Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky.
I loved watching Daniel Boone on TV as a child.
And now I am in his national forest?
That is very, very cool.
It’s also quite cool in the other sense of the word, given that there is fresh snow lying on the ground and in the trees. There’s not a lot of snow, just enough to be pretty.
Yesterday we were in tee shirts.
This morning it rained.
And now, it’s snowing in West Virginia.
That escalated quickly.
The battlefield of Gettysburg is a sobering place.
Monuments to different army and cavalry divisions from the various states are spread over the area according to where they fought and many of them died. It is these monuments that show just how widespread and varied the fighting was.
The term “battlefield” tends to make one think of a single grassy field.
These men fought in an orchard, in the woods, up and down hills, from town buildings, behind man made barricades and breastworks, from behind rocks and ridges and in gullies as well as on the open fields near the town of Gettysburg. There are still holes from bullets and cannonballs – and in some cases, the bullets still remain embedded – in buildings that remain standing today both in the town and nearer to the battlefields.
I can’t imagine the fear that would strike the hearts of even the bravest soldiers with the noises, sights, and smells of battle. The senses would all be overwhelmed. One Confederate soldier recorded the observation that the eeriest sound was that of the Union soldiers chopping down trees overnight so they could better attack and fight the southern armies the next day.
It was mind blowing to think that I was walking where those soldiers had walked… where they had fought and died… and later, where President Lincoln had stood to deliver his famous Gettysburg Address.
Lincoln was right about the soldiers in the Battle of Gettysburg being immortalised for what they had accomplished there, but he was wrong about nobody remembering his words spoken in their honour.
They say the battlefield and some of the buildings in town are haunted.
Our guide for the day, a wonderful and knowledgeable friend of mine, told us of figures showing up in photographs where nobody was evident when the photos were taken, and of others who didn’t show up in pictures when photos were taken of re enactments. A shadowy figure is often seen near Sachs Bridge, a covered bridge that stands right by the scene where the fighting first broke out.
If any place on earth might be haunted, Gettysburg would certainly be a prime candidate.
One of the bucket list items for this trip was to eat at an American diner. I’ve seen them in movies and on TV, but apart from a few “theme” places in capital cities, there is really nothing like them in Australia.
More by coincidence than design, we visited two different diners today.
While in NJ, we visited a friend who took us to Brother’s Diner in Browns Mills for lunch. It was nice but plain, decorated mainly in different shades of beige except for the counter section which had a marble countertop and hanging lights. It’s glossy, sleek appeal didn’t really seem to fit the rest of the place, but it was a very attractive focal point for the rest of the diner.
The menu had lots of choices. I ordered a ‘Canadian Burger’ which boasted an 8oz beef patty with Canadian bacon and provolone cheese, tomato and lettuce, and I added pickled beets and onion to that. The home fries that came with it were really good, but it was all I could do to almost finish the burger. It was delicious.
Our waitress was very interested in our trip and in Australia, and answered almost everything we said with, “you bet!”. We have been horrified at the wages waitresses work for here – as low as $2.75 an hour – so we gave her a $10 tip so that for the hour she was looking after us, she got Australian wages.
We left there and headed into Pennsylvania to visit with another friend who I love like my sister. She and her partner took us to Lyndon’s Diner in York, PA.
Its neon lighting and chrome trim looked more like I thought an American diner should look. We got inside and found that the deco inside matched the outside perfectly. It was an inviting and interesting place to be.
We ordered drinks, and I was disappointed to find that the bar staff had no idea how to put together a shot of Canadian Club and a glass of dry ginger ale with a twist of lemon. I didn’t realise that would be such a challenge. I’m pretty sure that they used more than one shot of whiskey and soda water instead of the dry; the drink tasted horrible until I ordered a glass of lemonade and added that in. That was a vast improvement, and I finished my drink quite happily.
Then the menu came. I’ve read shorter novels.
To be honest, I was a bit bamboozled by the extent of the choices and it took me ages to make up my mind. I eventually settled on the chicken parmigiana sandwich with sweet potato fries, a choice expedited by the fact that everyone else at the table had ordered and the menu was open at the ‘hot chicken sandwiches’ page.
As a starter, we shared a plate of ‘Loaded Fries’. Waffle cut fried potatoes were loaded with chilli con carne and cheese. They were sensational. Just the right level of spice and heat, and the occasional hit of jalapeños.
My sandwich was fresh and delicious, and the pickle that came with it was crunchy and tangy, just the way a pickle should be. The sweet potato fries were the perfect side. The whole meal was well presented and absolutely scrumptious.
The diner had a magnificent looking desserts counter, but by the time I had finished most of my sandwich and no more than a quarter of my fries, dessert was no longer an option. There’s no point in making oneself uncomfortable by overeating, after all.
Our waitress was lovely there, too. My friend picked up the bill, but I know she left a generous tip, too.
All in all, both experiences were very positive and the food was great.
Now I know for myself why so many scenes are set in diners.
This morning I chatted with a group of soldiers at the roadside stop where were parked.
They were very friendly, and were very positive about the fact that I am Australian. They expressed great respect for their Australian counterparts, and enthusiasm for Australia.
We chatted for a few moments, and then went our separate ways.
The OCC showroom is at Newburgh, NY.
This place is way beyond cool.
There are special bikes on exhibit and you can take as many photos as you like. My favourites are the 9/11 Fire Department Memorial Bike and the POW/MIA Memorial Bike. Both are surrounded by memorabilia that make the tribute even more compelling.
It’s a really powerful way of expressing gratitude and encouraging remembrance of those who bravely served and sacrificed themselves for their fellow man.
We were lucky enough to score a tour of the workshop and take a look behind the scenes. We saw a number of bikes being worked on, and the framework for a motorbike sidecar that could carry a casket for bikers’ funerals. What a great idea!
We also saw a bike that Paul Sr is building for himself in shimmering gold and maroon. That bike is going to look absolutely amazing in the sunlight.
The production team were busy in a meeting but stopped to wave cheerfully to us as we walked by. Others stopped what they were doing to say hello and That was really nice. I get a very strong impression that everyone here works very closely as a team, and strives to maintain a positive and cheerful attitude. There’s a really good vibe here.
In addition to the showroom and store, there’s a cafe and a two lane bowling alley.
I’m really glad we came here. It’s been a great experience, and an excellent change to looking at scenery all the time.
And I know so many people, especially my nephews, are going to be dead jealous. Win.
An Aussie Maple Leaf, adrift on the wind... 