OVER MY SHOULDER

Christine and I have just returned from a 15 day “Fall Foliage” tour. We went by tour bus---this is the first time that we have taken an extended trip by tour bus, and I was concerned that I might not be able to ‘handle’ that much time on a bus, added to being away from my own bed 14 nights. (My philosophy about traveling is that I don’t mind traveling---as long as I can sleep in my own bed every night)

I must admit however that this was one my most enjoyable trips---I did not have to worry about traffic, our lodging accommodations were taken care of and were very good, someone moved our luggage from the bus to the room and from the room to the bus, we had very adequate rest stops, we arrived ‘on time’ at every event--in fact there seemed always to be people waiting for our arrival, and the bus was quite comfortable. We saw and visited places that I doubted that I would ever get to see or visit.

Much of our travel was on interstate, however, many of the over 4,000 miles was on ‘blue’ highways, and some even on the ‘red’ highways---and a few miles that I am not even sure had a color. The group of 38 individuals was a very compatible group---many times in a group this large there is at least one obnoxious person---I observed none---you will have to ask others on the trip if I fit into that category. I will have to admit that the first few days of the trip, I suffered a ‘touch’ of claustrophobia---not because of the group, and not because of the bus, rather because, I knew that I could not ‘get away’---in the sense that when we are in our own car, we can head home at anytime.

Imagine my surprise when at Erie, that big ‘tour bus’ with spacious windows showed up to pick us up---being in education for over 40 years, I had expected to see a 48 passenger ‘yellow feller’--- We ‘rotated’ seats each one-half day, so that everyone had an opportunity to share in the less desirable seats---which by the way I never found, and I spent one half day in every set of seats.

We picked up passengers at Chanute, Humbolt, Iola, Garnett, Ottawa and Lawrence, before we headed East on I-70 through Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, the tip of West Virginia, (where we saw a suspended bridge which was built in 1849--is 900 feet long and is still in use), and into Hershey Pennsylvania, where we visited the Hershey's Candy Factory and enjoyed seeing the process that is used to make Hershey candy products. We breathed much of that wonderful Hershey chocolate aroma. (I am sure that I gained three pounds just on the aroma alone---not to mention the candy that I ate)

In Lancaster, we visited the Anderson Bakery Co. (the home of the Anderson Pretzels) and observed how pretzels are made (all machine manufactured now), enjoyed samples of the freshly roasted pretzels, including the new ‘peanut butter’ filled pretzels---some people even ‘stocked’ up on these items for evening snacks---as if we needed them. We spent the better part of a day visiting a working Amish farm, an Amish Museum, touring the large Amish Colony of the Lancaster area, and enjoying a great, home cooked meal that was prepared and served by a group of Mennonite ladies. (I suffered all afternoon from over eating).

The Amish farms in this area are a sight to behold---very large barn, and houses, all painted, clean and well maintained, lush fields of corn and Alfalfa---all neatly planted and trimmed around the edges. One to three large silos at each of the homesteads----many were in the process of filling the silos---there was a gasoline engine on the silage chopper, but the corn was being cut and hauled to the cutter by horse or mule drawn equipment. A large number of the farms had a sizable dairy herd. Every 2 or 3 miles, we would come upon a one room rural school where the Amish children attend school through the 8th grade. (we saw children on the play ground while we were there) Lancaster has a large Amish High School where many of the children continue through the 12th grade.

Christine enjoyed the clothes lines at each home--as they were stretched on pulleys from the back door of the house to a point high up on the side of the barn---as clothes were pinned to the line, they would be ‘pulled’ outward and upward toward the barn to dry. (many of these lines had clothes drying on them). Lancaster claims to be the quilt capital of the world---I don’t really know, but we did see many beautiful quilts that had been made by the Amish.


Being a ‘History Buff’, it was at this point that I looked forward, with a great deal of anticipation, to the next several days, and I was not disappointed when we spent most of a day in Philadelphia. There are so many historical sites in this town (as there are in many of the towns in the Eastern part of our country) that is difficult to see all of them, never mention to comment on each of them.

I we stood in the presence of the Liberty Bell, it seemed huge, and it was hard to realize that it is nearly 250 years old, and was rung to alert the people to the public reading of the Declaration of Independence. We could look out over the present mounting of the Bell through the large glass windows, and see Independence Hall, where on July 4th, 1776, the Continental Congress voted, on behalf of this ‘new nation’, for our Independence from England.

As we moved and stood in the various meeting rooms of Independence Hall, one could ‘almost’ hear the debates and discussions that were carried on as our nation was being formed. Most of this building is original, and much of the original furniture is still in these meeting rooms. Being in the presence of this facility was a very inspirational moment for me.

Not far from here, we passed the grave of Benjamin Franklin located in the Burial Grounds of Christ Church. Christ Church was founded in 1695, and is still an active church. It is often called ‘The Nation’s Church’, because so many of the nations patriots, loyalist and heroes worshipped there. Brass plaques mark the pews occupied by George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Betsy Ross. (I did have my picture taken while I was sitting in George Washington’s pew---one of the guys on the trip said that Franklin’s pew would have been more appropriate--something about a penny earned--)

We visited and toured Betsy Ross’ house (the birth place of ‘Old Glory’) which is now a museum ‘tucked’ in among the businesses and buildings that seem to have crowded in. In fact I was surprised how ‘tight’ the city was built around all of these national monuments. It appeared that the ‘demand for space’ was evident every where that we went in the large cities.

Time and space does not allow for details of the entire trip in this writing---the next article will cover the balance of the trip--- Historic Boston, Ellis Island . Statute of Liberty, Cranberry bogs, New Hampshire, Vermont foliage, Covered bridges, Niagara Falls and the Indy 500 speed way. (that is the race track, not the bypass) LDC