I confess that in America, I saw more than America...

Day 10 – Gettysburg. I got up early and made my way down to Gettysburg, and it really is as amazing as everyone says (2786.0). First I went through the museum, which was one of the best historical collections that I have ever seen, and just kept going and going. They had the random artifacts from people you don’t know and they have stuff from all of the famous guys as well. After the museum I did the self guided driving tour around the battlefield, seeing all of the monuments, the cemetery, and where Lincoln gave the address. And those guys in Pickett’s charge were crazy. This is definitely one of those ‘every American should go’ places.

I left Gettysburg (after picking up a tiny teapot for my mother) and headed down I-270 toward D.C. for the second time in as many weeks (2892.4). I parked in the same parking garage and ran down to the National Archives (with no intention of stealing the Declaration of Independence) and saw the documents of freedom. I also went through a very interesting exhibit there, which included a transcript of radio transmissions among our troops in Vietnam announcing the landing on the moon – “our boys have landed on the moon” I believe it said. I then walked back to my parking deck, which appeared to have moved one block south of where it was when I left it, but I found my car anyway. I pulled out of the $18 parking deck into rush hour traffic, and just as I turned onto K Street I noticed the gas light was on. Ten minutes later, and about 4 blocks away the gas light was still on, and I was getting nervous. Forget the inconvenience of running out of gas, it’s just embarrassing – and in our nation’s capital at that! As I am rampantly searching my iPhone map for any indication of a nearby gas station, I continued my drive around Washington, D.C. Eventually I found a beautiful Chevron, and fueled up (2896.5).

And now, I push southward, bound for the Durell household in Charlotte. On my way I experienced the wonder that is a Wawa’s convenience store. God bless ‘em, it was like a tiny little Publix. I encourage you to patronize such establishments. I finally made it to Steph’s late that night, exhausted and grateful for a free bed and shower (3315.1).