Valley Forge - Sept 25, 2022
I thought the first Jeep with flags and loud and being obnoxious. Then we saw many, and they lined up for a parade, cool. We passed this walking to catch the bus to Valley Forge. Valley Forge was at the end of route; we are alone at the end.
Revolutionary war guns and gun powder horns that the owner had decorated with carvings. The Visitor Center announced the movie starting in the next building in ten minutes, so we went over to watch it. It was very informative because before I knew very little about Valley Forge's purpose.
We planned a hike around the loop. Redoubt to watch for and help block out the enemy.
Good view from the Redoubt.
The Americans were training over the winter of 1777-78; they built 1,500 of these huts for shelter. There were 12,000 soldiers and 400 women and children. It became the fourth largest city in America. Information from the National Park Service map.
Travis testing the hut bed for us.
Great view of the National Arch, flag, fall foliage trees, and the tour Trolley.
We stopped at a picnic area to have our packed lunch. Then hiked out of the way to see the Coverage Bridge from 1865.
Either upper and lower forge. Later, we was a mill that they forged steel, where Valley Forge got its name.
Washington's rental house where he and Martha lived and the room where Washington made many important decisions.
Outside of his house
Next to Washington's house was the train depot with some displays. Travis working at the ticket agent.
View of the train depot. A train did go back while we had a snack and waved at the Park Ranger. At the station, we found a lanternfly, which just looked like a cool bug with a bright orange/red wings. The Ranger noted it was a good one -- because it was dead; it took me a few seconds, but I finally got it. He explained their invasiveness, and how they were trying to keep them from getting to the area of Pennsylvania with grapevines since they are very destructive to the grapevines. He noted that they like a fast growth tree that had been brought in to line streets. They now put down poison around the tree, which does kill the lanternflies. Back in Philly, we saw more, and tried step on some to help out (so they were not all good ones to start until stepped on).
This is von Steuben from Prussia that came to the US to train American soldiers at Valley Forge to fight the British.
After this, the predicted rain started. Originally, it was only supposed to rain on us the first day, but later, rain was added to the forecast. I blamed hurricane Fiona, but I could be wrong. It rained pretty hard, and we got wet. We stopped at a church, across the street, which had a covered area. Crossing the street, at a sidewalk, a driver did not want stop and horned at us for crossing the street in front of them, when we were the ones getting wet and it was a sidewalk/pedestrian right away, etc., etc. I could not believe it. When we went back across the street to the trail, the driver stopped to let us cross. Just one bad apple.
We continued back to the Visitor Center and bus stop in the rain where it let up a little. I was wearing a short sleeve shirt that was soaked; it was not cotton but still wet. Travis had his frogg togg jacket on protecting his shirt, the backpack, and cameras and phones. When we made it back, I changed in the restroom to a dry sweatshirt that I had with us. We stood under the Visitor Center entrance cover until it was time to go to the bus stop (to the front and right of the VC) to be sure that they knew someone wanted to catch a ride back to Philly. Our pants dried more on the bus.
I do not remember what else we did this day. I think that we had leftover pizza that we got at Target and baked the previous night for dinner in our hotel.
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