We decided to go to a model show in Maryland the last two weeks in April. We have taken all our vacations in motor coaches for the last 12 years, so we thought, why not? So, on April 15th, we left early in the morning. Through Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia and into Maryland. The host city for the convention was a medium sized town called Harve d’ Grace, near Aberdeen Proving Grounds. It was a really nice place, very quaint and with a couple of really good seafood restaurants known far and wide!

Bob, at one of the best restaurants, talking to Dave Harper on the phone!

 

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Susan above and below, with Cagney II and Evening Star who was only 5 months old but growing like a weed.

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We spent a lot of time walking around the downtown area and the residential streets. This is quite old for an American city, established in the 18th century.

At the show, we saw many of our old friends and acquaintances. Bob Kita for starters.

Chris Merseal, Moi and Armond Bayardi

David Doyle, the prolific author of military books and other subjects.

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Brock Hopkins a Mastercon regular!

Gene Bagnoli, a long time customer and friend.

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Bob giving Star a potty break during the show.

Chris “Panzer” Mrosko, a long time friend, ex-business partner and now with New World Miniatures. He looked like he had lost about a hundred pounds! Good for him!

Chris’ wife Nancy ran the vendors table with Manny Rodriquez, a great guy!

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Pat Stansell, long time friend, Owner of Ampersand Publishing, playing Napoleon!

Taesung Harms owner/operator of Alpine Miniatures.

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I will post the models of AMPS in another blog. Aberdeen armor museum as well.

After the show, we drove to Washington D.C. I was stationed here while in the army in 1958. We have been back many times, but I really like this city, perhaps not the politics, but that is another story! We especially wanted to see all the new memorials as well as the Vietnam memorial. The last half dozen trips we were never able to get to that, so this was our first time seeing it as well.

Susan/dogs at the FDR Memorial

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There were waterfalls and stone work everywhere.

This monument remembered the soup lines of the Great Depression

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And the sculpture of FDR.

Then to the new Korean War Memorial

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Then off to the Vietnam memorial. This one is very emotional, more so than the others and I hadn’t realized it was as big.

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Although we have pics of Washington from back in the 50s coming all the way forward, I had to pop a shot of anything that we could see along our way.

Susan at the Basin with the Jefferson Memorial on the other side.

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The Mall and the Washington Monument. We parked the car by that.

Susan and the pups at the Lincoln Memorial.

The rear of the White House.

Our last stop in D.C. was the new WW II Memorial. It was huge, massive and appropriate.

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We also drove the short distance to Quantico Virginia where I attended the FBI Academy many years ago but also a Marine corps base and home of the new Marine Corps Museum.

Inside the atrium

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The displays were unusually very realistic. The figures looked as real as any I have ever seen. The lighting, graphics and general layout were absolutely stunning!

This was a Korean War display with a Pershing tank!

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A Vietnam scene with a soldier zipping up a body bag.

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The “Frozin Chosin” diorama One to One scale.

Howitzer Emplacement.

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Huey Gunship, Vietnam

Jeep and soldiers, Full Scale.

Symbolizing a Korean Marine.

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A Marine Sherman, Iwo Jima

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An LVT Diorama Full scale.

A WW I Marine machine gunner

VietNam era section

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An Ontos, the first “real” one I have ever seen.

WW II Stuart Tank.

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German Shepherd and handler in Vietnam

Susan and troop carrier aircraft

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A Wildcat running interference.

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After a week in the D.C. area, we left for the “Blue Ridge Skyway” which runs from northern Virginia southwest across the state across the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, overlooking the “Shenandoah Valley”. If you get the chance, take it. One of the most beautiful drives in America. We stopped at this overlook and many, many others! Breathtaking!

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Susan and the Pups by a waterfall.

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We arrives later that day in a valley beneath the Blue Ridge Mountains in a very nice little city that is very unique for American cities that size. It’s downtown area is just as though nobody here ever heard of a shopping mall. They have them as well, but the downtown area is even more vibrant! There is a huge Star on top of a mountain overlooking the city, so, naturally we drove up there and got nice photos of the city to boot!

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My personal favorite was a beautiful Japanese restaurant up on top of a hill called “Kabuki” I always thought that was the name of Japanese theater where men play all roles men and women. I guess it has some other meaning as well. It had three restaurants in one, Hibachi, Tempura and Sushi. We ate there three nights and tried all three! We have eaten in the best restaurants in Tokyo, Kyoto and Shizuoka and this was the best anywhere we have ever eaten. The only pics we got was in the Sushi Bar.

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After three days there, we left for home and drove straight through the 700 miles.

The trip was like a great bottle of wine! This was a Pinot Noir!

Bedebedebede, That’s All Folks, 

Had a great time. Pics of AMPS Models and Aberdeen tanks will be on another post.

See: “Aberdeen Tanks and AMPS Models 2009″ to be posted tomorrow.