Day 46 - Thursday, August, 12th

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At Gettysburg, PA

We had a quiet rest day today in Gettysburg. Many used the opportunity to visit parts of the battleground, the visitors center describing the battle as well as the old town of Gettysburg. Scott and I found a laundry first thing in the morning, followed by a good breakfast, and then talked a local internet provider into letting us use their network for an hour to upload some of our files. How much better can a rest day get.
The weather forecast is all about upcoming rain and the approaching hurricanes. Will our good weather luck hold for another two days? It seems highly unlikely at this point. Just before dinner, the skies let go and a heavy downpour soaked the town as well as our tents, which were pitched at the local middle school. A couple of people had to move their tents when they found they were on low ground, which was now occupied, by a small fish pond. Most tents held up well though, with those who had checked into a motel faring the best.
Overall, we had a great rest day, our last one, visiting with each other and seeing the local sights.
Only two days left on the Big Ride. Will we beat the hurricanes to Washington? Will we break camp in the rain for the first time? Not even Jeff knows these answers, as we get ready to finish the Big Ride.


This man is a wonderful human being who has carried me through thick and thin, all the way across this country. I would have hated to do it without him, and loved doing it with him. Thanks for being my friend Scott. Big Ride Forever!

Barb is a terrific volunteer on the Big Ride. She is a former rider herself. I know she was aching to ride instead of helping us on our ride, but she stayed the course, provided us with water, snacks, and encouragement. Thanks so much Barb.


The eternal flame as seen through a cannon spokes was dedicated by Franklin Roosevelt in 1938. There were thousands of Civil War survivors at the ceremony, most of them in their 90's and 100's. This is a replica cannon, but a duplicate of ones used by the Confederate Army in the battle at Gettysburg, the bloodiest battle of a long and bloody war.

The view from the eternal flame encompases much of the original battlefield. I imagine that it looked a lot like this on the days of the battle when these armies clashed and so many lives were lost.

There are hundreds on monuments to various groups of soldiers on both sides. Many are quite large, intricate, and creative in their designs. This house dates from the 1890's and is on a street in Gettyburg next to newer homes. I'm told that the parking meter is not a period piece.


The email I'll use this summer is brucesherman@mac.com. Send mail to this address to say hello and I'll be able to read it on the ride.

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