Front Royal(Wednesday night ) then onto Charlottesville via Skyline Drive (Tthursday all day)

After Manassas we went to Front Royal and spent the night and drove down Skyline Drive to Charlottesville. Skyline drive is 105 mile long scenic drive through the Shenandoah in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Our GPS said it was a 3 hour drive it took us 7.5 hours we had to stop every few miles in awe. i challenge anyone to drive through in 3 hours without stopping and looking. We couldn't.  The following are pictures along the route. 

Dick St. George (Leslie's Dad) put his exclamation point at the beginning of our drive. Thank you and God Bless you!!!

Gunston Hall and Manassas, Bull Run, May 23

Before we left i had called Mark Whatford who is the Librarian / Archivist  at Gunston Hall and asked if i could see any original documents of George Mason's relating to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and or the Politics of the times.  He just asked to give him a few days heads up as to when i was coming. Boy am i glad i did!!! This day turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip for me and subsequently for Tricia too. Mark Whatford (God Bless you !!!) turned out to be this really cool gentleman, that pulled some newly discovered original documents in George Washington's, George Mason's, and John Jay's handwriting,  and some maps.  i was so overwhelmed and in awe that i can not correctly relate back to what everything was. However i knew i was............

("Standing in the presence of the Past.....Darryl Worley)

Gunston Hall entrance

the tombs of George Mason (left) and his wife AnnMason

Gunston Hall facing the Potomac

Sam and Tricia at the Manassas Battlefield (Bull Run for you Yankees)

the Stone Bridge at the 2nd Manassas

Tricia retreating toward the Yankee Side

Mount Vernon; Tuesday May 22

Upon reviewing these pictures i'm surprised at what you don't see; the thousands of school kids running around uncontrolled. Despite all that Tricia and i were struck by the sense of history , reverence of things past, the preservation, and the historic knowledge of all those responsible for the tour, the on the spot explanations, and "Standing in the presence of the Past".

The new vault.

TheTomb of George Washington and Family Members

The Tomb of George Washington

The Tomb of Martha Washington

 Looking out onto the Potomac from the front Veranda

i asked around if any of the trees were around in George Washington's time they were helpful in pointing them out but i had to go looking . i think this is a tree that George Washington planted given to him by Harry "Lighthorse" Lee.