.
M Street has shops and restaurants. Figured a food pic was required; comparable to the Slanted Door. The Papyaya salad was different than I have seen before so I asked of the chef, where is he from thinking he might be from the far North of Vietnam. Mexico was the response; I gave up.
Back to the hotel for soak, 103F, in the hot tub. Perfect for a "boy" from Brooklyn.
Ride starts in the morning.
Moin
12 July
Perfect cycling day especially to climb up the cliffs. The exit road tops out at 164 meters according to my gps.
That and a ball of string.
Wandered Dover for a bit and found that much of this beach coast is fully booked. Had the tourist office help us find the swan in hythe. A no star place run by a very helpful Nepalese family. Very helpful and friendly.
They were so nice we decided to eat at their pub restaurant. One of the better meals we have had. Just spicy enough with Nepalese spices.
After the climb we decended into Folkstone with its fish and crab centric harbor. But chilly to sit outside and eat the cold sheimps and crabs. Found and excellent greasy spoon with good mugs of tea and home naked scones.
The ball of string. A Victorian era water powered funicilar. Two cars. The upper car has a test that holds 5.5 tons of water. When filled it lifts the other car. At the bottom it dumps its water into the channel and the process continues. One of only three still operating.
11 July
Bruges to Lille via train
Lille to Calais via train
Calais to Dover via fast boat
Such is the plan as of this writing. This will be the first time for us on French rail so we do not as yet know the system.
It takes more than a lifetime to know " the system of the world".
Arrived without incident except we had to wait for the next car bus truck four deck ferry as there was no room for our bikes on the one we booked. No room. Could not talk our way on.
Dover is a town of long faded glory. Everything is run down and need of a lift. The hotel bed sags almost to the floor but has a spectacular view if you ignore the cracked concrete on the balcony. Three star Best Western for 4 to 5 star continental prices.
The tourist brochure describes the pier walk, we biked in that way, as "virtually untouched since the day it was built". We concur and admire the real estate speak.
The white cliffs are indeed spectacular. Lots of beaches in this area. No sun, cold, typical British beach weather.
Pics from window and hotel front.
10 July
A rainy day with good walking around the periphery canals and smaller streets.
We leave the continent in the morning. Off to Dover via Calais.
Just a few pics today with more to come on flickr, to be posted when we next get a net connection.
The celebration party is just that. Bands and loud music and a good deal of dancing. A dancing fest. No particular occasion except, possibly, to wish is well on the final leg, or so we were told. Further research. Instead of asking the locals, two of them, about the festival we did some research. 11 July 1887!
It is a two part occassion. 11 July is the date of a medieval battle, 1302, fought in Bruges and won against the the king of France, read Burgendy. The year is the year of the flemish flag. The political part of the fest is a separatist movement. The music seems to reflect the politics. Folk songs, some with familiar melodies.
The pictured frites stand
has a long history. Very good crispy frites. Written up in the top 10 things to do book. I had them on my previous visit and both times they were perfect.
7 July
Short ride to Bruges but QB's stomach was not in top form. Rich foods?? So, we took the train for the 35 km or so.
Belgian trains are by far the worst we have seen for bikes. All trains, even the IC take bikes. Six bikes in random locations. Three different cars. Need to lift them up to a platform raised higher than passenger level. Conductor helps, reluctantly.
Then fill out a bike tag with information. Card is punched but they do not bother to take the info part. Tried not filling it out. Nope.
So I ask why are the trains so unfriendly to bikes. Lots of bikes here. Ah, the railroad wants you to rent bikes available at all, well many, stations.
The city is quite crowded. The shops are busy. There are chocolate shops and tea shops and cookies from Narbonne and more and more and more of the same.
Are cookies like bread in that the locallity of baking is critical? Ship cookies from Narbonne every day? A selection of 15 types each day. The large shop sells only cookies from Narbonne. Artisunal. My question is whether they could make in Bruges a cookie that was, taste wise, indistinguishable?
Welcoming was by the northwest Mississippi youth choral singing at the Dom. Fresh from two performances in Paris and finishing in Amsterdam at the Dom. Spirtuals and other church music in English. Very very very clean cut with angelic voices especially in a high vaulted Gothic.
Dinner of moules frite again. QB took it lighter with spaghetti. Not the best time to have a digestive problem.
Pictures of dinner and the cookies, yes the cookies are on flickr. Other pics too.
Moin
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