We wanted to stay at the campground all day, but mama caught wind that the Appalachian Trail was just a mile away. And if there's one more sure thing about mama, it's that she will always make us stop and hike the Appalachian trail, even if it's only for a hundred yards. So we headed up the road only to find this sitting in the middle of the road ahead of us:
Of course, there's a memorial to Civil War Correspondents tucked away in the middle of nowhere.
Gathland State Park turned out to be a fun diversion. George Alfred Townsend, a Civil War journalist actually built the arch and a huge estate up here over a hundred years ago.
But, of course, he squandered his fortune and died penniless and his estate went to ruin. But it did make for a fun place to explore. June decided she wasn't into it and went to sit in the car. She's totally going to be the one who yells "Can't we just take a vacation that's not educational for once?"
Soon JoJo got fussy and banished to the car too. That left mama and I free to do a little hiking of our own. We found a really cool trail, but couldn't hike too far on it, lest we lose sight of the grumps back in the van.
We were worried we might have to scratch the rest of our plans for the days, but a long drive around the Maryland countryside provided a short nap. Then, further fortified by vitamin peanut butter, we resumed our afternoon's activities.
And those were to celebrate the anniversary of the bloodiest day on American soil- the Battle of Antietam. You've got to hand it to the National Parks Service. They know how to put on a 3 year long sesquicentennial event. Here they had a whole festival set up, including tons of informational tents, reenactors and kids' activities. We especially liked building a miniature Burnside's Bridge and setting up troop formations.
If dirty faces are an indication of a good time, then it was a great day.
Why can't we ever just look at the camera at the same time?
Mama BEGGED us to get an old-timey photo taken. Only Jo and I obliged. Papa begrudgingly put on a uniform and then turned out this awesome pose. You know he wanted to do it all along.
After Georgie took off the green dress, she insisted on donning the yellow dress too. That is one cute kid.
Someday, June is going to regret she didn't take part.
After a trip through the Gettysburg Traveling Museum trailer (you just always have to show everyone up, don't you, Gettysburg?), the kids were dead set on following a path through a soybean field.
And mama waxed all nostalgic about how could anyone hold a war in such a beautiful place. Western Maryland, you have won us over.
Papa picked us up in the van and took us around the driving tour. We made papa stop so we could climb the tower by Bloody Lane. Mama wanted to prove she could climb to the top without panicking like she did the last time she came with papa.
It turns out that chasing two kids up old metal stairs is enough distract you from being too scared of heights.
On the drive home, June said she wouldn't take a nap.
Until she did. That is one tired girl.
JoJo did her normal one-eye-open napping. She's been doing that since she was born.
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