Cathy on Little Round Top at Gettysburg We really enjoyed our work on the NOMADS disaster recovery project in Lumberton, NC, but as it came to an end, we needed to move on. As Clint and Carolyn (Cathy's sister) were headed home from their beach house, they passed through Lumberton and joined us for dinner. The Hershey RV Show (the largest RV show in the country) was next on our to do list, but where do we stay?
Dave talking to Mike about our Sidewinder Hershey RV Show
As the Hershey RV Show brings thousands of people interested in RV's, we correctly assumed that all the campgrounds near the show would be filled. Our plan became to stay at Gettysburg, PA which would make an easy day trip to the show. We discovered that by joining Passport America for their $44 per year annual fee, we could stay at Artillery Ridge Campground for half price from Sunday through Friday. This would allow us to attend the Hershey RV Show and spend some time touring Gettysburg. This first stay with Passport America, allowed us to recoup our entire membership cost for the year. What a deal!
It's best to go to any of these boat or RV shows knowing what you hope to get out of them. In this case, we weren't interested in the RV's, but rather learning more about maintenance and travel. As always, we hoped to pick up some trinkets to give our daughter to use as incentives for her 6th grade students to do well. David's early stop was to Reese to learn more about our Sidewinder pin box. Mike, the Reese representative, had been on the Sidewinder design team and offered several ideas to try to make the system easier to use. Additionally, Mike told him about the Tekonsha P3 trailer brake controller that will make towing more comfortable and allow the settings for the RV, boat trailer, and boat trailer without a boat to be set and stored.
Meanwhile, Cathy was checking out places to travel, one of which was taking the old Route 66. We were hoping to learn more about extended RV service plans, but no vendors selling them were in attendance this year. However, a few of the new RV dealers had some recommendations. As always there were a number of vendors selling things for RV's and interesting seminars taking place. Unfortunately, 3 of the seminars that we wished to attend were cancelled, which we think was due to problems getting out of Florida due to hurricane Irma. Overall the show was a success and we did manage to pick up a few items for our daughter's class.
As the Hershey RV Show brings thousands of people interested in RV's, we correctly assumed that all the campgrounds near the show would be filled. Our plan became to stay at Gettysburg, PA which would make an easy day trip to the show. We discovered that by joining Passport America for their $44 per year annual fee, we could stay at Artillery Ridge Campground for half price from Sunday through Friday. This would allow us to attend the Hershey RV Show and spend some time touring Gettysburg. This first stay with Passport America, allowed us to recoup our entire membership cost for the year. What a deal!
It's best to go to any of these boat or RV shows knowing what you hope to get out of them. In this case, we weren't interested in the RV's, but rather learning more about maintenance and travel. As always, we hoped to pick up some trinkets to give our daughter to use as incentives for her 6th grade students to do well. David's early stop was to Reese to learn more about our Sidewinder pin box. Mike, the Reese representative, had been on the Sidewinder design team and offered several ideas to try to make the system easier to use. Additionally, Mike told him about the Tekonsha P3 trailer brake controller that will make towing more comfortable and allow the settings for the RV, boat trailer, and boat trailer without a boat to be set and stored.
Meanwhile, Cathy was checking out places to travel, one of which was taking the old Route 66. We were hoping to learn more about extended RV service plans, but no vendors selling them were in attendance this year. However, a few of the new RV dealers had some recommendations. As always there were a number of vendors selling things for RV's and interesting seminars taking place. Unfortunately, 3 of the seminars that we wished to attend were cancelled, which we think was due to problems getting out of Florida due to hurricane Irma. Overall the show was a success and we did manage to pick up a few items for our daughter's class.
Dave reinstalls vent hood in Lumberton Finishing up in Lumberton
Our second week of work in Lumberton was busy, as the team tried to get as much completed on the 2 homes on our project as we could. However, we knew we would not be able to get it all done. While floors were being laid in both houses, Dave and I were charged with some more electrical projects – made more difficult by the fact that all the walls and ceilings were finished. We installed 7 hard-wired smoke detectors, which meant “we” (i.e. Cathy) had to crawl around in the attic while the outside temperature was rising to 90 degrees.
Our second week of work in Lumberton was busy, as the team tried to get as much completed on the 2 homes on our project as we could. However, we knew we would not be able to get it all done. While floors were being laid in both houses, Dave and I were charged with some more electrical projects – made more difficult by the fact that all the walls and ceilings were finished. We installed 7 hard-wired smoke detectors, which meant “we” (i.e. Cathy) had to crawl around in the attic while the outside temperature was rising to 90 degrees.
Inspecting the re-installed plumbing Another project that had us fishing inside walls was the installation of a microwave outlet in both houses. By removing a now-obsolete exterior range hood vent, we managed to fish the wires behind the wall in one house to successfully install the finished outlet. In the other house, we found ourselves having to uninstall the kitchen cabinet and associated plumbing in order to open up the wall to access the wiring out of sight. However, given the difficulties, we managed to get both installed in a day.
New floors nearing completion in 2 bedrooms The last significant wiring project had us moving all the ground wires within the house circuit panel to a separate bar (since the old main panel had become a sub-panel for all of you electricians out there). Once we had completed these bigger projects, we were helping with other smaller tasks – installing outlets and light fixtures or learning a bit about installing flooring. We had a great group of volunteers, all of which were working hard to the last day. Although we would have loved to have walked away with 2 finished houses, that wasn’t meant to be. We would have to pass the baton to the next group of volunteers due in the next week. The Nomads DR project was over for this year.
The team celebrating at our goodbye dinner.
Cannons marking Union artillery enplacements War and Peace
While our primary reason for traveling to Gettysburg was to attend the RV Show, we were interested in revisiting the Civil War battlefield and taking in the Eisenhower Home National Historic Site. Our campground also gave us admission to 3 of the private attractions that interpret the history of the area, so we took advantage of them as well.
While our primary reason for traveling to Gettysburg was to attend the RV Show, we were interested in revisiting the Civil War battlefield and taking in the Eisenhower Home National Historic Site. Our campground also gave us admission to 3 of the private attractions that interpret the history of the area, so we took advantage of them as well.
Scene from the diorama looking south over the battlefield Gettysburg was just one battle of the Civil War, but the scale of the battle and the fortunes that turned on it have been the focus of endless study and debate in the 150 years since it took place. Two armies comprising 165,000 soldiers almost stumbled onto each other. The ensuing 3 days of warfare saw incredible bravery and amazing stupidity. Mistakes, luck, courage, foresight, strategy, happenstance. The resulting Union victory was a product of all of these forces on both sides of the lines. Pickett’s ill-fated charge on the center of the Union line of the final day was staggering in both its ambitions and the losses from its inevitable failure.
View from Little Round Top with its ominous interpretative sign So, each museum, exhibit, ranger talk attempted to convey the large scope of the battle while bringing you into the experience of the soldiers in the midst of it. We visited the Diorama, where the battlefield and all of its participants were laid out in miniature as a narration took us through each day’s give and take. A “Spirit” tour attempted put us into the middle of the events. But by far the most engaging was a ranger talk on the battlefield that has been painstakingly preserved as it was back then to help us see what would have been the soldiers’ and commanders’ view of the battle as they reacted to and planned for the fighting each day.
An exhibit at the Lincoln Train Museum Lincoln is present in many ways throughout Gettysburg. From a statue sitting on a bench at the Visitor Center to a bust in the cemetery where he delivered his famous address. One of our free tickets was to the Lincoln Train Museum which attempted to recreate the trip on the train which carried Lincoln and his son, Willie, to Springfield for buri
Eisenhower Farm In the midst of the battlefield is a completely different piece of history – Eisenhower’s home and farm. In the interpretive film, the former president is quoted as saying that he always wanted to own a piece of land and leave it better than he found it. He was devoted to soil conservation and turned the land he owned into the most productive in the area. In addition, he raised prize winning steers. This was also the home where he hosted world leaders in hopes of setting them at ease before more difficult diplomatic discussions.
WW II Camp set up on the grounds of the Eisenhower home However, our visit to the Eisenhower Historic Site was on a special weekend with a World War II encampment. Several hundred re-enactors were set up in the field beyond the house and barn. Infantry, artillery, airborne, mp’s, medics, nurses and chaplains were all there along with lots of equipment, large and small.
With Gail and George at Grace UMC in Wilmington Friends and Family
In between work on the Lumberton Disaster Recovery project, we connected with George and Gail at their home in Leland, near Wilmington NC. As always, we enjoyed their company and helped out with some projects around the house. On Sunday, we joined them for church before heading back to Lumberton. With Harvey in the news, there was a lot of interest in our disaster recovery work in Lumberton on behalf of the Nomads.
In between work on the Lumberton Disaster Recovery project, we connected with George and Gail at their home in Leland, near Wilmington NC. As always, we enjoyed their company and helped out with some projects around the house. On Sunday, we joined them for church before heading back to Lumberton. With Harvey in the news, there was a lot of interest in our disaster recovery work in Lumberton on behalf of the Nomads.
Parting Shot
Imagine our surprise when we looked up one evening and saw this drifting over our campground. They were close enough for us to wave back at them.
Imagine our surprise when we looked up one evening and saw this drifting over our campground. They were close enough for us to wave back at them.
