Jonesville VT!!!!

Yup, we made it home.  Got here about 3:30, and well ahead of the rain.  Back to the land of bare trees and brown grass.  Of course that means we get to see Spring arrive all over again.  Not such a bad deal! 
Actually it was a nice drive, slightly overcast but it was warm.  73 degrees most of the day.  We had expected rain at least some of the time. 
Pat and Jim contacted us last night, it turns out they spent the night 2 miles away from us!

Cal discovered another use for a recliner 

Milford PA

Uneventful drive today.  Always scenic along Del Water Gap on US 209.   Home tomorrow.

The campground here is setting right on the Delaware River, it's also a canoe and river trip trip business.  The only drawback is I-84 right above us.  Tonight, with the camper closed and the heater on we can't hear it too badly.  But in summer, or if tenting here, it would seem to be a pain.  They have a lot of tent sites.

Campers uphill on the right

Falling Waters WV

Arrived at Falling Waters WV in mid afternoon.  Early enough for a run down to Harper's Ferry WV for a walk around town and some dinner.  Interesting old town, lots more history and now it's a pretty sure thing that we'll be back again.  Carlene was there when she hiked the Appalachian Trail.  The AT goes through town and the Appalachian Trail Conference office located there.  It's unique layout has many very old buildings on very steep slopes in an almost vertical stacking.  I remember writing something like that in Bisbee AZ, well this is similar but on a more compact scale.
It is apparent that we can spend more time up in this area in April, it's too cold in January or when we came home earlier.  We have watched spring in retrograde as we have come north.  Each day is 1-200 miles north of the day before, and thus a few weeks earlier in the spring season.  SC had fresh strawberries, NC had trees in full leaf, here it is early budding and brand new leaves on the trees.
We are at Falling Waters Campsite with some good WiFi so I can load up a bunch of the photos I have missed the last few nights.
Many photos added to both days at Appomattox.

Harper's Ferry WV

Confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers.  Shenandoah is the brown on on the right.

Amtrak arriving

Camp in Falling Waters WV

Appomattox Court House, VA

We have spent the day in Appomattox Court House VA.  So much history here, even though that only covers a few days in April 8-10, 1865.
Perhaps the first thing we leaned is that Court House in a town name means it is the county  seat, Courthouse is the building.  Lee surrendered in Appomattox Court House but never set foot in the courthouse!
The rest of what we learned is too lengthy for this.
We are parked in Appomattox town using the tablet so we have some internet  connection.  But this is cramped!
We have this night here, then on to Harper's Ferry tomorrow, Milford PA the next and home on Friday.
Not sure I'm ready for home, but we're going.  It has been a great three months!

The Appomattox Courthouse, in Appomattox Court House, VA.  Lee and Grant never set foot in here.

A lawyer's office

The McLean house is where they met.

Looking down the road from the McLean house on the Lynchburg-Richmond Road.  Where Lee was trying to go until blocked by Custer's cavalry

The meeting room.

After some casual conversation between Lee and Grant, Grant sat down and wrote out the terms of surrender.  Lee had not gone into this meeting with any preconceived idea of surrender, rather to find out what terms Grant would offer.  The terms included virtual amnesty for all of Lee's officers and men who laid down their arms, promised to never take up arms against the US again, and returned home.  It was such a good deal that Lee violated the orders of Pres. Davis.  Davis had ordered that Lee not surrender but rather to disband the army to conduct guerrilla warfare.  Lee knew that would result in years of lawless bloodshed and decided to end the war for his Army of Northern Virginia.  The next day Grant agreed that the soldiers could keep their personal horses and all would receive free transport on any US military transportation to go home.

Some of the documentation from the meeting, included by Grant in the terms of surrender.

Some other rooms in the house

Printing presses set up to issue "Parole" papers to all Lee's men, some 9000 soldiers.

Some Vermonters present at Appomattox.