While visiting Shenandoah, I got to stay with my friends Jared and Traci for two nights. They went to my church in Phoenix and moved around the same time I did. I always wanted to be better friends with them; I always thought, "I should ask Traci out to lunch," and it just never happened. Well, it turns out she felt the same way about me! So, it was just really great to spend this time getting to know them and talking about everything from church to water conservation to parenting. (They have two adorable kids, Graham and Dahlia, who are just so darn likeable.) I was really sad to leave them this morning and wish we lived closer. It also felt really good to hang out with Mennonite friends. I MISS the Mennonites!!!
Cedar Creek and Belle Grove NHP
This is a newer park, and there's not a ton to see yet. I walked through the museum and learned that the people of the Shenandoah Valley voted against secession twice, and the people in western Virginia were so against it that they seceded from the Confederacy and formed their own state- West Virginia. There's a plantation you can visit, but the first tour didn't start for a while and I didn't feel like hanging around. They had a driving tour and I did part of that, but it's a few days later and I'm embarrassed to say I've already forgotten what I saw.
Harper's Ferry
What a beautiful spot! It's at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, and I was jealous of all the people tubing and rafting the rivers.
You could walk on this railroad bridge across the rivers. It's part of the Appalachian Trail, so now I can officially say that I've "hiked" part of it! :)
It was also the site of John Brown's attack. He was an abolitionist fighting to end slavery. I loved this super dramatic painting.
It's a historic town, and you can walk around and explore all the buildings. Some of them have old fashioned displays of what they used to be, some of them are actual stores (I stopped by a historic candy shop), and some of them are museums. I spent quite a while here!
Monocacy
Next, I drove to Frederick, MD to see Monocacy National Battlefield. I feel terrible... I'm writing this three days later, and I don't remember anything about this battle. This is why I try to keep up with blogging every day on my trips! I took these pictures, but I don't remember what they are. I guess I could do some Googling, but I'm trying to be totally honest here!
In the middle of my travels, I learned that my friend Allison from high school happened to live in Frederick, so I got to stay with her. She is one of the coolest people I know. We got into lots of shenanigans together in high school, including stealing polyspots from PE class and going to a rave in Madison. She is super smart (she was on Jeopardy!) and funny and I've always admired her. She currently works for the Department of Defense studying viruses, like Ebola. It's comforting to know that, if there was an outbreak of some obscure deadly virus, Allison is working on ways to cure it.
Her fiancé is the head bartender at a fine dining restaurant, and he mixed me one of the best Old Fashioned's I've ever had. Allison and I talked for hours and laughed a lot. I love having those friends where you can pick up right where you left off, and no time has gone by. I enjoyed getting to know her fiancé, too, who apparently liked me because I'm into bourbon, camping, and 2 Chainz. She has built a really beautiful life out here on the east coast. Once again, I wish I had more time to spend with her!
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