Pennsylvania

As we headed south of New York state, we entered Pennsylvania. We were impressed with the smooth roads we encountered throughout the entire state. It was also interesting along the major highway to see the tracks of the horses and buggies of the Amish. Although we saw traffic signs warning of these slow-moving vehicles, we didn't actually see any of them.

The highlight of Pennsylvania was going to Gettysburg National Military Park. The Battle of Gettysburg stretched for three days from July 1 - 3, 1863, half-way through America's Civil War. The horrors of this war were evident in the number of casualties during the Gettysburg battle: 51,000. This was the largest number of casualties in any battle of the Civil War. When the military cemetery was dedicated in November of that year, President Abraham Lincoln was invited to say a message to the assembled crowd. His famous Gettysburg Address was merely 272 words in length, and took only a few minutes to deliver, yet brought meaning to all the death, and hope to the living. The sacrifice displayed at this site was very thought-provoking.

We left Gettysburg at about 4:00 p.m. and soon left Pennsylvania, to enter Maryland, and then West Virginia, and Virginia, all within the space of an hour or so. The scenery became more farm-oriented.

The next day, September 14, we celebrated Mason's birthday. He turned 13, so now all of our children are teenagers.