Four Score and Seven ...

When in Gettysburg....

... you see some awesome barns. This one was used to hold those who died in the main house. The main house was built in 1812. During July 1-12 1863 the main house was pressed into service. It was a field hospital. The Union dead were stacked up in the upper level. The Confederate troops  were stacked up in the lower level. The lower level was filled  like cord wood by the twelfth day.

I bought firewood there. From the lower level. It was stacked up like cord wood.

A lot of Americans died in Gettysburg. It is sobering.

A visit to the National Park Visitors Center is worth while I think. We got the deluxe plan; the museum, Cyclorama, and a guided bus tour. It was all super cool. Humbling. I felt humbled a lot.

So if you did not read the link to the Cyclorama, please read about it.

The Cyclorama is wicked cool. Probably the highlight of the packaged deal.

The painting is actually incredibly well done.

That is the Hayfields. The Hayfields was significant. 

Lincoln was hanging out at the museum. He allowed an image to be taken with the girls.

We took the tour bus with Rodger. He has been giving the tour since 1968. Rodger dramatized in living stereo. He was actually pretty darn good. I tipped him a $20.

So, the battle of Gettysburg. It started right there in front of you. It was actually a mistake when it started. A Congressman, turned Union General was in the wrong place. When some Confederate scouts were seen, they engaged. They were not supposed to do that. Had the scouts not been engaged, Lee would have had a very large volume of soldiers in position and the resulting battle of Gettysburg might had been a very different out come.

On the third day, Confederates came from that direction. It was called the Devils Den. The Devils Den was a great hiding spot for the Confederate snipers. They did a lot of sniping from there. Not enough.

The Union troops on top of Little Round Top did not have wooden cannons painted to look like iron ones. They were very effective. Two miles was the range.

In the center of this photo is the area known as the Hayfields. From this vantage point, on July 3 1863, you would be seeing the bodies of 20, 000 men below you. Many more would die. Almost as many beasts of burden would be laying with the bodies of the men from the South and the North. Many were stacked like cord wood at makeshift field hospitals, pressed into service.

It was not all serious in Gettysburg. Don, Donal, and I played Adventure Golf at Granite Hill Campground. We stayed there too. 

We were actually there for the Bluegrass Festival. We saw some super acts.

We saw some old guys.

We saw some young guys. 

First music festival I have ever attended where I did not once see or smell some dern weed.

We saw some girl bands.

The crowd was beyond civilized. I felt guilty tapping my foot and bobbing my head to the music. A mandolin does that to me.

Praise God, the catfish was good. The jerk chicken was too.

Lots of fair food...

... and there were fair beverages. The price was kind of unfair for the fair beverages. I stuck to the cooler of beer we carried up from the trailer. Natty Boh goes well with Bluegrass.

The meat was a loaf. Not sure what the story was. While traveling in Mexico I have eaten a lot of street food. My rule is if it swimming in grease, I pass. I passed here.

That cow has a Gene Simmons tongue.

I commented "40 flavors?" Response: "That is false, we have 80 now." In my head: "Why are there only 18 on the posted list?"

Does that look good to you? I will stick to the cooler of Natty Boh I carried up from the trailer.

I am always on the hunt. I found 40, 40+ year old trailers.

We like to play at night

The kids played.

I am hypnotized...

SHAZAM...

Smile dude, I had a great time in Gettysburg.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that "all men are created equal"

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of it, as a final resting place for those who died here, that the nation might live. This we may, in all propriety do. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow, this ground—The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have hallowed it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here; while it can never forget what they did here.

It is rather for us, the living, to stand here, we here be dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that, from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here, gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve these dead shall not have died in vain; that the nation, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people by the people for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Not My First Bash

Anyone who has read my blog for a while knows I host an Airstream gathering,  called the Birthday Bash. Originally called the Wally Byam Birthday Bash, we had to change the name when the Wally Byam Caravan Club International sent us a cease and desist letter. They felt only they could use the founder of Airstream's name even if we were honoring him by having a birthday party. This year was our fourth Birthday Bash.

The first year we held the Bash, Dale "Ace" Goldberg was a volunteer who was always lending a hand. He helped out from sun up till moon up. Ace has been my Co host ever since. I honestly am not sure I could do it without him. This years event was stellar to say the least. We did not have our biggest turnout with 33 rigs in attendance, but the quality of those who came was unsurpassed. The response I got from those who came was all positive. If anyone had any complaints, they did not let me hear it. Not hearing a single complaint this year was one of the many "firsts" I experienced. Someone has let you know at all previous Bashes, but not this time around.

First time experience was a theme I heard a great deal over the 5 days. Just a note, the photos do not correspond with the words specifically. This is a blog first for me.

There were a number of "first time ever" at an Airstream gathering.

Many, many, first timers at a TAC event. 

First time to not camp in an assigned camp site. We had a rather organic parking going on. It was not Rick's first, but it was for others.

There was a first camping trip as a married couple.

There was the first time camping in a new trailer.

First time sleeping in a tent. 

The first time tasting some moonshine.

The first time riding a bike.

The first time making ice cream from scratch.

The first time denting ones trailer.

The first time trying Taylor's Pork roll.

The first time catching fire flies.

The first time doing a scavenger hunt.

The first time tie dying a T shirt.

The first time building a rocket.

The first time launching a rocket. I especially liked the self admitted "first time for Ganny shooting rockets off! What a blast this is! Why did I wait to get this old to do this"

I don't think there was a first kiss ever. There might have been, but I doubt it.

"I have never even heard of huevos rancheros. Now I love them"

"I never saw RV. I think I peed my pants I laughed so hard"

There was a first time not leaving the venue for 5 days straight.

There was a first time ever trying a margarita. Not Lori or Greg however. They know there way around a margarita.

there was a first time camping with the kids.

There was the first time buying a real Bambi, not the later trim line by Airstream, called Bambi.

There was the first tour of the brand new unit. The tour was well broken in by the end of the event.

How about the first time you ever heard a bull frog? Do you remember that event in your own life? Three kids heard bull frogs for their first time. 

When did you see your first shooting star? I know a little girl who saw her first this weekend. 

There was the first tow with a new truck.

The first time a trailer's shower was used even after years of ownership. It is now a habit to use it instead of the one in the bath house. 

There was the first time I had nothing to say. Nothing needed to be said.

This was not their first nap in the lawn chair. 

This was the first time I did not have the the opportunity to drink a little too much with one of my favorite people in the world.

I think a few got to see how real pulled pork is created for the first time. 

Many first took place during Bash4.

I am sure a number of them happened without me noticing. I am very glad they happened, because we tend to remember our firsts.