July 20, 2006

Most people worry about jet lag when they travel. We are more aware of elevation lag. We came down from Skyline Drive and Kathy was a step behind on everythng for a while trying to let her mind fall back in place with her movements.

We drove through Cacapon, WV and noted that it is the kind of town we might like to explore further. Just getting started with driving we didn't want to stop. The roads are prefect- narrow, windy and follow the roll of the countryside of the mountains. Today is a good day to drive!

Along the south shore of the Patomic River we stopped for breakfast. We watched fish flop, water striders skim the surface of the water and people get into the shallow water to float on their rafts with the current. We journaled and puzzled.

There are several covered bridges in Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. We stopped to admire the Hyndman Covered Bridge in PA. It was erected in the 1800s and still used today. From there we turned up a road that led to another road that went up into the mountain. The road turned to gravel, it was narrow and soon became only wide enough fo us to barely pass without scraping branches. With no where to turn around we continued hoping the road did indeed end in another road and not a gate. The road became rocky and rutted in spots. Will managed to get us through each bad section. Dirt. The road turned to dirt and rock, but we had less than two miles to go. Yes, we were using our GPS. The last mile was down hill and about half way a fallen tree was anchored above the roadbed with the trunk of another tree. We just barely got by. We were home free! We came to pavement and followed that road glad to be back in the world of a smooth ride for a while. But, it was a great adve!
nture.

As we approached Shackley, PA in Somerset County. A sign for the Flight 93 memorial stands along highway 30. It shows only an airplane and the words Flight 93. We turn. This is the site back on September 11, 2001 a group of couragous Americans rushed terrorists in an attempt to retake their hijacked plane. We had driven by this area a few months after the crash.

At Jayne's on that day back in 2001 the TV was on. We were in Pittsburgh because Will's dad had terminal cancer. Fletch was in his house sitting in his green lounge chair where he wanted to spend his last days. News flashed on the screen. The World Trade Center had exploded. The first pictures came across and we thought some small plane, out of control, had crashed. Before we knew it we watched another explosion. As time passed we were glued to that TV. The world learned that two airliners deliberately flew into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in NY city. Another plane moments later flew into the Pentagon in Virginia. A fourth plane was spotted flying low and erratically over southwestern PA. Passengers on the plane used cell phones to contact family, found out about the other planes Instead of the planned site, Washington DC, the plane crashed in a Pennsylvania field thanks to the efforts of these Americans.. Today that common field is a field of honor. It is now !
a National Memorial site. The plan is to have sacred ground, a wind-chime tower, a grove of maples and a visitor center.

We stopped in Jennerstown, PA to look over Green Gables where Kathy's sister will be married next month. It is a pretty setting with pond and restaurant, playhouse theater and lots of pretty flowers.

We found a spot up in the Laural Highland Mountains at a trailhead to spend the night.

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