Heading west from Gettysburg, we decided to make our way to Somerset County, PA which is the site of the Flight 93 Memorial. While in the area, we discovered there was a lot to explore within a few dozen miles of our campground. After a week there, we headed back to southern Virginia to visit, but also to do some touring there as well. This time it was Colonial Williamsburg.
Tragedies and Triumphs
Some heard the noise first. Some saw it first. Too close. And then a fireball in the distance. The rescuers rushed to the site. But there were no rescues to be done. A wing-shaped crater. Scorched trees. Lots of very small debris. All on board had perished. Another tragedy on a day filled with them. And for those first to respond, the question remained: How was this connected to the scenes in NY and Washington?
Some heard the noise first. Some saw it first. Too close. And then a fireball in the distance. The rescuers rushed to the site. But there were no rescues to be done. A wing-shaped crater. Scorched trees. Lots of very small debris. All on board had perished. Another tragedy on a day filled with them. And for those first to respond, the question remained: How was this connected to the scenes in NY and Washington?
The Flight 93 Memorial takes you back to September 11, 2001 and attempts to put you inside this flight when passengers and crew decided they could stop this plane from repeating what had happened to the World Trade Centers and the Pentagon. They could save lives, even if that meant they would lose theirs. The most likely target was the Capital building. The working government and the symbol of our democracy was spared. You hear some of their voices. You learn how the events unfolded. How they stormed the cockpit. How the plane plummeted to the earth.
It was ironic that the plane crashed at the site of a depleted strip mine. Its road gave easy access. Its buildings provided shelter for hundreds of workers that recovered the remains and collected evidence over the course of months. And unlike NY and DC, the debris here was quick to produce links that could be traced to the hijackers, their funding and ultimately to the demise of Bin Laden. And in an ironic twist, this tragedy allowed the scarred landscape left by the mine to be recovered. It is being transformed into flowering meadows and forested slopes. A fitting memorial to the sacrifice of the crew and passengers of flight 93.
It was only 10 months later that a different kind of drama unfolded within a few miles of the flight 93 site. Late one night, eighteen miners at the nearby Quecreek mine were at work when water burst through a wall separating their tunnel from an abandoned mine filled with 60 million gallons of water. Nine escaped. Nine were trapped. Over the course of 77 hours, tunnels were dug, water pumped out and eventually all of the trapped men were rescued unharmed. The country held its breath, and celebrated the unbelievable triumph of the rescue. The two events became linked. We visited the site of the rescue and relived the events of those 4 days with some who were there.
The last memorial we visited was the Johnstown Flood National Memorial. In an infamous incident of arrogance and mismanagement, the dam that held back the waters of a 2 mile long lake which was an exclusive resort for the wealthy, failed during a record rain fall in 1889. As a result, a wall of water that reached 75 ft high at points along its path hurtled 14 miles downstream pushing debris that included huge trees, rail cars, and homes into the town of Johnstown. Over 2200 people were killed, making it the deadliest US disaster of its time. Driving around the perimeter of what used to be Lake Connemagh and seeing the remains of the dam support, we could envision how enormous the body of water and the earthen dam that held it really was. And although there is consensus today that the modifications to the dam made by the South Fork Club when they took over the lake for their use were directly responsible for its failure, no one was found at fault in the many lawsuits brought against them. It was a sobering memorial.
a Back on Two Wheels
Striking up a conversation with our neighbors in Somerset, we heard about the beautiful biking trail nearby called the Great Alleghany Passage. Connecting Pittsburgh to the C&O Canal over converted railway right of way, the trail was level, wide, mostly shaded and incredibly scenic. We were eager to give a part of it a try.
Striking up a conversation with our neighbors in Somerset, we heard about the beautiful biking trail nearby called the Great Alleghany Passage. Connecting Pittsburgh to the C&O Canal over converted railway right of way, the trail was level, wide, mostly shaded and incredibly scenic. We were eager to give a part of it a try.
Since it had been several months since we had used the bikes, we had to do some work on them before heading out on a multi-mile ride. Dave had to fix a frozen chain link on his bike, and all the tires needed air. Other than that, they were good to go. We weren’t as sure about the riders.
We decided to join the trail in nearby Rockwood, but which way to go? The trail heading east from Rockwood climbs steadily until it reaches the Eastern Continental Divide, where it descends quickly to join the C&O Canal trail to DC. Heading west from Rockwood, it initially descends gradually as it makes its way to Pittsburgh. Since we had not done any serious riding in recent months, we opted to head east and do the uphill climb while we were still fresh.
The crushed gravel trail was a smooth ride, paralleling the Casselman River for miles. Rest stops were easy to find, and water and restrooms were available as well. We made our way past several mile markers, enjoying the scenery and the exercise. Since we had to retrace each mile we travelled to return to our starting point, we were trying to decide how far to go. There was a viaduct that looked interesting that was 10 miles from our start. Another mile and a half was the town of Meyersdale, which had a history museum and a small store that looked interesting.
The crushed gravel trail was a smooth ride, paralleling the Casselman River for miles. Rest stops were easy to find, and water and restrooms were available as well. We made our way past several mile markers, enjoying the scenery and the exercise. Since we had to retrace each mile we travelled to return to our starting point, we were trying to decide how far to go. There was a viaduct that looked interesting that was 10 miles from our start. Another mile and a half was the town of Meyersdale, which had a history museum and a small store that looked interesting.
The Salisbury Viaduct was a long bridge over the valley below with an incredible view. After a longer rest on its eastern side, we rode the final couple of miles with a nagging concern – did we push it too far? The museum at the far end had interesting displays about the railroad that preceded us on this passage. We enjoyed some ice cream and refilled our water before deciding to head back to Rockwood. The good news is that we made it back. However, we both agreed that we should have kept our first venture to 20 miles instead of the 24 that we actually travelled. But it whetted our appetite for more travel along this passage sometime down the road.
Williamsburg
After a week in western PA, we accepted an invitation to visit with Steve and Linda in Poquoson. Arriving on a Sunday, we were able to catch each other up on our summer adventures, including their recent Bay sailing trip. However, by Monday, Maria was raising concerns about her track. If she headed on her westernmost track or turned late, Steve’s yard would flood and we would be in a bad spot. We decided to pull out on Tuesday and head to Williamsburg for a few days.
After a week in western PA, we accepted an invitation to visit with Steve and Linda in Poquoson. Arriving on a Sunday, we were able to catch each other up on our summer adventures, including their recent Bay sailing trip. However, by Monday, Maria was raising concerns about her track. If she headed on her westernmost track or turned late, Steve’s yard would flood and we would be in a bad spot. We decided to pull out on Tuesday and head to Williamsburg for a few days.
Staying at Anvil Campground near Colonial Williamsburg, we took advantage of a deal for seniors to buy a day pass and get access to the colonial sites for the rest of the year. Over the course of 3 days, we reacquainted ourselves with the sites and learned new stories that we hadn’t heard before. We heard from costumed interpreters about the wealthy and influential citizens, spoke to merchants and tradesmen about their jobs, and enslaved men and women about their lives. We listened to George Washington’s hopes for the future, and a debate between a founding father and a black preacher on the possible shape of the declaration of rights. We weren’t just spectators. Cathy pled her civil case before the 7 justices of the county court, which included Dave. Unfortunately, he joined the other justices in ruling against her. She’ll have to study more episodes of Law and Order to do better next time.
By week’s end, Maria had blown out to sea, so we headed back to Steve’s for a short visit before starting our October duties at Pocahontas State Park. Dave got to use one of Steve’s tools (i.e. toy) to prune limbs on the driveway. Although it has a technical name, it is probably best described as a chainsaw on a stick. We need to get one of these for Pocahontas!