On my way to Philly

I left the beauty of Shenendoah Valley national park reluctantly, after enjoying the green and lush mountains and forests  for over a week.  I headed toward historical sites and tourists.  But I was delighted to find I enjoyed learning more about our country and find it stimulating. 

I left Shenendoah to go through parts of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland!  It is amazing how much smaller the states are in the east!  

I spent several hours at Harper's Ferry, WV, and learned much.  I remembered John Brown but did not recall much about the civil war impact on Harper's Ferry.  The town was restored and I could walk in old boarding houses, stores, factories, churches and schools, etc.  it was interesting!

I camped that night in Cumberland Falls State park near Thurmont, Maryland.  It was just as nice as the national parks, plus they had electric and water!  I was able to hike a bit before dark.

The next day I drove to Gettysburg in Pennsylvania and again spent several hours at an impressive national park.  This park has a great deal of high tech presentations and they were well done!  After seeing and hearing much about the civil war in the museum, I walked to the battlefield and could envision the troops marching over the now quiet countryside.  It was a sobering afternoon to reflect on the civil war.

I again spent the night in a great state park, French Creek State Park near Everson, PA.  In the morning I drove through Amish country and spent time in Intercourse, PA, browsing Amish stores, enjoying a soft pretzel and buying sticky buns for breakfast the next day.  I saw Amish and Menonite families in their traditional clothes, followed horse and buggy down the road, and watched a young man plowing the field with a horse drawn plow.  But I especially enjoyed talking to an Amish quilter and her young granddaughter about quilting!

The Penstlvania farmland is beautiful and green.

Soon it was time to head to the RV park in New Jersey, which is my base for touring Philadelphia.  My friend from college, Fran, grew up in Philadelphia and she is showing me some of the sights.