Usalola’s Weblog

Returning from Greece, we stayed at Glenn’s brother, Brian, and his wife, Karen’s house outside of Baltimore for 5 days. The fall colors were brilliant – bright orange, red and yellow leaves were in abundance everywhere.

fall colors in maryland

We spent one afternoon riding a 40-mile rail trail through a most brilliantly-colored forest, and another morning riding (in the very brisk weather) the farm-country backroads around the area.  All that exercise made us thirsty (!) so we spent a little time checking out the local wineries along the Mason-Dixon wine trail.  Our first stop was the family-owned Basignani winery. Started in the early ’80’s, they produce small amounts of alot of different wines – some vinifera, some not. Very rustic overall.

We next stopped at Woodhall Wine Cellars, where all the grapes for their wines come from Maryland. Although I really appreciated that they’re working with what their area gives them, the wines overall had a musty, earthy, slightly “foxy” nose and taste. Interesting none the less. Staying with the local theme – we stopped at a market and picked up some local bison burgers.  The days were busy – we also went to the Baltimore Art Museum and a great farmer’s market on Saturday – and the time went fast. We packed up the Rv and the cats and said our good-byes – thanks you two for all your hospitality and for watching the “kids”.

hangin' out with Brian and Karen

At Gettysburg, we started out with a visit to the Museum and an informative video, and then it was on to the Battlefield.  We decided to ride our bikes around the 24-mile park, carrying a map depicting all the battlefield tour stops.

Gettysburg

It was really amazing to see and be on the site where for 3 days in July 1863 more men died than in any other battle in North America before or since (they say that total casualties for the Union Army was 23,000 men, and 28,000 for the Confederate army), and where Lincoln gave his infamous Gettysburg Address.

Valley of death

Devil's den

The next day we made our way to Lancaster – an area best known for its Amish community.  I loved all the rich farmland dotted with grain silos, and the constant click-clack of the horses pulling a buggy. It is an area that thrives on selling the fruits of its labor – literally. We stopped at a roadside stand and bought some homemade cheese from a farmer. It was luscious – creamy, but with a slight tangy bite. Loved it!

Amish boy working the field

It seems like a wonderful life – working the land in the clean air with no real outside-world distractions, but it is a hard life, although I’m sure very rewarding in many ways.  We lingered around the town a while, and then slowly worked our way back to town- strip-malls, beeping car horns and all.