Day 5 - Hello Seattle!

Blogger: Paula
We have arrived in Seattle! Wahoo! 2,800 miles and 12 states in five days - Whew! As we predicted, Day 5 was the most scenic and the longest as we anticipated our arrival in our new home state. We had the earliest wake up call of the trip hitting the road at 6:15 a.m. which allowed us to witness a beautiful sunrise over western Montana. We found the west side of this very long state to be much more scenic with hills, mountains and life! We even saw a herd of buffalo!

I have to admit that Idaho was not a state that I thought would make my top highlights list. I thought it would be flat land with potato farms. Boy was I wrong! While we only traversed the skinniest part of the state, the views were by far the most dramatic of the trip! The mountains were stunning with vertical rock formations and thick evergreens with a few gorgeous lakes and streams intertwined. I was disappointed that it was one of the shortest states since it was indeed the most spectacular.

We were certain that the entire city of Seattle (four hours away) heard us whooping when we crossed into the state of Washington. We couldn't pass Spokane without stopping at the Jesuit University of western Washington - Gonzaga. It was a beautiful campus, and the Hermanns jumped out to "stretch their legs" coincidentally at the athletic facilities.

Those last four hours seemed to take forever. The scenery was not what we had expected - it was very flat and pretty boring until we hit the central part of the state. We saw another wind farm, a few lakes, and had a big laugh when we passed into the city of George, Washington! I was also a little hesitant to get out at the scenic lookout as there was a sign that said "watch for rattlesnakes." Gratefully, Mike and Andrew did not see any (I enjoyed the view from the van).

Our first rain of the trip came as we drove into Seattle - an appropriate welcome! My cousin's wife is from Seattle and her parents graciously extended the offer for us to stay with them during the transition week. We arrived for our first home cooked meal in a week and it was delicious, (not to mention it was terrific not to have to balance dinner on a hotel mattress).

An exhausting day, but a true sense of accomplishment! We drove across America. Much like the pioneers who made that journey in months instead of days, we now have an appreciation of the diversity of the land and the size of our beautiful country. Let the chapter begin.

Day 4: What a Country!

Blogger: Mike

After today's ride, we were impressed once again with the diversity of landscape and lifestyles in our country. We completed the trip through South Dakota, traveled about 200 miles in Wyoming and started to cross Montana, pulling up for the night just past Bozeman in the town of Belgrade. We've left ourselves quite a challenge for tomorrow - about 300 miles more in Montana, across the thin part of Idaho and then crossing Washington, from Spokane to Seattle. We hope to get started early!

But back to today! We started the day with our biggest sight-seeing adventure of the trip. We stayed in Rapid City and had about a 30-minute drive to Mt. Rushmore. It was a must-do! We were on the road before 8 and there were few guests when we arrived at the monument. It was an interesting exhibit - a tribute to four outstanding Presidents that led with different causes. But it was also just as much a reflection of what can be done with great ideas. As I learned about the history of sculpture, the idea came from a South Dakotan who thought it would be good for tourism. He was certainly right. Completed 14 years after it started, the monument is the centerpiece for a thriving South Dakota tourism industry. From the exhibits we saw along the way on I-90 yesterday to the plethora of entertainment options in the Rapid City area, including a live bear exhibit, a petting zoo, the required wax museum, the reptile gardens, plus all types of family attractions. Our hotel even had an indoor water park attached. The tourism idea continues to be a mainstay in a state that would not be much of an attraction without the manmade monument and the supporting attractions.

From the manmade wonder, we then began to observe the natural wonder of the Rocky Mountains over the rest of the day. Wyoming was sparse and almost desert like. The further we drove into the state, the mountains became a larger part of the horizon. Our trip did not take us to the natural tourist attractions in Wyoming - Yellowstone and the Grant Tetons.

The massive state of Montana offered large stone mounds, fertile valleys and houses with great views! We enjoyed our first few hours in the state and look forward to more great vistas tomorrow!

Day 3: Hello South Dakota!

Before we made this leg of the journey, I did not realize just how big South Dakota was. It is 380 miles long which we crossed most of today, and ranks 46th in population. Today, we started in Rochester, Minnesota, and the first part of the trip was along the southern part of Minnesota. The land is flat and full of wind farms. Literally, there were hundreds of wind turbines! I have never seen so many in my life. I saw a commercial earlier in the morning that stated 15% of all Minnesota's electricity comes from renewable resources! I beguiled the time by reading "A Tale of Two Cities," by none other than Charles Dickens. I also had the audiobook on my iPod which helped with the pronunciations.

Once we entered South Dakota, with not much change in landscape, we came across Sioux Falls, the largest city in South Dakota. It was our lunch stop and we carried our sandwiches and subs to a nearby park that had a river running through it with a waterfall. It was quite scenic, and surprisingly warm. After our lunch break, we started the long and weary journey across the state of South Dakota. The horizon extended for miles and miles and nothing more than ranches and fields were seen. On I-90 in South Dakota there are thousands of billboards that advertise many of the areas local attractions. For example, there is the Corn Palace, a museum dedicated to corn and is entirely made out of it, and the famous Wall Drug Store. Wall Drug Store is in the western part of South Dakota and is known for the ridiculous amounts of stuff that they sell. They practically sell everything from homemade treats to anything you can imagine. There is even a chapel in the store! Wall Drug store has become a tourist hotspot. Unfortunately, the Hermanns did not stop because of the long journey. Wall Drug Store took up a good 40% of the billboard advertisements. Other advertisers were Reptileland, the town of 1880's (a town themed from the 1880's), the National Museum of Woodcarving, Rushmore Caverns, and many more outrageous attractions.

The scenery changed slowly as we trekked across the state. It become hilly and there we more elevation changes. Mountains and hills started to appear on the horizon. We then reached Rapid City, the destination for day 3. Our hotel is new and has been accommodating, and as of right now everyone but me is asleep weary from a long day of travel.

Andrew

Day 2: We crossed the Mississippi!

Blogger: Paula

We achieved several milestones today...we hit 1,000 miles; we crossed through six states; and we have recorded 36 different license plates since our journey began! After 15 hours of travel today and over 730 miles, we were glad to see Rochester, MN. We saw a big piece of Americana today. Picturesque red barns surrounded by corn and wheat fields as far as the eye could see. Some were being cultivated with large modern equipment and some were being tended to by an Amish man who had his plow attached to two horses. We even saw a pumpkin patch that occupied about four acres of land! We travelled through tiny burgs and major cities. We stopped at the University of Notre Dame, got a glimpse of Touchdown Jesus and the gorgeous campus, and a few hours later we made a visit to Loyola University Chicago. This was appropriate at we kept ourselves entertained today with games like "Name all 28 Jesuit colleges" and "Name all the presidents in order." Chicago, one of my favorite cities, could not have been any more beautiful and we enjoyed the ride along Lake Michigan. The terrain changed a bit as we entered western Wisconsin and eastern Montana where were also treated to the most beautiful sunset. As the sun dipped below the horizon, it left behind amazing hues of orange, yellow, red, and blue that stayed around for almost an hour. We will reach the half-way point tomorrow! Something to look forward to...

Day 1: The Lifetime Memory Begins!

Blogger: Mike

It's finally here! We've been waiting for the answer to the question - "Where are we moving?" for the last four months! Even after we had secured the location (Seattle!), we had 26 days finding a house, starting school and beginning work before we could begin this cross country adventure. But after a flight back to Baltimore, a day of packing, and a day of loading the moving truck, we were ready! Today, the cross country adventure begins!

Remember the theme of the blog - unexpected! We had an "unexpected" delay in our start when a piece of molding on the underside of the van became loose. We raced to the Towson Honda, who quickly installed a $1.53 clip, and we were back on track!

Moments later, we closed the door on our house on Forge Acre Drive for the last time, closing the Baltimore chapter in our lives. We circled Baltimore on the outer loop and started our trip west on the east terminus of I-70, knowing that our trip would end on the west terminus of I-90, five days and 2,759 miles later!

Today's trip was filled with memories as we motored through Maryland, passing familiar landmarks and remembering terrific experiences. It was a fun-filled four years, but everyone in this vehicle is ready for the next adventure!

Maryland lived up to its reputation as Little America, treating us today to city, country and the mountains as we left. The views of the Appalachians outside Hagerstown are some of my favorite vistas on this trip, but just an appetizer for what lies ahead as we cross the Rockies later in the week.

We traveled about six hours on this first day, arriving in Randolph, Ohio, giving us the chance to catch up with my family before we really become the dark black sheep. Not only will I be the only Hermann sibling of the eight to live outside of Ohio, but we will be three time zones to the west!

We were welcomed with an early Thanksgiving dinner (I think we even beat the Canadian Thanksgiving!). It was much appreciated and meaningful. During the dark days of the summer, we had kept the faith and comforted each other by expressing that God will show us the way and we will be in our new home and enjoying our new opportunity by Thanksgiving! It was nice that it arrived a little early this year!

My extended family arrived and we were sent off with a great celebration of Ohio. We were presented with snacks from the Buckeye state, including Smucker's jam, homemade buckeyes, local wine and cheese, plus the state drink - tomato juice! We even had a great plate of iced cookies, all cut out in the shape of the state. A large map on the wall showed everyone our planned trip west. I don't mind saying, it's far! The evening was a wonderful and memorable celebration. We have a wonderful blessing in our family!

Now, it off to the local hotel for a short, but needed night's sleep as we prepare for tomorrow - the longest drive of the trip! Sleep well!

Mike

Seattle - This One Was Really Unexpected

While the majority of our unexpected trips this summer were day trips, we did mix in a few overnighters. However, nothing compared with the most recent trip - a 26-day stay in the Gateway to Alaska - the Emerald City - Seattle, Washington!

By now you may know that I've accepted a position at Seattle University. Yeah! But the timing of the process and the start of high school made it necessary to begin almost immediately. In late August, Paula and I flew to Seattle from San Diego after dropping son Alex off to begin is freshman year at USD. Andrew flew to Seattle from his vacation spot of Buffalo to join us. We spent the week visiting high schools and looking for an appropriate home to rent. We started our project on Tuesday and by Friday, both were secured!

On Saturday, Paula returned to Baltimore, setting the stage for an extended unexpected exploration for Andrew and me. Even though he was starting high school a few days behind his classmates and I was starting a new job, we had a great opportunity to get to know Seattle. We started, of course, with the sports scene. We enjoyed a Seattle Storm WNBA playoff game (great atmosphere at Key Arena), a Seattle Mariners game (Andrew's 16th major league park) and a Washington Husky football Saturday. We also visited a few restaurants, got to know some of the communities and enjoyed an afternoon at the Woodland Park Zoo. Most of all, we enjoy the great sights - water, mountains and evergreen-covered landscape.

By the time we ended the 19-day odyssey, we were becoming familiar with our new city and ready to take up residence in our Madison Valley home in October. It was the longest of our unexpected explorations - among the most unexpected (who would have guessed Seattle!) and one of the most enjoyable.

One more exploration to go - the cross country drive from Baltimore to Seattle! It should be a trip that becomes a lifetime memory!

Mike

To Reading and Back

This week's trip was to Reading, Pennsylvania to see the Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Surprisingly, Reading is only 2 hours from our house, but the route includes going through windy roads in the countryside. The ride there was scenic through small towns and even passing the town home to Herr's Potato Chips (which we had later at the ballpark).

I arrived at First Energy Stadium with low expectations because of the pictures I saw online. The ballpark totally surprised me. The ballpark has a lot of history it was built 47 years ago! The concourses were small and not built to accommodate 8,000 people. The stadium was packed! We had seats down the 3rd base line. The seats do not fold up, which proves difficult for people from the center seats to get out. The seats also did not have cupholders. I would recommend aisle seats if you ever go to a game.

It was the first game of a doubleheader and we decided to only stay for the first game, because we didn't want to be on windy roads at midnight. We walked over to a food court area in right field and were stunned to find stands made out of wood and walking area in between with tables to eat. It was a cool area. Also, a party area in right field was sponsored by a pool company so, there was a pool and hot tub overlooking the field.

There were adequate party areas that could easily helped bring a sell out crowd to over 8,000. We then found seats behind the Reading Phillies dugout and hung out there, while we eat our ice cream. Overall, the stadium has great history and character but it needs some overhaul. Also, the stadium is in a Reading suburb.

The trip was great marking one of our last unexpected explorations!

Andrew

Week Seven: Baseballtown!

After a two-day, six-stop trip last week, this week's plan was much simplier - a late afternoon drive to Reading, Pennsylvania to see the first game of a doubleheader between the Reading Phillies and the Trenton Thunder.

We knew it would be a trip filled with tradition. First, the Phillies have been in Reading for 40 years. Only Bluefield has had a team in the same place with the same affiliation for a longertime. Second, the team plays in FirstEnergy Stadium, which is a new name, but an classic park. Built in 1951, it's the oldest park in the Eastern League by 36 years. And, third, Reading has adopted the nickname of baseballtown to describe the great role that baseball plays in one of Pennsylvania's largest blue-collar towns.

When we arrived, we found just what we expected - an older stadium with plenty of charm, despite narrow concourses and insufficient adjacent parking. Located in an industrial area, people were walking in from everywhere for the game. The stadium lacked the shiny team store, new concession stands and suites that we've seen in other parks.

We also saw enhancements to the park, including a heated pool just outside the right field line. For $25 per person, you can enter the Pool Pavilion, enjoy an all-you-can-eat buffet, sit at tiered picnic tables to watch the game and have your kids enjoy the pool. Very original and very nice!

The Reading Phillies had also incorporated the all-you-can-eat plan into two other seating areas. They added a replica train crossing lights above the outfield fence, which are supposed to turn on when runners are on base. I did not see them on, but they did shoot fireworks from that area whenever the home team scored!

We found passion - a nice crowd of 8,508 enjoyed the doubleheader. Capacity for the stadium appears to be just shy of 10,000. The Phillies have led the Eastern League in attendance in seven of the past eight years. There were plenty of minor league baseball thrills, including a visit from the Tooth Fairy (yes, I was surprised she was real, too) to clean off the bases between innings and a wild hot dog vendor tossing hot dogs into the crowd. As usual, we did not come close to winning in baseball bingo!

The stadium had a carnival-like atmosphere, which made up for the age of the facility. Once word of advice is to ask for aisle seats. The stadium is made up of structured seats that do not retract when you stand up, so moving down the aisle becomes an art.

And the game, well the home team won! Trailing 5-1 entering the bottom of the sixth (in the seven inning game as a doubleheader), Reading scored two runs in the sixth on back to back home runs to cut the lead to 5-3. After a three-up, three down seventh for Trenton, Reading opened the seventh with three straight singles to load the bases. A double play ball produced one run. Michael Spindale then tied the game with a single. The two batters that hit the back to back homers in the sixth came up. This time, Tagg Bozied (former San Francisco Don) and Kevin Maher (former Indiana Hoosier) hit back to back singles, with Spindale scoring the game winner on Maher's hit into left field.

We joined a good number of the fans that chose to go home happy after the win. Good thing - Trenton won the nightcap, 12-2. It was a good visit to baseballtown!

Mike

Double Dipper!

The Lehigh Valley/Scranton trip was the most anticipated trip of the summer. When originally planning trips, I knew I wanted to see the presumed best minor league ballpark, Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, PA. I found a way to make the most of this expedition by including a game at PNC Field in Scranton. What are the odds that the two teams would have games on the same day at 11AM and at 7pm?

We left early in the morning on Thursday to arrive at the stadium about 20 minutes before the game. The stadium was magnificent and has all the right reason to be called the best ballpark in the minors. The only con was the location of the stadium. The stadium was built in a parking lot of a major industrial park in the industrial part of Allentown. The pros far outweigh the cons.

The game went smoothly and ended around 2pm. It finished in 11 innings. Iron Pigs lost 2-1 to the Durham Bulls. We then drove the Lehigh University in Bethlehem and took a tour. It was the biggest tour group I have ever experienced. There were at least 40 prospective students with their parents, and they chose between 6 tour guides. Lehigh had great architecture in the building which were on average at least 60 years old. They built a new environmental science building that is LEED certified gold! The cons were few but included the fact that all athletic facilities including the football stadium is off campus and they shuttle students to games, and the fact that a freshman in their 2nd semester can join Greek life. Also, students can move off campus when they are only a sophomore.

The 1 and 30 minute drive to Scranton was through the beautiful Pocono mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania. We arrived at the stadium early and had a sit-down dinner in the restaurant overlooking the stadium. PNC field is a 21 year-old facility that was built at the end of the big-stadium era. Thus, the stadium has close to 20,000 seats, which were not even close to being filled that night. The concourses were small, but the stadium did face some beautifully carved rock that appeared when the stadium was built.

The game was much more exciting than the previous with the final score 7-1 in favor of the SWB Yankees. The attendance was just over 3,000 and we went home empty handed despite our many attempts to catch a ball.

We woke up early so we could drive into downtown Scranton for a look. The University of Scranton is on a cliff overlooking the residential part of the city and farther out the Pocono mountains. A friend at the aquarium is attending the Jesuit college, so I thought I might check it out. The campus was sprawled over a couple blocks and they are in the process of building a new 5 floor science center that will open in 2011. Scranton is a little run down, but pretty much the typical blue-collar city.

Next was the tour at Lafayette College in Easton, PA. The college has a beautiful location overlooking the town of Easton and the Pocono mountains. Set in the quiet, residential part of Easton, Lafayette has a lot to offer. Unlike Lehigh, Lafayette has modern, sleek buildings, a unique campus layout, and the football stadium and basketball arena on campus. I enjoyed the visit very much and Lafayette moved up to slot number 2 for the colleges that I have tour (behind Allegheny).

Even though we had seen a lot of college campuses, one more was on our list to explore. Muhlenberg College is a small community of 1800 students on a large city block in downtown Allentown. The campus was small and didn't have much to offer. That completed our college tours for this trip and we headed home.

Our trip was fine and uninterrupted until we were within 20 miles of home. A piece of my Dad's car kept falling off and we stopped over 9 times on the way home to set it back in place. That put our ride home over 2 hours and 45 minutes much longer than anticipated.

Overall, the trip was excited and exactly what I wanted it to be. It was a great unexpected exploration!

Andrew

Week Six: Two Stadium Visits in One Day!

Ever since I gave Andrew the task of planning our weekly trips, he's been excited about this one! Through thorough research (the only kind he does!), he found a single-day, two-stadium doubleheader.

We started the day with the drive to Coca-Cola Park to see the 11 a.m. opening pitch between the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs and the Durham Bulls. Durham has long been the idolized minor league baseball program, but let me tell you - Lehigh Valley is doing it right! The early start time on a Thursday allowed the sales staff to reach out to local day camps. They had about 40 groups with thousands of day campers in the stadium. In fact, the game was a 10,000-seat sell out. And it was not all campers. There were families and adult groups and lots of fun. From a marketing standpoint, this visit was a home run for the variety of quality concessions items, to the obvious community support from the large number of signs, to the activation of sponsorships through every aspect of the game (sponsorship of the national anthem, for example) to the endorsed use of the "pig" mascot. Andrew had identified this park as the best in minor league baseball. Although we did not like the location as well as many of the downtown parks, the atmosphere and stadium were both top notch. It was a great visit. It was easy to see why since the team debuted in 2008, they have won ball park of the year (Baseball Digest), organization of the year (baseball digest), business of the year (Lehigh Valley Chamber) and LV Tourism Award (LV Convention Bureau).

Since we had a doubleheader on our schedule, the baseball gods sent us an extra inning game for the opener! In this "Year of the Pitcher," it was a quick moving game, with only eight base hits between the two teams entering the bottom of the ninth with hometown hero John Mayberry hit a solo home run to tie the game at 1. The only Durham run came in the sixth with Angel Chavez slapped the first hit of the game off of starter Brian Mazone, then moved to third on back-to-back well placed bunt singles. He scored on a fielder's choice, then Mazone got out of the jam. The Ironpig fans left disappointed, however, as Durham rallied for the game winner in the 11th inning when J.J. Furmaniak (the Ehrlich Pest Control player of the game) hit a double to score Desmond Jennings.

After the game, we raced over to Lehigh University for Andrew's fifth college visit. We both enjoyed walking (and climbing the stairs) on the very traditional campus with great buildings. We had a fun tour guide and learned a great deal about the campus.

After a quick pizza stop in downtown Bethelehem, we headed to Scranton to go from one of the newest minor league programs to one of the oldest. The organization in Scranton has been around since the stadium (now PNC Field) opened in 1989, but Scranton and Wilkes Barre are credited with having some of the first organized amateur clubs in the 1860's. Since 2007, the SWB team has been affiliated with the Yankees after 17 years as the top Phillies affiliate when the team was known as the Red Barons.

We started our visit with a nice dinner in Bo Brothers, a restaurant in the park with a view of the field down the right field line. However, the park shows its age with a smaller concourse and an outdated video board. Other than the restaurant, the concessions offerings were basic (although we did enjoy the traditional ice cream in the batter's helmet!). (If you look closely at the pictures, you will see evidence that Andrew had ice cream products at both stadiums!) At SWB, the connection with the community and the stadium atmosphere paled in comparison to Lehigh Valley. The announced attendance was 3,778 in the 10,900 seat venue (which seemed much bigger!). The next morning, the local newspaper ran a front page story about the community's effort to update the stadium to keep the team in town. After our visit, it sounded like an appropriate discussion. Despite the comparisons to Lehigh Valley, we did enjoy our trip to Scranton and our unexpected exploration of two parks in one day!

The Yankees were hosting the Norfolk Tides and the Orioles' top minor league team played much like the varsity - pitching was ineffective, allowing seven runs on 12 hits, while the offense did not score a run until the ninth. It was a 7-1 Yankee win.

We stuck around after the game and had the chance to catch up with former Ohio State outfielder Matt Angle, who is playing for the Tide. During his season in Aberdeen, he stayed with one of Andrew's best friends. Angle, who hit the ball well, but went 1-5, including the last out of the game, was kind enough to spend a few minutes chatting before jumping on the bus. He's hitting .273 and leads the team with 18 stolen bases.

Just to complete the trip, we stayed in Scranton and took auto tours of the University of Scranton and Muhlenberg College, as well as a traditional visit to Lafayette College. We enjoyed the visit to Lafayette more than that we thought we would. It was Andrew's sixth college visit and I think he's starting to get a good idea of what he will look for in a college. Now, if we can just find the right high school for him!

That wraps up a long, two-day, two-stadium, four-college trip for us. Check back next week for Week 7!

Mike

Week Five: Camden Yards

With an impending family trip to Bradford, PA for a weekend camping outing, we opted to make this week's exploration a short one. We decided to explore Baltimore and wrap up the day with an Orioles game. Our plans had a curve ball when Andrew's trip to the Goddard Space Flight Center, originally scheduled for Thursday morning, was pushed into the afternoon. Then, we took another hit when the bus that was scheduled to return the group from Goddard to Baltimore would not start and the return was delayed by more than 90 minutes.

Anyway - the theme of these trips is "unexpected." We just had to adjust our plans and deal with it.

Just as we had unexpected trip challenges, we also had unexpected treats! One of the first was our ticket location. A good friend, Rich Frank, left us seats in one of the suites at Camden Yards. With the 95 plus temperatures, the air conditioning was much appreciated! Since I arrived downtown much before Andrew, I decided to go into the stadium and watch the Twins hit batting practice. Camden Yards remains one of the best ballparks in the country and it's sad to see empty seats. Those that were there, we having a great time!

After a walking tour of the stadium, I purchased a chicken sandwich and retreated to the suite where I found a second unexpected treat. The suite was located next to the one for the Baltimore Sun and I had a chance to visit with Pat Sweeney and her husband, Gene. We struck up a wonderful conversation and she invited me to share the fare in the Sun's suite.

In the first inning, I watched O's pitcher Kevin Millwood get the first two batters out before issuing two walks sandwiched around a double, loading the bases. He then gave up another double - this one clearing the bases for a 3-0 Twins lead. Shortly after the inning ended, I got word from Andrew that he was back in Baltimore and I met him with his ticket.

He and I both enjoyed the food and friendship from the Pat. Andrew could not believe his good fortune when he found that the suite was serving crab cakes!

We watched Twins hitter Michael Cuddyear add a solo home run in the fourth and the Twins scored an insurance tally in the seventh. The story was pitcher Carl Pavano who pitched a complete-game five-hit shutout for the 5-0 win, improving his record to 12-6.

The last unexpected treat came in the seventh inning. Andrew found a friend from the National Aquarium, Gordon. He has been working Orioles games for 48 years. Amazing. As we were visiting with him near home plate, the Orioles first baseman, Ty Wigginton disagreed with a tag play at first and was tossed out after a strong argument (He later received a three-game suspension for bumping the umpire). Before the inning ended, pitching coach Rich Kranitz and manager Juan Samuel were also tossed out. Samuel made the most of his opportunity, including Frisbee tossing his hat toward the pitcher's mound as he left the field.

Our last chance for a unexpected treat came up a little short as a foul ball ricocheted off one of the stadium walls and rolled toward our seating area. I missed the catch behind my seat and the ball ended up under our seats. Unfortunately, the guy seated to my right was too quick and our chance for a MLB foul ball was gone!

All in all - a fun night at the yard - despite Andrew's late arrival, the lack of Oriole offense and the missed foul ball. The reason? The people - Rich Frank (thanks for the tickets!), Pat Sweeney (thanks for the fellowship) and Gordon (thanks for letting us watch the last three innings from great seats!). Next week, we have a much longer trip planned!

Mike

Gettysburg!

The idea of a trip to Gettysburg was sparked by our proximity and our appreciation for history. We once drove through the city for a quick respite, but never toured the battlefields. The Gettysburg trip 2010 was spur of the moment and had us drive to Gettysburg early Thursday morning. We arrived at the Gettysburg National Visitors Center and watched a video and saw the Cyclorama, a 360 degree painting done in the early years after the battle. The Cyclorama was a unique and fascinating aspect of our trip. We then went through the museum in the Visitor's Center and found that it was much larger than it first appeared. It reminded me of the Smithsonian exhibits! It was very large and had lots of interesting artifacts and interactive stations that made the museum an enjoyable experience. Did you know that the Gettysburg National Visitor's Center cost about $103 million to build?

Dad and I hopped on the 12:30 bus tour that was 2 hours in length. Our tour guide was very knowledgable and had a passion for history. Looking around the bookstore occupied the next 20 minutes and then we drove to check in to our cabin at the Gettysburg KOA. The cabin consisted of one full size bed, a bunk bed, desk, and mini refridgerator.

Dad and I hung out at the pool, played shuffleboard and mini golf, and made dinner. That night we made a marvelous fire and had smores.

We woke up early to run in downtown Gettysburg. My 3.8 mile run was through the main streets of Gettysburg and parts of Gettysburg College. It is a nice little town. We drove back to the campground to shower and change. Breakfast was at the Lincoln Diner in Gettysburg. After a filling breakfast, we departed for the Eisenhower Naitonal Historic Site. The 92 acre farm home to the retiring house of Dwight D. Eisenhower, had a full barn and a simple, but comfortable house overlooking the Pennsylvania mountains.

A tour of Gettysburg College filled up the next 2 hours. The tour showed off the beautiful campus that had many environmentally friendly features, while having history in almost every building. The college has a great Environmental Studies program with outdoor activities. I really liked the campus and will surely keep it on my list of possible colleges.

All in all, I discovered things about Gettysburg and Dwight D. Eisenhower that I never knew, all with an appreciation of the men who fight and fought for our country. I hope to come back someday for a 5 day trip and discover everything there is to know about the battle and the city of Gettysburg.

Andrew

Week Four: We Head To The Gettysburg Battlefields!

Do you have things you always plan to do every summer, but never get around to it? Making the 90-minute drive to Gettysburg, staying overnight at a neat campground we found a few years ago when we were searching for a family campsite and visiting the Eisenhower House was one of those trips.

Unexpected Explorations gave me the chance -- and -- lucky for me, my soon-to-be 15-year-old son, Andrew, agreed to the two-day trip that would be heavy on history!

The new Visitor Center at Gettysburg is fantastic and the the video presentation provides enough education on the battle for an informative visit. The museum is outstanding and the bookstore has a wide selection of Civil War titles.

I had done the car audio tour with Paula years ago, but Andrew and I settled on an air-conditioned bus tour. It was an excellent choice! The guide was great, sharing great anecdotes throughout the two-hour tour. He even confirmed that the Dobbins House would be a great place for lunch and shared his standing order - Rubin sandwich and french onion soup.

As you visit the battlefields, the thoughts I have range from (1) trying to picture more than 50,000 men involved in this conflict, (2) the fierce battle and painful death by both sides fighting for belief, (3) the impact on the town as churches and public buildings were turned into hospitals and (4) what a great job the community has done in keeping the battlefield intact so that visitors can get a great sense of what happened on the field. It was a harsh reminder not to take this freedom and lifestyle that we have for granted.

Around 3 p.m., we adjourned to the KOA campground near Gettysburg and settled into our cabin - or as they say "kabin". It was a relaxing few hours, filled with swimming, mini golf, shuffle board, chess, reading and working together to make a nice barbecue chicken dinner. Not bad! We enjoyed sitting around the fire after dark and called it a night around 10 -- for we had early plans for Friday!

Around 6:30 a.m., we parked at Gettysburg College and went for a 30-minute run through the community. After a shower and breakfast at a local diner, we took the shuttle bus to the Eisenhower Home. For as long as I can remember, I've had an interest in visiting Presidential homes. It helps when you grow up in Ohio -- where there are several. With this visit, I've been to homes of 24 of the first 34 presidents, and McKinley does not have a home to view.

The house was a great study in life in the 1950's. It has many of the original furnishings. In addition, there is a golf green (put in by the PGA) and a skeet shooting area on the farm. Eisenhower also raised prized Black Angus cattle and Andrew and I stopped by to see the show barn and saw the display of ribbons. As a guy that paid for my high school tuition by raising beef cattle to show and sell at the country fair, I enjoyed seeing the layout at the barn. It made Eisenhower (who was the President when I was born) more real. I think that why he brought so many dignitaries to the farm when he was President - to build a relationship on another level.

We finished our two-day visit with a tour at Gettysburg College. In fact, the admissions office is located in the Eisenhower Building, a former house on College Avenue where Eisenhower once wrote his memoirs. Andrew was matched perfectly with a tour guide with an Environmental Studies major and he enjoyed the visit. In addition to the strong academic programs, the food service program and the fitness center were highly regarded.

It was our first overnight Unexpected Exploration and it lived up to the increased time and expense. I'm glad we finally took the time for the tour of the battlefield and even more glad to have a couple of extra days with Andrew! Believe it or not, one of the next things we want to do this summer is watch the four-hour history drama movie, Gettysburg!

Since we are headed to the family camping event next week, we'll keep the Unexpected Exploration a bit more local! See you next week!

Mike

2 Days, 1 College, 2 Parks

So... Our next venture was to Ripken Stadium for the Aberdeen Ironbirds game last Monday. I had been there about 6 times before last Monday. My good friend Ryan hosted Ironbirds players for 4 years and has been to over 120 Ironbirds games. He has taken me to a couple of games. He tagged along on this trip.

It was unexpected because on Friday of the previous week, we received a call from a family friend who had an Ironbirds package he got through work. The package was complete with AMAZING seats and being able to throw out the first pitch. He was going on vacation so he could not go to the game. I was awestruck because I have never thrown out the first pitch. Even though I played baseball for two seasons as a kid, I still preferred to watch more than playing.

4th of July weekend was filled with good food, family fun, and throwing the baseball to prepare for the game. I was pretty nervous. On the day of the game Dad and I went to the local high school to throw the ball on the diamond. I was confident in my abilities to not embarrass myself.

We picked up Ryan on the way, who lives just around the corner and headed off to the game. We had to get there extra early because I was throwing out the first pitch. I was SO excited! We got on the field met the players and got ready. In fact, there were two other people throwing out the first pitch! I was to be second. Before I knew it, the moment came when I had to throw the pitch. It was a pretty good pitch, a little left but at least I didn't embarrass myself.

The rest of the game was great. We got a tour of the upper level and I have to say it is one of the nicest facilities in the Minor League. For Short-season Class A, they have sold out the amazing Ripken Stadium for an astounding 8 straight years! Fun, fun, fun!

We got home late, but we knew what the next day was....Harrisburg Senators game. I had originally planed that we would drive up to tour Juniata College in Huntingdon and then drive to Harrisburg for the game. Earlier in the day Dad told me it would be too much driving. I was disappointed because I wanted to see Juniata.

I woke up ready to go to the local YMCA with my Dad, and my parents told me that we ARE going to Juniata and my Mom is tagging along. I said, "All right, sounds good to me!" After an intense 45 minutes of Cardio Blast we raced home to pack and found everything already packed. My Mom is always ahead of the game! We left early and arrived at Juniata around 2, just in time for the 2 o'clock tour. I was the only one. The small, quaint Juniata College is situated overlooking the beautiful Central Pennsylvania mountains and the small, friendly town of Huntingdon. The college has roughly 1,600 students and has a newly built science center. The tour was great, and Juniata is still on my list of possible colleges. I thought McDaniel was nicer but because I want to go to college in a new environment, because of that Juniata beats out McDaniel.

We then drove the short 2 hours to Harrisburg. Harrisburg is a run-down city with old buildings. It needs some help. I am afraid that without all the Pennsylvania government jobs there, Harrisburg would be a whole lot of nothing! The city is situated on the Susquehanna River and has an AMAZING ballpark. The ballpark is on an island and just renovated. It is undoubtedly one of the best in Class AA baseball. The 6,000 seat stadium was filled with about 1,000 people on the Tuesday night game. The environment was sad. It was a beautiful stadium and I long to see it packed to the brim. There are a lot of party areas and people can sit on the counter that lines the outfield and watch the game. It was fun. Their best promotion was the Rally Roni which was for the Harrisburg Food Bank and whenever the cow mooooooo... SHAKE YOUR RALLY RONI!!! My Mom thought it was a great idea which I agree with. We had a good time. It was another late night arriving home just after 11pm. Can't wait 'till the next one......Gettysburg.

Andrew

GUEST BLOG: TAGGING ALONG TO THE CAPITAL

After hearing about how much fun the "boys" were having on their day trips, I decided to tag along on the trip to Harrisburg, PA. I'm not a huge baseball fan, but it was an opportunity to spend some quality time with them and visit a college that I'm often standing next to a college fairs (John Carroll and Juniata). By the way, it is pronounced "June-e-oughta." The mountains provided a beautiful backdrop for the college. We had a great tour guide, and overall, I was impressed with the school. The baseball stadium in Harrisburg was outstanding! It's located right on the river, it was clean, and as I'm finding at most minor league ballparks, the entertainment factor was great. The promotions were fun, and they had two very enthusiastic mascots. My favorite promotion of the evening was purchasing two boxes of Rallly Roni (macaroni & cheese disguised in a red box with the Senators logo on it) for $1. The dollar went to the local food bank. At designated times during the game, we were instructed to shake our Rally Roni boxes! As we exited the stadium, we deposited our boxes into a bin which then was taken to the food bank as well. I loved it! I also enjoyed playing BINGO during the Senators time at bat. It helped keep me focused on the game. Despite the fact that I had sat through two minor league baseball games in two days that reached record temperatures of 100 degrees, I actually enjoyed myself (plus, I didn't get hit by a flying ball!).

I was glad I tagged along but will let Mike and Andrew enjoy the remainder of their explorations as a father and son team.

Paula

Week 3: A Visit to Pennsylvania's Capital

On Tuesday, we embarked on the real "unexpected exploration" of the week. However, like Monday, our travel party included Paula. She had a bonus holiday (a.k.a. furlough day) and so we headed to Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, followed by a ball game at the New Metro Bank Park in Harrisburg to see the Class AA team of the Washington Nationals.

It was about a three-hour trek to Huntingdon and we made it right at 2 p.m. for the final campus tour of the day. Like McDaniel the week before, I was surprised and impressed with the campus. The new science building, exclusively for chemistry and biology, and the theatre building were the most impressive buildings. I was also impressed with the wide open spaces as the campus layout took advantage of the small town location. Folks were very friendly as we visited our second of the 40 Colleges That Change Lives.

After a quick respite at Dairy Queen (it was 100 degrees or so!), we began the two-hour trip back toward Harrisburg. We drove around Harrisburg and settled on an Irish pub in an entertainment district on Second Street for dinner. Since we requested non-smoking, we were seated upstairs in a wonderful setting -- all by ourselves. We enjoyed sandwiches and hustled back to the car for the short trip across the bridge to the island in the middle of the Susquehanna River, which is the home to the ball park and a modest professional soccer venue.

Thanks to box office manager Dave Simpson, we had three great seats behind the Senators dugout. I understand the stadium has been undergoing renovations for about three years and the end result is outstanding. The club is hosting the Eastern League All-Star Game on July 14 and it will be a fitting location. I was most impressed with the variety of hospitality options - dugout suites, a concourse level club room, new upper level suites, outfield beer gardens with seating along the outfield fence and the Ollie's Outlet cheap seats. All great stuff. I don't know if it was the hot weather, but many of the hospitality areas were unused on this night. It was a real missed opportunity for the Harrisburg community!

After participating in an on-field contest at Hagerstown and throwing out the first pitch at Aberdeen, one could only wonder what opportunity might be waiting for Andrew on this night. Sure enough, he caught one of the Harrisburg Senator t-shirts in the toss in the fifth inning! Fortunately for me, it was an XL. I'm now the proud owner and will be advertising the Senators in the Perry Hall area!

Shortstop Danny Espinosa was the offensive hero for the Senators on this night. He hit a two-run homer in the third inning to post a 2-1 Harrisburg lead, then broke the 2-2 tie in the seventh with an RBI triple. The third-year pro player was a collegiate star at Long Beach (AD Vic Cegles), before he was drafted by the Nationals in 2008. Harrisburg won the game over the Richmond Flying Squirrels (the new team playing at The Diamond in Richmond), 3-2.

With this ballpark appearance, Andrew and I have not completed the Western Division of the Eastern League. We have seen games at Altoona (too long ago for Andrew to remember), Bowie, Akron, Erie and Richmond (VCU game). I think it's our first six-team division! Of the group, Altoona, Harrisburg and Akron are the ones not to miss!

It was an amazingly quick ride home. We left the ball park at 9:30 p.m. and were back at home on Forge Acre Drive before 11. It's great to live so close to so many entertainment options! Off until next week!

Mike

Bonus: Andrew Delivers First Pitch at Ripken Stadium!

On Monday, we got a bonus in our unexpected explorations schedule. Good friends, Bill and Denise Shade, parents of Alex Shade, a 2010 Calvert Hall alum and classmate of son #1, Alex, offered us four tickets to the Monday night Ironbirds game. The Shades were headed to the beach for the weekend. As the Shade Construction representative, we also had the chance to throw out the first pitch and get a behind-the-scenes tour. Of course, we were happy to do it! Andew was elected to be the pitcher! I snapped this photo of him right after this pitch!

Andrew has been to plenty of Ironbird games. We picked up his friend, Ryan. He was even more familiar with the stadium since his family had hosted Ironbird players when he was younger. After we arrived at the ball park, we picked up sub sandwiches, which were a great choice!

Before we knew it, Andrew, Ryan and I were down on the field, waiting for the first pitch. Since we had some time, I looked up a couple of Ironbird players with college connections. Michael Rooney, who was the 2010 CAA Defensive Player of the Year in his final season at North Carolina-Wilmington, was the first "find." We had a great chat about his transition to Aberdeen and the great race in the CAA this season. We both agreed that the league should have a minimum of six teams in the baseball championship.

We also connected with former Indiana standout Kipp Schultz and former Mount Olive player Jeremy Nowak. Nowak, who hit .446 for Mount Olive in his only season for the Trojans, led his team to the top batting average in the country. His director of athletics at Mount Olive, Jeff Eisen, is a good friend of mine. I'm not sure of our conversation with the former college players was inspiring, but Schultz and Rooney both collected four hits on the night! Unfortunately, Nowak did not get to play.

Andrew was one of three fans throwing out "first pitches." He tossed a great strike to "catcher" T.R. Keating, a three-year pro pitcher. It made those tutoring sessions at Perry Hall High worthwhile! It was fun to see Keating pitch in relief later in the game, and he did not allow a run in his two innings of work, despite the possible bruised hand from Andrew's fastball!

Rooney got the scoring going for the Ironbirds in the second inning when he singled in Michael Flacco (yes, it's Joe's younger brother). The game was quite a contrast to the last one we watched (a 2-0 affair) as the two teams combined for 30 base hits and Aberdeen rallied for a 9-6 win. Rooney, who had four singles, two runs scored and two RBI was selected as the player of the game. It was nice to see a former CAA star do well.

After the fifth inning, we got out tour of the press box and club level. The Ironbirds do have lots of great hospitality options. Andrew and I had been on the club level previously, thanks to the generosity of Cal Bowman, who worked for the Ironbirds during the 2006 season. Good luck to Cal as he runs for delegate in Maryland!

All in all, it was a good night for the Hermann family and a memorable experience with Andrew on the mound. Thanks to the Shades for a great evening and a bonus road trip!

Mike

Making the Most of our Trips

Our trip this week was to Westminster MD to tour McDaniel College and watch a ballgame at the Hagerstown Suns. Since we will be departing from the area within the next months, I wanted to look at the area's colleges. Better to look now than later! Even though I am only a sophomore, I think that looking early is better. I have become obsessed with the book 40 Colleges that Change Lives by Loren Pope and I want to visit every one of them. Luckily, some of the colleges are in the area (McDaniel being one of them).

I don't think McDaniel gets the credit it deserves. I had heard about it previous to the book, but I never knew how great it really was. Situated in small-town Westminster, McDaniel is a small, happy community of 1,800 students. I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to go to a small school close to Baltimore. I want to go to a college in a new area that I have never been so McDaniel doesn't fit that criteria.

Lunch in Westminster was followed by the drive to Hagerstown. An industrial city of old, Hagerstown NEEDS SOME HELP! It is awfully run-down and in desperate need of a new baseball stadium. The stadium is the second oldest in the minors. Needless to say, bluh! Dad and I did the tire race around the field. We had 4 inflatable tires around ourselves and raced each other. I almost knocked Dad down when we collided but I wasn't strong enough! I won the race. It was a late night. We arrived home at 11pm. Fun! I anticipate more college-MiLB road trips!

Andrew

Week 2: First Ballgame of the Year - Hagerstown

First, you should know that Andrew and I have visited 13 major league ball parks in his 14 years and nearly as many minor league parks. We both enjoy a day at a baseball game, although we differ on the importance of having a stadium dog. I say it's a necessity. Andrew prefers healthier options!

Second, you should know that we've had the Hagerstown Suns on our list since we arrive in Baltimore. We drive right past the exit every time we head to Ohio. This second road trip of 2010 was a short mileage trip. We left after lunch and headed to McDaniel College in Westminster. Although just a sophomore, Andrew wanted to check out this institution that he found in his book of Colleges That Change Lives.

In addition to lives, McDaniel has changed its name. It was called Western Maryland College. I thought it was a geographic reference, but I learned that it was originally named after a railroad that was owned by the college's first president. The railway is no longer in existence but a train car sits near the McDaniel football field as a reminder of the original moniker. The college changed its name in 2002 to honor an alumnus that had given a lifetime of service to the institution.

Frankly, I was impressed with the McDaniel visit. We arrived just as one of the admissions counselors was starting a tour so we jumped right in. We had a great tour of campus from a recent grad who will be starting to work soon for the state of Maryland. She shared her enthusiasm for McDaniel. I particularly like the president's residence in the center of campus, the historic theatre and the honor code.

After a stop in downtown Westminster for an afternoon snack at Harry's Main Street Grille, we headed further west to Hagerstown. After a self-guided tour through the downtown area of Hagerstown, we settled on the Stadium Grill & Tavern as our dinner spot. The place is actually located within a long home run of the stadium. I enjoyed a mushroom swiss chicken sandwich and Andrew had a Chesapeake wrap and we were ready for the game.

Minor league baseball is booming all over the country, but does not seem to have caught on in Hagerstown despite great marekting efforts. The sport has a long and interesting history at Municipal Stadium, which is celebrating its 80th year and is one of the oldest parks in minor league baseball. The announced attendance for our game was 488.

The modest arriving crowd may account for the request that Andrew and I received shortly after we arrived: to participate in a between inning contest. After we agreed, I learned that I would need to put four tire-like innertubes around my body and run around the bases. I consented because I thought it would provide a memorable experience, and because I didn't know anyone in Hagerstown. Imagine my surprise when I ran into Beth Eubanks, a former Towson athletics colleague, just before game time. She is now working for a baseball agent and was in town visiting with a few players. Oops.

For the record, yes, Andrew did win the contest and took home the Suns t-shirt. I managed not to embarrass myself too much, despite a serious collision at second base. Andrew was taking this entertainment thing much more seriously that I was.

Fortunately, our entertainment was in the first inning and we settled in and watch a great night of baseball. It was true minor league fun -- with interns running promotions and activities all over the ballpark. The baseball team was not able to score a run so the home crowd had little to cheer about. The Suns lost 2-0, wasting a nice pitching performance by Daniel Rosenbaum, a 22-year-old left-hander from Xavier University (one of my previous stops). It appears that Rosenbaum has not had much offensive support all season. He has a 0-4 record in 10 starts, but a terrific 2.83 ERA. Hickory scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings for the win.

We need to thank Dave Vatz for the seats. Dave, a Maryland grad, is completing an internship in broadcast services with the Suns. We had the chance to hear him give the wrap up the game on the way home. His father, Rick, is an outstanding professor at Towson and one of the best supporters of the basketball program. His son is off to a great start in his career.

It was an uneventful 90-minute drive home for Hagerstown -- no traffic issues at all -- as we ended trip #2 and had another great day!

Mike

Our Journey through the Capital!

Washington D.C. has so many museums and attractions that you could spend weeks in DC and not see everything. We have made good use of our proximity to DC while living in Baltimore. There were still some museums and things to see. We woke up early in the morning to catch the MARC commuter train to DC. An environmentalist, riding mass trasit was a great way to start the day.

When we arrived in Union Station I was pleased to see a hustling and bustling station full of businesspeople and tourists alike. The shops and restauraunts reminded me of an airport. We arrived at 8am a little early for our 10:30 tour of the Library of Congress. We walked around the Capitol Building and since we realized our camera battery was dead we had to walk about 2 miles to get to the nearest photo shop.

The Library of Congress had so much unique early American architecture with the finest marble in the world and the ceilings hand-crafted with unmatched precision. Gold, aluminum, and silver are just some of the expensive gems that reside in the Library of Congress. We both enjoyed the beauty of the building but our stomachs stopped us from finishing the free tour and left us looking for a place to eat.

During the orientation video at the Smithsonian Castle that we saw earlier that day, it recommended to eat at the cafeteria at the Native American Museum. Okay, I have never seen such exotic and different food in the best cafeteria I have ever eaten in. This thing was awesome. I had a ground buffalo burger with an AMAZING butternut squash sauce! Needless to say, it was the best burger I have ever eaten.

We then walked to the American History Museum which was colossal in size and equal in number of exhibits. We spent about 3 hours there but only saw about 60% of the exhibits. We saw Dorothy's ruby slippers and the original Kurmit the frog. It was a neat museum.

Since I work at the National Aquarium in Baltimore this summer, I wanted to see our small branch aquarium in DC. It was small but it was free since my family has a membership and I volunteer. I would definately recommend the Baltimore one over the DC one. We then walked about 5 blocks north to catch the circulator bus (only $1 a ride) to the Georgetown area. In rush hour traffic the 45 minute ride took a while. The ride was worth it since the Georgetown area is very upscale. I was not interested in going to Georgetown University (even though it is Jesuit) so I did not set up a tour. The campus was nice, built on a hill overlooking the C&O canal.

Dinner was at the Georgetown cafeteria. It was good. We walked the half mile to catch the circulator bus to Union Station. This time the ride took about an hour. It was a long hour. At about 7:30 we got on the train to Penn Station.

The D.C. trip was packed full of activities, but fun. We did a LOT of walking, but that helped keep the budget under $100. The temperature was over 90 degrees which is common in D.C. this month. I think the weatherman said it was going to be the hottest June ever in D.C. with over 15 days over 90 degrees. Can't wait 'till the next trip!

Andrew

Week 1: Start with the home base of knowledge - Library of Congress

Where would a guy who is a self-confessed "researcher" and an insatiable learner select as his first destination - the home of all knowledge - the Library of Congress. On June 24, we began. Andrew had prepared the complete itinerary. We caught the 7 a.m. train from the Martin Airport and arrived at Union Station in Washington at 8:05. We started the trek toward the mall, stopping by the U.S. Capitol for a few photos. When we arrived at the mall, the only place open was the Smithsonian Institution Building (a.ka., the Castle), headquarters for the great museums. We took in the orientation video, narrated by Ben Stiller. While it was amusing, the most important information received from the video was a lunch recommendation. More on that later.

We made our way to the Library of Congress for the complimentary public 10:30 a.m. tour. I was surprised to learn a few things during the tour. First, the "library" is now three adjacent buildings - the Jefferson, the Adams and the Madison - plus numerous off-site storage areas. The tour of the Jefferson was less about books and collections and more about architect and art. The building was a marvel, in size, scope and decor. Our volunteer tour guide gave an excellent tour and focused a great deal on the art, evident in every corner of the place. We enjoyed the visit and left around 11:45 a.m.

Ben had recommended the cafeteria in the National Museum of the American Indian. We gave it a try and found a wide variety of unusual native dishes. I opted for a chicken taco on fry bread, which sounds bad for you and tastes like its really bad for you. The meal was great. Andrew was a bit bolder and opted for a buffalo burger and a tomato melon salad. He seemed very satisfied with both choices. After our lunch respite overlooking a neat waterfall, we headed to our next stop - the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

This exhibit had been closed for remodeling during our recent trips to Washington D.C. We spent three hours exploring the museum and were particularly impressed with the exhibit, Within These Walls. The exhibit included a two-story house that had been built in the 1760's in Massachusetts and relocated to the museum after it went vacant in 1945. The exhibit told the stories of five families that had lived in the house, describing the American history that happened as each new family arrived. We also particularly enjoyed the exhibit with the original flag the flew over Fort McHenry and inspired the writing of the Star Spangled Banner, and the exhibit on Abraham Lincoln. We have both Fort McHenry and Civil War sites on our future itineraries, so the background information will be helpful.

Around 3:30 p.m., we exited the museum and headed to the National Aquarium exhibit. Since Andrew is an intern at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, he thought we would check out the branch in D.C. As aquarium members, we had free admission and saw lots of fish. It was great having my own personal tour guide and I was most impressed with the alligator exhibit. After about 60 minutes, we decided the Baltimore version was much better and headed to our next stop.

We walked about 10 blocks north and caught the Circulator bus to the Georgetown area. Andrew wanted to see the Jesuit school. The bus dropped us off in the district and we had another 10-block walk to campus. We were quite impressed with the campus. It seemed like a quiet oasis away from the madness of DC, but still close enough to engage in the madness if you wanted. As a John Carroll University alum, it was great to see the huge statue of John sitting in a chair on the front lawn of the campus. After a walking tour of campus, we opted to have dinner in the O'Donovan Dining Hall. I remember now why I gained those 10 pounds my freshman year at college. It was a good choice. Despite the summer hours, the hall was bustling with a participants from a leadership conference.

We hustled back to M Street to catch the Circulator back to Union Station. However, the delay in the arrival of the bus, compounded by the slow progress through heavy traffic, caused us to miss the 6:13 train, which would have taken us back to the Martin Airport stop. Fortunately, mom agreed to pick us up at Baltimore's Penn Station, so we caught the 7:40 p.m. train, instead of waiting for the 9 p.m., which was the next one scheduled to go as far as Martin.

Andrew fell asleep on the train. We had an exhausting day, but a memorable one. We had always talked about taking advantage of our proximity to Washington. It took the threat of limited days left in this region to get us in gear. But, we had a great first exhibition! Week one is in the books!

Mike