IT HAS BEEN A WHIRL OF CHANGE THE LAST FEW MONTHS AS DEBBIE AND I HAVE RELOCATED TO FLA. WE HAVE SETTLED IN, LOCATED PART TIME JOBS/ VOLUNTEER WORK, TRAINED FOR AN IRONMAN, LEARNED WAY MORE THAN EXPECTED ABOUT CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONERS, QUEUED UP IN EVERY GOVT. AGENCY IN THE COUNTY TO RE-DO OUR IMPT. STUFF AND SWALLOWED GALLONS OF GATORADE AND WATER STAYING COOL.
SO WHAT DOES A 50 STATER DO IN THE MIDST OF ALL THIS ? FIND A GOOD FARE TO WEST VA. AND RUN THRU CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELDS OF COURSE! THE LOCATION WAS ON THE WEST VIRGINIA/ MARYLAND BORDER ABOUT 1.5 HRS OUTSIDE OF D.C.
THE ROUTE BEGAN AT HARPER’S FERRY- SITE OF THE ARMORY WHERE ALL THE GUNS WERE MADE IN THE DAY. WE RAN THRU THE SITE OF JOHN BROWN’S FORT, CROSSED THE POTOMAC RIVER, RAN ON THE CHESAPEAKE/OHIO TOWPATH ALONG THE RIVER, RAN THRU ANTIETAM BATTLEFIELD AND FINISHED ON THE 50 YARD LINE OF SHEPHERD UNIVERSITY.
SITE OF JOHN BROWN’S FORT
SO REAL YOU ALMOST DUCKED A CANNON BALL
SITE OF THE ARMORY AT HARPER’S FERRY
CROSSING THE POTOMAC
PEACEFUL RUN ALONG THE RIVER
THE LANDSCAPE OF THE BATTLEFIELD
BLOODY LANE
MONUMENTS TO THE FALLEN
VERY COOL BARN WITH SPIRES-
PRAISE JESUS THE FINISH LINE
SOMEONE EXPLAIN THIS MEDAL PLEASE
THE HARDWARE STORE
SHOULD YOU REQUIRE AN EXTREMELY DETAILED AND ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENTS AND BATTLES THAT OCCURRED ON THIS ROUTE I REFER YOU TO THE FREEDOM’S RUN MARATHON WEB SITE.
THE GIST OF THE STORY AS I UNDERSTAND IT IS JOHN BROWN CALLED FOR THE SLAVES TO REBEL AND GET GUNS AT HARPER’S FERRY, NOT TOO MANY SHOWED. THE SOUTH WAS SET UP ON A RIDGE AT ANTIETAM AND THE NORTH WAS COMING UP THE HILL SUFFERING BIG CASUALTIES. THERE WAS A STRATEGIC ERROR ON WHERE THE NORTH CHOOSE TO FORD THE RIVER CAUSING BIG PROBLEMS. GENERAL BURNSIDE BROUGHT HIS TROOPS 17 MILES IN 7 HRS WHICH WAS EXTRAORDINARY AND SNUCK UP TO THE SIDE OF THE BATTLE HELPING THE NORTH. THAT IS MY STORY AND I AM STICKING TO IT.
WHEN IT WAS ALL OVER THERE WERE 5000 DEAD AND 23,000 TOTAL CASUALTIES IN ONE DAY- THE WORST ONE DAY LOSS OF THE WAR. WHEN I SAW THE TERRAIN AND KNOWING THE STYLE OF WAR OF THAT TIME -THE LINES, THE ARTILLERY – THE REALITY THAT DEATH WAS PROBABLE AND DANGER WAS CERTAIN- I WAS SO STRUCK THAT LIVES ARE RISKED AND LOST FOR IDEALS AND BELIEFS WHEN 2 SIDES COME TO WAR.
IT WAS A QUITE A DAY. OUR ROUTE ON THE TOWPATH FOR 12 MILES WENT THRU WILDERNESS WITH ONLY 2 AID STOPS AND NO PEOPLE. THIS WAS LIKE THE 17 MILES THE TROOPS HAULED TO GET TO THE BATTLE.
WHEN WE CAME OUT ON THE BATTLEFIELD AROUND MILE 17 IT WAS SUNNY, THE TEMPS HAD WARMED 20 DEGREES AND IT WAS PERFECTLY QUIET EXCEPT FOR A FEW BIRDS AND A LITTLE DEER CROSSING THE ROAD. THE HILLS THRU THE FIELDS WERE HUGE.
THE PART I AM LEAVING OUT THAT MADE THIS 5 HOUR JAUNT SEEM LIKE 5 DAYS IS THAT I HAD A HIP TWEAK THAT MADE FOR AN UPSIDE SMILE KIND OF DAY.IT WILL HEAL QUICKLY AS I HAVE TO MODEL ROBUST HEALTH AT MY NEW JOB AT THE RETIREMENT HOME LEADING CHAIR AEROBICS AND ARTHRITIS MARBLE PICK UP SESSIONS. IF I LOST ANY MARBLES PLEASE SEND THEM BACK TO BRADENTON.
SO THE FINISH LINE WAS A HUGE RELIEF AND THE MEDAL…..IT IS NEVER A PRIORITY UNTIL YOU JUST PUZZLE OVER THE CONCEPT OF THIS ONE. IT IS THE LOCAL ARTIST’S AWARD WINNING DESIGN OF JOHN BROWN’S FORT. ORGANIZERS: KINDLY REFER TO THE HARDWARE STORE FOR SOME COLORFUL CONCEPTS FOR NEXT YEAR.
WELL HEY STOP THE WHINING AND LET’S CELEBRATE STATE #34.
NEXT STOP IS PANAMA CITY FLA FOR IRONMAN NUMBER 17. THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY DELAWARE IN DECEMBER.
love it! just in time for my renewed obsession with the civil war! John brown, another one of my life-long fascinations!!! Well done, Nancy! You're amazing!!!!
Nanadventure 
love it! just in time for my renewed obsession with the civil war! John brown, another one of my life-long fascinations!!! Well done, Nancy! You're amazing!!!!
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Thank you for the entertaining read! Congratulations! and good luck on your impending Ironman – you are amazing!!
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