Lee & Tom's 2nd Annual Civil War Trek, May 15-18, 2009

Last year, Lee & Tom Palen (friends since Kindergarden) toured Gettysburg & Antietam. This year, they headed for the Virginia Civil War sites. Stops included Balls Bluff, smallest US military cemetery, Winchester VA, Romney WV, Rowlesburg WV, the Cheat River canyon, Morgantown WV to visit high school classmates Rick & Paula Briggs, then off to Cumberland MD and thru the Paw Paw Tunnel on the C&O Canal. Unscheduled events included the first ever

breakdown of the Barth, a road service call for a new starter and a stop at the Hagerstown hospital emergency room for Tom's insulin imbalance! In all, a great trip, with plans already being made for next year!

Washington County MD, May 8-10, 2009

2009 Season Opener !!! Washington County MD is hilly & scenic, with lots of

Civil War history, small towns and large forested areas. Our stops

included the factory outlets at Hagerstown, Greenbrier State Park,

Mass in Boonsboro, Washington Monument State Park and nice backroads.

(Except for the bump that opened a cabinet door and let the laptop

hit the floor and kill it :( [The new one is better anyway!]

Nice campsite.....enjoyed chatting with the camp hosts, who've been

full timing since 2005, mainly in Arizona & points west.

The lake at Greenbrier - lots of fish - none for Lee :(

Greenbrier S.P. had an interesting Visitor Center

Our trip crossed the Appalachian Trail several times - over 2600 hiking miles

from Baxter State Park in Maine to southern Georgia. For those who are already

in shape, plan on 4-6 months of hiking - UGH!

Washington Monument - small town style

Tower entrance

A view from the tower - Antietam battlefield is to the left

A quick stop at Pat & Katie's in New Market MD to visit our kids

Drew prefers pushing rather than riding.....

Raegan the Biker Babe











Carter and his "sincere" smile.....












Abby strikes "her pose" in the pink Mustang......