Here's our group this year, minus Sue and Bill Upton, who managed to not get in any of our group shots. We'll work on that next year.

Our first morning was a wonderful time of just chatting and lazing around. We did manage to make it out by 11 or so, but unlike the previous years, we had breakfast at the house. We kinda liked that idea, so the next mornings were repeats.

Our first outing was the Gettysburg Battlefield. We got tickets for a very informative video of the battle as well as a cyclorama of the battlefield. We had decided we'd do the self-guided autotour, which was exceptional...well laid out and organized, covering the major monuments and events.

Built on the grounds of a historic battle, the Eternal Light Peace Memorial was dedicated by Franklin Roosevelt on July 3rd, 1938. In attendance at the ceremony were 1800 Union and Confederate Civil War veterans. The eternal flame acts as a reminder of the nation's reunification after the war. Situated at the top of a hill, the location offers an overlook of part of the 6,000 acres of the battlefield.

We kinda had to wait for the rain to let up a bit before walking up to the monument. Not everyone was willing.

The monument on the right in this photo is the Pennsylvania Monument, dedicated to the 34,530 soldiers of Pennsylvania who fought. It stands on Cemetery Ridge, the Union's defensive battle line.

Little Round Top's high ground played a turning-point role in the war by giving the Union soldiers an excellent view of the Confederate soldiers below.This was one of the more crucial battles that helped the Union win the war. Over time, the monument became one of the most visited sites of the battlefield, acting as a shrine to those who fought and died there.

In the planning of Major General George Pickett's Confederate charge on July 3rd, the "Copse of Trees" was designated as a landmark to guide his troups on attack. The iron fence was built in 1887 to protect the trees from vandalism and such.

Lunch at the battlefield Visitor's Center. Some ate and conversed...

...others ate and settled in with their phones.

Planning our next attack

It appears we went straight from lunch at the battlefield to yet another meal. However, there were a few hours of down time, which, I guess, were not picture-worthy.

E.J. (McKenna) Heib suggested this brick colonial-style restaurant in Gettysburg, the Dobbin House Tavern. It is Gettysburg's oldest building, built 87 years before the Battle of Gettysburg. The tavern's history page notes how "residents of the tavern must have sat on the balcony to watch as Lincoln delivered his speech on a bluff a few hundred yards away at the National Cemetery!"

It truly was a highlight of the trip, our group tucked away in our own room with an abundance of candlelight ambiance, good food and friendly service. In addition to the tavern and fine-dining sections, there is a gift shop, a bed and breakfast and a bakery. A "secret" slave hideout exists in the basement.

Thank you, E.J., for your recommendation.

Leisurely morning number 2

On this day, four cars headed in four different directioins. On the list to see/do was the Pres. Dwight Eisenhower house and farm, the Cunningham Falls, shopping in downtown Gettysburg and a "drive-by" of Camp David, which we discovered was only a mile or two down the road from the Washington House where we were staying. Above is a hiking trail leading to Cunningham Falls in the Catoctin Mountains in Maryland.

I was excited to drive by Camp David, knowing its history and the previous presidents who visited there. I knew better than to raise my camera as we passed, and was reminded by the group, rightfully so, since I tend to get camera-happy. So this is my photo of Camp David. (Of course, other than a sign that said "no photos," there was nothing to get a photo of anyway, since the grounds are nowhere near the road we were on.)

The home and grounds of former President Dwight Eisenhower outside of Gettysburg. The home was not open for touring, but we were able to roam the grounds.

"Ike" standing left, Mamie (seated) and two secret service agents.

Lunch for a small group of us was at the Thurmont (Maryland) Kountry Kitchen, a simple but charming eatery that served us well.

The Gettysburg train station where, in 1863, President Abe Lincoln arrived to deliver the Gettysburg address.

We failed to get pictures of us at the Upper Crust for dinner in downtown Gettysburg. That is where we had to sit in two groups because if we were a party of more than eight, we could not have separate checks. So, one group went in and sat at a booth, then another to the booth behind. We tried not to let on we were all one party, but I'm sure we were fooling no one. But we DID get separate checks.

After dinner, we stopped in at Lulu's for ice cream.

Our last morning before packing up to leave

Goodbyes and safe-travel wishes were abundant.