Breaking the Silence

Well, it’s been two months since I’ve written on my blog and it is time to break the silence. I could say I’ve been too busy (we have) or too lazy (that might be partially true) or uninspired (to write), but the truth is that once the time went on, it was just too overwhelming. So, instead of sharing all the places we’ve been and the things we’ve seen (although I’ll do a little of that), I want to share some impressions I’ve had on this portion of the trip. Since I last wrote, we’ve visited 11 states plus DC, and one foreign country (twice). We’ve reveled in and Civil War history, explored the New England coastline, learned about the making of maple syrup, went “leaf peeping” with a caravan of RVers from around the country, and quietly paid homage to all those who gave their lives in service to the country, at Gettysburg and Arlington. Thoughts on some of our experiences:

CANADA:  Visits to both Montreal and Quebec City were great, and we want to go back and spend more time. What struck us first in Montreal was the architecture – it was like stepping into a town in Europe. We liked that feel as we walked around, marveling at everything we saw and heard, since, of course, people were speaking French, not English.

Montreal - across from our hotel

We were also surprised (but shouldn’t have been ) at how OLD these two cities on the St Lawrence River are. I remember studying about Cartier and Champlain, but the emphasis was always on United States history, so those facts had been lost. In both cities we loved the old town sections, the small winding cobblestone streets, old buildings, and churches.

Friends we met in Montreal.

Old town Quebec City

Quebec City history mural on flat wall!

We particularly liked learning more about New France and its relationship to Britain, and were fascinated with archeological ruins in Montreal. We spent 3 days in each city, but that was not nearly enough. Obviously, another trip east is demanded!

Archeological dig of original site of Montreal

Falls at Quebec City - note stairs down which we didn't take

CAPE COD: We tried to have a relaxing time on Cape Cod – and in some ways we did, a little hiking, a little bike riding, some beach walking. But definitely too much driving. Cape Cod is a lot bigger than it looks, and the roads are slow and plodding.

Rode bikes to Cape Cod lighthouse

Walk on beach at Nature Center on Cape Cod

 Driving out to Provincetown took much longer than expected, especially since we stopped at a few light houses along the way, leaving little time to appreciate the end of the cape itself. A monument to the Pilgrims stands out in Provincetown (they landed there first, before Plymouth); another highlights the signing of the Mayflower Compact (in the Provincetown Harbor) in 1620.

Monument to Pilgrims in Provincetown

 It was after this long drive out and back that I sort of had “one of those moments”. The next day I didn’t want to get out of bed. I was tired of driving, of visiting this and that, of trying to remember everything we’d seen. Cape Cod was supposed to be a relaxing place, but there were people everywhere (and it wasn’t even summer). I needed a day off. Of course, I got over my funk soon enough and we went on to visit more lighthouses, Kennedy’s Hyannis Port, and other points of interest over the next few days, but it was becoming more and more apparent that day after day of touring takes its toll. More and more, lately, I’ve had these moments.

Chatham Lighthouse

Kennedy Museum at Hyannis Port

 But we’ve survived my moods, which, luckily have been interspersed with visiting friends (in Connecticut, which we thoroughly enjoyed), interesting side trips (Yale University in New Haven and Mark Twain’s house, in Hartford), and some relaxing time at state and national parks in Maine.

College friends in Connecticut

Mark Twain's house in Hartford

Twain quote sums up our attitude about travel

CARAVAN: Early on, when we knew our basic itinerary, we had signed up for a Yankee RV Tours Fall Foliage trip. We would travel through New England with a dozen or so other rigs, meet new people, not have to make any decisions about campgrounds and activities, have a number of meals planned and paid for, and, as a bonus, for three weeks, I would have people to talk to! After a few days on our own at Acadia National Park, we met up with the other travelers in Bar Harbor on September 22.

"The Herd" by the falls in Quebec City

First night's dinner!

 All our expectations were met – nice people, some of whom we hope to see again, no thinking, planning, or worrying about where to stay or what to see, incredible fall colors in peak season in Vermont and New Hampshire (cross that off my bucket list), all the things you expect to see in New England, and, for me, the bonus – other people to talk with!!!

Longest Covered bridge between New Hampshire and Vermont

Covered bridge - one of many we saw

 
 But the experience also got us thinking about our “camping” identity, why we RV, what kind of RV we might want in the future, where we want to go with the RV, and what kind of experience we are looking for in having an RV in the first place. We like being with other people, but we don’t like being part of a “herd”. We want to “do our own thing” but also have people to share a campfire, dinner, drink, or game with at night. We want to be physically active – more interested in parks and nature than museums, shopping, or typical “tourist” activities. (On this long trip we have tried to balance our experiences, but I have to admit that we have done a lot less of the outdoor relaxing, hiking, and appreciating nature than we had hoped.) There were a lot of BIG rigs on our trip – we clearly are moving in the other direction and thinking more and more about downsizing. How we do that becomes the problem. More on that subject later, but this trip helped us focus more on what we like and what we don’t like about RVing.

GETTYBURG: A moving, gut wrenching experience. All that death. Great hike with a ranger who gave us a 2 hour talk as we walked - about the location of the armies,  how the battle progressed, who the cast of characters was. As we walked or drove the same hills and valleys once traversed by those soldiers, we couldn’t help but be saddened by what we saw and felt. The country was so divided over the issue of slavery, we had to fight to keep the Union whole. And I wondered – are we headed there again? We are a country divided once again. Can we weather this storm without the violence? I hope and pray we never have to experience what we did here – thousands dead or injured. All told an estimated 620,000 (roughly 2% of the population) died in the war between the states. Gettysburg was the costliest battle of all. As we stood near where Lincoln delivered his famous address, looking out over the newly dedicated national cemetery, I was nearly brought to tears. Indeed,  it is for us the living to dedicate ourselves to the cause for which so many gave their lives.

On our way to Gettysburg, stopped at West Point on the Hudson

Location of Pickett's charge in Gettysburg

Along the lines at Gettysburg

WASHINGTON D.C.: With only three days, we limited ourselves to a couple of museums we had never seen and a few monuments. We spent the first day in the magnificent African American Museum and by the end, were both exhausted and exhilarated by the experience. They’ve done a masterful job  of capturing the history of the black experience in the “new world” from the 16th century to the present: from great African civilizations to enslavement, from enslavement to freedom,  from Jim Crow to Civil Rights protests – all vividly portrayed.

 Meanwhile, on the upper floors we saw the myriad accomplishments of African Americans throughout the years, despite all the impediments and road blocks along the way. We came away impressed and depressed, angry and, yet, hopeful, that the tide is changing.

The other museum we wanted to see, especially since they are closing their doors at the end of the year, was the NEWSEUM, dedicated to the first amendment freedoms of speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition (with an emphasis on the press).

Newseum - 1st Amendment emblazoned on wall

Here there was a moving tribute to the people who reported on the 9/11 disaster and another highlighting the Pulitzer Prize winners in photojournalism since the 1940s. There was a large section of the Berlin Wall, signifying another victory for freedom, and many displays highlighting the history and power of media, from early printing through radio and television to the internet. I’m sorry they are closing because their message is so very important and I am hoping that they will be able to find a less costly, more modest venue for their cause.

View of 6th floor of Newseum

Our last day in DC was spent walking – all around Arlington Cemetery (Kennedy grave and the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, among others), across the Memorial Bridge to the Lincoln Memorial and on to the Vietnam Wall Memorial, the Women’s War Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the MLK Memorial, and the WWII Memorial. These were all sobering reminders of the cost of freedom, making one pause and reflect on who we are, what values we stand for, and how important it is to never lose sight of the sacrifices others have made on our behalf. And to wonder, will we ever learn?

Arlington Cemetery where 400,000 soldiers & family are buried

Changing of the guard at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

MLK Memorial

World War II Memorial

Vietnam Wall. Remembering my high school friend, Bill Perkins

All these experiences, emotions, and thoughts are the reason it has been so hard for me to BREAK THE SILENCE. It has been a very full two months. Now, as we prepare to leave Richmond and begin our westward journey back home (not to end until next April), there will be fewer posts about what we have seen (although we still have a few interesting excursions ahead of us) and more about what this trip has meant to us, why we undertook it in the first place, what we have learned, and whether or not we will ever undertake any future trips of this magnitude.