Days 34 - 37: Indianapolis - Animals, Gardens, Storm Bomb & Barbie

Saturday, October 23rd: Travel day to Indianapolis, IN

Before leaving the KOA Middlebury, Ole Dave, the camp caretaker, told us we absolutely had to go by the Rise N' Roll Bakery for breakfast. The only way we could fit in breakfast "out" on a travel day was to get our act together the night before and get up early. We pulled out of the campground at 8:30! This wasn't quite early enough, as the Rise N' Roll Amish bakery was loaded with tour buses. Sigh. Don patiently waited in line to order breakfast while I wove my way around customers in the store picking up eggs, bread, and homemade noodles. Don was entertained while waiting in line by the Amish teen girls working in the back of the bakery. They were singing beautiful a capella hymns while mixing huge vats of dough. Ole Dave even told us what to get for breakfast - sausage bread covered with sausage gravy and a Bavarian cream donut for me. I got the donut to go. Time to get the "h" out of Dodge, as we are turning into Oompaloompas. I did share my donut with Don, which was a true act of love, as this was a donut like you never had before! We might have been tempted to turn back around and stay in Middlebury/Shipshewanna just for the food, but we'd probably be contestants on The Biggest Loser within the year.

Travel was easy and we pulled into the Indianapolis KOA around 3:30. We're finding more campgrounds out in big converted fields, with RV next to RV. We're missing trees, rivers, bike paths and that "special" something that we found in NH, NY, Canada and PA. The campground was clean, had all the basics and our site had a gravel pad. We biked around the campground to work off some of that heaven-made donut.


Sunday, October 24th: Indianapolis Zoo and White River Gardens

Indianapolis brought out the "kid in us" for some reason and we decided to get outside and go to the zoo. It was a ZooBoo Day, where little kids dressed in their costumes and collected candy, while viewing the animals. We went as ourselves, thus no candy. The Indy Zoo is an older zoo, but they have kept it updated and had many new exhibits, with more to come. The zoo was decorated for Halloween, which made it an extra-special day. Having been former members of the Bronx Zoo in our NY days and having spent many weekend afternoons there, it was neat to see some of the same animals in different settings. The rhinos were more up-close and personal here, so I watched them for quite awhile. Poor guys, with such big, heavy horns - no wonder they are always keeping their heads down, looking at the ground. I don't remember seeing storks before, so that was fun, along with the beautiful flame-pink flamingos. Another favorite was the ring-tailed lemurs, playing around on their own little island. One little guy was in the Halloween spirit, carving a pumpkin. The meerkat stood up and checked us out - maybe his favorite pastime.

We did find Nemo, the clown fish!!!

Four hours in the zoo was enough and we enjoyed the walkabout, but we needed some adult calm to restore our souls. White River Gardens, next door to the zoo and part of our admission ticket, was calling to us. This small botanical garden was the perfect ending to a pleasant Sunday. We sat in the glass-enclosed conservatory to soak up the kid-less quiet among the plants and displays. They had a bottle tree in one area and I thought of Anne McCandlish, a neighbor on Mountain Drive, as she has created a few trees/bushes. I did not know the story behind the bottle tree (see pix below), did you? The boxwood knot gardens were new to us and really fun. After an hour stroll and the doors closing behind us, we took our serene-selves back to camp.

Time to save our favorite used wine bottles? 

Knot Garden

Chillin' Frog

Monday, October 25th - R & R/Workday at Campground

Everyday can't be a play day, as there are still bills to pay, campground/travel planning, blog updates, grocery shopping, calls to make and just some plain old downtime. Today was a needed life organization day; not thrilling, but necessary.


Tuesday, October 26th - Bomb Storm and Children's Museum

A bad weather forecast for today kept us in Indianapolis an extra day. Don was listening to the local weather on TV as I was having my morning coffee in bed. He calmly said, "Lin, I think you need to get up and get dressed, as we may need to leave the trailer quickly." I threw on some clothes, we put P.T. in her carrier and all headed up to the camp store. I spoke with a few fellow campers on our way to the store and I was surprised they didn't know of the pending storm and tornado warnings. Don even knocked on our nearest neighbor's motor home and woke them up. They joined us in the store.

The storm, later called "A Weather Bomb," was moving over land at 80 miles an hour with winds gusting to 75 mph!  It was spawning tornadoes all over Indiana. This was a historic, record setting storm with a low pressure reading equivalent to a category 3 hurricane! The last thing we wanted to do was stay in the trailer as it rocked and rolled. The end of the trailer took the brunt of the wind, which was better than it hitting side-on and possibly flipping it. There were evening news reports of destruction in our area near Greenfield, but we weathered it just fine hanging out in the cinder-block, two-windowed camp store.

Dark sky shows approaching storm and bending trees. Four-Bit is little trailer in background off nose of red car.

Since the day was gloomy and rainy, we thought a museum would be a good escape. Two days in the small trailer is a bit much and you can only sit so long. Someone told us the Children's Museum is really great and not-for-kids only. We asked when we paid our admission if we could rent a child, but they were all gone. Too bad we couldn't have had granddaughter Ella for the day. The museum claims to be the biggest and best children's museum in the world and it is kid-geared for sure. Think of what kids like and they had it - dinosaurs, trains, doll houses, planetarium, Skeletown (haunted house for Halloween), carousel, history of computer games (Pong, PacMan, etc.), Hall of Mirrors, etc. Our favorites were a special exhibit on Life in Egypt, History of the Barbie Doll and Celebrating the Power of the Child. The Dale Chilhuly blown glass tower, biggest blown glass sculpture in the world, was mighty impressive, too. We laid on a rotating couch to look up at the floating blown glass floor, with the rising sculpture above it. [Connie, remember going to the Chilhuly exhibit in Florida together a few years back? Helped me to know what artist's work was on display here.] By the time we left, the sun was out in full force and all memories of the scary morning storm forgotten.

The dinosaurs want to come to the Chilren's Museum, too.

Looking up from the couch to the floating floor - all blown glass.

Tower of blown glass. Note the floor levels to get a perspective to size.

Don taking Ella's place at Teddy Bears Tea Party.

Barbie came out in 1959, too late for my youth, but big for our daughter, Shana.

Muffy, is this Gigi's relative? Indianapolis carousel dates back to 1917.

Hall of Mirrors or are we caught back up in the Psychedelic 60's?

Days 32 & 33: Museums, Fab Food and More

Thursday, October 21 - RV/MH Museum & Das Dutchman Essenhaus

Recap of where we are camping.

Now that our trailer is fixed and we are settled in a really nice campground, we can go play. Don has been looking forward to seeing the RV/Motor Home Museum in Elkhart, so off we go. It was interesting seeing the progression and improvements to outdoor camping life over the past century. Old campers had tents in the back of vehicles with sleeping accommodations; some boxy, heavy RVs, wood paneled interiors, with a woodstove and kerosene lamp; a small Airstream; a Teardrop; Mae West's custom trailer, etc. By the end of our visit, we were thankful for the newer improvements to campers and RVs and even though many wood paneled campers were beautiful, the orange, turquoise, olive green interiors RVs of our youth, left much to be desired.

1928 Pierce Arrow Fleet Housecar

After leaving the museum, I wanted to drive into Michigan, as the border was only a few miles from Elkhart. Don was kind and humored me and now I can say I've been to Michigan.

It was around 4:00 and we had a big breakfast hours ago, so time for an early dinner. Locals told us we must try the Essenhaus in Middlebury - an Amish style restaurant and bakery. The special meats on the buffet for Thursday night were broasted (?) chicken and BBQ style spare ribs - $11.25. When planning our trip, Don and I decided that we were not going to make our travels about food. Retirement $$$$s were to be spent on admissions to see America and fast food chain restaurants were out - too unhealthy. When we do go out to eat, we search for the local hangouts - good food for reasonable prices and lots of local color. With that said, we went through the buffet line. Soup, cream of cauliflower, salad and rolls were the starter. Next we went back for the entrees. Don ended up eating TWO entire meals. After eating his ribs, mashed potatoes and veggie, he still had a lone chicken breast sitting on this plate. He returned to the buffet and added stuffing with gravy and a cabbage veg medley to keep the chicken company. Finally to round out the meal, we shared a piece of pumpkin cake (light as a feather) with piles of fresh whipped cream! We rolled out of the restaurant.

We had one quick stop before heading back to the campground (and an after dinner stroll) at the local Hardings grocery store for a laundry detergent. This area is definitely Amish Country, claiming the second largest Amish population in the US. Actually, Lancaster, PA is #3. Cars in the parking lot at the grocery share spaces with the horses and buggies at the hitching rails. Now that was new to us!

Pix taken through the windshield of the truck.

Friday, October 22nd - Cheese, Cars, Bread Box & Davis Mercantile

Up early and out, as the Guggisberg Cheese Factory workers quit at noon. The food issue continues and we're starting to get worried.  We don't want to become a couple of hefty hummers because of all this Amish food. The cheese at Guggisberg is longhorn and stirred curd cheeses, winning an award at the 2000 World Cheese Maker's competition for the world's Greatest Colby. The samples were beyond belief and we came out with a few pounds of our favorites.

Next on the day's agenda was the Hostetler's Hudson Auto Museum in Shipshewana, IN. Don fondly remembers his Grandfather Bishop's Hudson and riding in the "kid's seat" in the back (actually a big armrest), so we had to go to the museum. This is the same grandfather whose house we visited in Emporium, PA, a few weeks back.

The Hudson Auto Museum was fabulous and we both fully enjoyed seeing the beautifully restored old cars. Surprisingly, this was more fun than the RV Museum. Maybe seeing shiny old cars is more fun than old RVs? We also met an older couple from Michigan and heard the story of a drag race between rival gangs, where the guy we were chatting with totaled his beloved 55 Chevy. What is the favorite car you owned?

1929 Hudson - My Favorite Pick

Note the etched glass! Such attention to detail!

Similar to Grandpa Bishop's car, except his was burgundy.

Excellent museum and a fun trip back in time, but now we were hungry. How can that be? Since we were in Shipshewana/Amish Country, we could have a good meal anywhere. We headed over to the Bread Box restaurant for lunch. I had a half of a chicken salad sandwich on homemade sourdough bread and a cup of vegetable soup loaded with all fresh veggies! Don and I split a piece of peach pie for dessert. We bought a pecan sticky bun for breakfast. Now we know we are getting into serious trouble....

The Davis Mercantile was near the Bread Box, so we wandered over and went through a number of unique stores in this four storied converted country general store. The fourth floor had a restored carousel.  We looked for Gigi's relatives (Muffy's carousel horse).   Not sure if we saw one or not, but it was a terrific merry-go-round.

Days 28 - 31: Recovery, Travel and SunnyBrook Trailer Repairs/Tour

Sunday, October 17th: An Extra Day at River's Edge, Connellsville, PA

Our campsite on the river was so fabulous and the weather prediction was so sweet, we just couldn't leave as planned. After two days of running around, Fallingwater and Waynesburg's Homecoming, we just wanted to hang around the campground. We did some travel planning, secured our next campground, worked on the blog and then headed out for some exercise on the bike path behind the campground. The Yough Bike/Hike Trail portion of the Great Allegheny Bike Trail is beautifully maintained.   We were told you can take it all the way to Washington, DC.  We met a few older folks who were heading that way on their bikes.  I guess they're in a bit better shape than we are.

After a number of miles on the trail, Don was still complaining about the uncomfortable seat on his bike. Since we were near town, we asked a couple if they knew how close we were to the bike shop that we had passed when we drove through town the day before. Lucky us, as the shop was on the trail about a half a mile away and open on Sundays. Don got a great new seat with springs.  Also found a  kickstand that he's wanted for about 30 years - very happy guy. We no sooner headed back down the trail when his derailleur  (???) spring broke and he could no longer shift. Okay, $90 later for all three new items and repairs, he was still a very happy camper feeling fortunate to have a bike shop so readily meet his "butt and gear" needs.

After getting back to the campground, Don made a fire and we sat and watched the world and the trains across the river go by. Another blessed and perfect day in Pennsylvania!

Look hard, you might see the train on the far side of the river.

Monday, October 18th: Cross Creek Camping Resort, Delaware, OH

Since we didn't do any prep work the night before to leave, we left Connellsville rather late, somewhere around 11:00. I was sad to leave River's Edge and today's drive was long and boring. The part of Ohio that we drove through was flat, mostly tree-less farmland and loaded with cookie cutter homes - newer developments with fancy names and not much space between good-sized houses. We stopped at a Cracker Barrel and got a book-on-CD, Lady Killer by Lisa Scottoline. Did you know about the Cracker Barrel deal? You pay for the recorded book in full, return it within the week at any Cracker Barrel down the road and they reimburse all but $3.49 for the rental fee. Their selection of books is lightweight, but the fast-paced storyline helped the miles fly by. Thank goodness.

Don said we'd go out for dinner, but we forgot that we did not want to unhook the truck from the trailer. This was our first one-night stand (one night only at a camp ground). We were in travel mode. We got to Cross Creek Camping Resort around 5:00. Don told me the "resort" word probably means more $$$, but in this off-season it was $27.90. Good deal. We pulled into a beautiful corner spot and set-up was fast, as we were doing minimal for this short stay.  We hopped on our bikes and toured around the campground checking out the many high-end campers and their Halloween decorations. There were many seasonal campers in this park. Five minutes into our ride, it started raining and never let up until morning.

As for dinner out, Don learned from the camp hostess of a pizza place that delivers to the campground. We can't even get pizza delivery at home, but at a campground? Pizza was great.

 

Tuesday, October 19th: Eby's Pines Campground, Middlebury, IN 

Because it was going to be a quick, easy exit, we had a big breakfast and got out late. With a five hour drive, a stop for a long lunch and two crazy times trying to get gas (one gas station's pumps did not work; a second station was too full to maneuver the truck and trailer around all the other cars), we did not get to Middlebury until 5:45. 

Crossing over into Indiana and seeing colorful trees, beautiful countryside and easy highway driving boosted our spirits. We thought of Elaine Eadler growing up here and attending Purdue. Looks like wonderful mid-America.  Middlebury is near Elkhart, in the north central part of the state about 8 miles from the Michigan state line.

We have learned that arriving late and an attitude issue go hand-in-hand. Don's attitude, that is. Eby's campground had no zing and was pretty deserted. With Halloween close at hand, camp spooks were lurking. We did the quick tour-by-bike around the park and had yet to find a better site, so we just settled in for the night, truck still attached to trailer.

Wednesday, October 20th: SunnyBrook RV Manufacturing, Middlebury, IN

We have now been on the road for a month!!!

Up early and still a little late for our 9:00 appointment at SunnyBrook, but not a problem. In previous entries we mentioned a few issues with our camper which we were hoping to get resolved at the source. After about an hour at the plant, Hank and Paul had taken care of every little problem - sink leaks, disconnected wire under the couch to an overhead light, plus we had a new, unstained spare tire cover. They also arranged for us to go to the axle manufacturer, eight miles down the road, to see if our tire wear was due to a faulty axle. We were pleased to hear that there the axles were in proper alignment, so not having balanced the tires sooner caused the tire wear. A lesson learned.

Jessica, the warranty and service woman at SunnyBrook, gave us a new campground suggestion, as well as some touring ideas for the area. Since the camper was still attached to the truck and we told Eby's Campground that we may or may not be back, we went in search for a nicer campground. This was our first experience at a KOA and we were pleasantly surprised. We were offered the site with the brand new deck and a pagoda campfire pit at the regular site rate. It was nice to be spoiled and be back at a campground that had a few people around. Between getting our trailer fixed, good news about the axle and finding a neater campground, we were in fine spirits.

We unhooked Four-Bit and returned to SunnyBrook for a 3:00 factory tour. Don was hoping to see how our Harmony trailer was made, but they were working on their bigger stick and tin, "price point" models, Edgewaters. Jeff, the guy giving the tour, was obviously proud of how SunnyBrook makes their RVs and he pointed out the differences in the construction of our light weight, aluminum tube frame and fiberglass, gel-coated trailer from what was currently being produced. It was a fascinating tour, lasting almost two hours. We left with the knowledge of what is behind, underneath, above and inside our camper. Pretty cool.

Successful day! We returned to the new campground and snuggled up next to the campfire with a whiskey sour and happy hearts.

Days 25 - 27: Connellsville, Mill Run and Waynesburg University, PA

Thursday, October 14th: From Gettysburg to River's Edge Campground, Connellsville, PA

Today was a travel day and it was raining as we left Gettysburg. Don donned :) his plastic poncho from the "Maid of the Mist" tour to break camp outside, as it was pouring. Not a pleasant exit. Fortunately the farther west we drove, the rain let up and the sun came out. Pennsylvania in the fall is beautiful, so the drive up and down over the mountains was a joy.

Many have asked how P.T., our cat, is adjusting to travel. P.T. is not known as a "sweet" kitty, but she has risen to the challenge of being on the road. Don & P.T. have started playing "Mouseball," their version of baseball every night before bed. P.T. gets up on the bed and Don pitches the tiny catnip mouse up in the air. P.T. leaps up and bats the mouse back at Don with her paw. I just watch and laugh at their game, as it is so cute. The plus side is that P.T. is getting some needed exercise.

P.T.'s favorite seat while traveling. She is wearing her traveling harness, but has yet tried to make a break for freedom.

We selected River's Edge Campground in Connellsville, PA, as it was midway between Fallingwater and Waynesburg University, two destination points. We arrived later afternoon and could not have been more pleased with this campground. Our site was right on the river, with a train track on the far side. As we pulled in, it started raining. We waited out the rain in the truck before setting up camp and were blessed with a rainbow.

After getting the trailer situated, we headed to the laundry and shower rooms. This was a travel/workday and we did not finish the laundry until 8:00 PM. Ugh. Dinner was late and we were pooped, as it turned out to be a really long day.

Friday, October 15th: Fallingwater, Mill Run, PA

We had a 1:00 PM reservation for a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's "Fallingwater," the country home he designed and built from 1936 to 1939 for the Kauffmann family (big department store owner in Pittsburgh). "Fallingwater" is Wright's most famous building, as it is built on top of a 30 foot waterfall. After reading the book Loving Frank, I did not have a sympathetic view of Frank Lloyd Wright and viewed him as an arrogant, pompous, self-centered charlatan. After seeing this house, his genius as an architect was undeniable. This house is over 70 years old and it is so unique and magnificent, with so many ingenious details. Frank never cared about money or budgets. The Kaufmann's wanted to spend $20 to $30,000 in Depression time dollars on their new vacation home. The final price was well over $100,000. The house is made of stone, concrete, steel and lots of glass windows. The many cantilevered verandas just hang out like diving-boards, secured by the stone base at the back. Our favorite area was the son's suite on the top, third floor. Frank was known for melding the outdoors with his structures, trying not to disturb nature. His son could lie in bed at night at easily look up and out at the stars and the moon. Windows surrounded two sides of his bed and overhead - cool. It was quite a get-away home and the tour was super.

 

Saturday, October 16th: Homecoming at Waynesburg College/University

We were up and out by 8:00 AM, as it was an hour drive west to Waynesburg and we were scheduled for a 9:30 campus tour. Waynesburg is about an hour below Pittsburgh. I attended Waynesburg College for three years - two years from 1965-1967, took a year off to work, and returned for my junior year, 1968-69. I had not been back since 1969, over 40 years! A few years ago, Waynesburg changed from a college to a university, as it now offers graduate courses.

Two things brought me back to Waynesburg this year - one of my favorite sorority sisters, Tina Tabb Adamson, was coming back for Homecoming Weekend, and we could easily make this a destination stop on our way to Indiana. I had not seen Tina since her wedding at Annapolis in 1969!

We were so glad we did the Waynesburg visit, as the whole day was absolutely perfect. The University has grown by leaps and bounds and had only gotten better. Beautifully set on a hillside over the town, the integration of many shiny new buildings with the standard old ivy towers (Hanna and Miller Hall), has been artfully done and landscaped around the parks. After the tour we met up with Tina, and another sorority sister, Deanie Blair Rameas for a delicious Alumni brunch. Then we found our way to the old, but refurbished football stadium for the homecoming game against Westminster College.

The weather was outstanding - sunny and warm without a cloud in the sky. The two teams were well matched and Waynesburg won when a fluky block of the point-after kick by Westminster failed to tie up the game. This was true Americana at its best! The students were well behaved - no swearing or booing - and everyone, including the trains that roared by blowing their horns as they traveled alongside the field, was having a great time. Okay, maybe not the Westminster crowd. Loved the short time I had with Tina and the few other old classmates that we ran into, and I do hope to see Tina again.

We took one more quick drive down the main street in Waynesburg, up to the campus and then headed back to our campground. I was so pleased to have made the effort to go see the college, as this was truly a place that I never thought I'd see again. Don and I both were smiling, as it was a great way to spend a retirement Saturday and all alumni were given the royal treatment. Can I go back to college?

Benny, Tina, Linda and Tim (guys were former Waynesburg football stars).

 

Lin and the mascot, Yellow Jacket

 

 

 

 

Final Score - We won!

Days 23 & 24: Gettysburg, PA - A Must See

Tuesday, October 12: Morning with Ginger & Lou and the Civil War

Don writes: 
The morning was clear and crisp, but warm enough to plan for breakfast outside. Visions of sardines and phone booth cramming had danced in our heads during the night as we worried that we would have to cram four of us in the trailer to keep warm for breakfast.  Now Linda would be able to fix a fancy meal - Maine blueberry pancakes accompanied by Taylor Pork Roll (it's a New Jersey thing) donated by cousin Sue DeCamp.  Really yummy!

Lou and Ginger arrived after touring the Civil War Cemetery behind their motel.  That was where Abe Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address.  Lou could have heard him from their room if they'd been 147 years earlier.  It's hard to imagine all the history that took place in this area!

As we finished Lin's scrumptious breakfast, we decided to do the first part of the Gettysburg Self-Guiding Auto Audio Tour before Ginger and Lou had to leave.  Popping the CD guide in the player, we hopped in the truck and started our tour on the west side of the battlefield where the Confederate troops had been positioned.  Being right there makes the battle come alive.

Gettysburg is a lot of open farmland with stone walls and cedar post fences.  Hills and large rocks make for an unsettled countryside with high spots that were used by the opposing armies to gain tactical advantage.  70,000 Confederates and 80,000 Union troops faced each other across about a mile of largely open space.  On the third and last day of the battle, using old tactics developed before guns became more accurate, 12,000 rebels attacked in a line that stretched a mile from north to south.  The Union forces raked them with cannon fire until they got within rifle range.  The Union infantry then opened fire.  There was no place for the Confederates to hide so they kept moving forward.  In spite of their terrible losses, the southerners almost breached the federal lines.  But "almost" wasn't enough and the south had to retreat. 

Lou & Ginger check out smooth bore cannon.

Confederate General Robert E. Lee realized that he had lost too many men to continue fighting the next day.  General Meade, the Union commander, knew that he couldn't counter-attack because his troops were exhausted and he'd lost too many men.  The Confederacy had lost this crucial battle in what became a turning point in the war.

As the four of us looked out over the Gettysburg countryside dotted with monuments and cannons, listening to the audio tour with its background sound effects of cannon and musket fire, I was amazed at the scale of this battle.  This is a big area!  I can't even imagine how the Confederate troops must have felt marching across the open fields heading toward the Union troops holding the high ground. With cannon shot raining over them followed by the withering musket fire from the infantry behind the stone walls and rocks above them, it must have been terrifying. 

Eternal flame monument.

There were monuments everywhere - all kinds, all shapes - honoring all the different state units that fought in the Civil War.

 

By the time sister and brother-in-law had to leave, we had completed about a third of the tour.  It had been enough to give all of us an idea of what the Battle of Gettysburg had been like.  Made the 4 hour drive to Yonkers, NY, that Gin and Lou were facing seem like a cake-walk.

Linda and I grabbed lunch in the trailer and hung around the campground until late afternoon when we went back to continue a few more stops on the audio tour.  Ended with a beautiful sundown at Little Round Top, the scene of some fierce fighting on the last day of the Gettysburg battle.  That put us in the mood for ice cream so we stopped in town for a milkshake and a couple of scoops.  Nice way to end the day.

Wednesday, October 13 - The Gettysburg Visitor Center

Quiet moment with Abe outside the visitor center.

Another sunny, beautiful day to run around the Gettysburg area.  First stop was the new (3 years old) Visitor Center and museum, a beautiful place designed to look like some of the period farmhouses and barns.  We saw the 20-minute movie about the Civil War and the battle of Gettysburg narrated by Morgan Freeman.  That was followed by a viewing of the Cyclorama oil painting that was completed in 1884 by a french artist and his assistants. It has been completely restored within the last ten years and is now permanently on display at the visitor center. The Cyclorama painting is 42' high and 375' long and is displayed in a 360 degree round gallery.  It depicts the third and last day of battle of the Gettysburg campaign.  The detail is amazing! Remember back in the late 1800's, this was a way of showing people an epic event, as cameras were relatively new (really rough black & white photos). They did use lights and sound to add to the effect of the battle.

Part of the painting - You walked in a full circle to get the full effect.

Another view of the battle in the painting.

After seeing the Cyclorama, we spent a couple hours in the museum looking at Civil War artifacts and watching short videos covering various aspects of the battle.  There was a lot to see and the displays covered the personal sides of the soldiers and their families as well as the military side of the battle. 

We got lunch at the Visitor Center before heading out to complete the audio tour of the battlefield.  I continued to be in awe of the bravery of the men who fought at Gettysburg.  There's just no way that I would want to go running up a hill at guys hiding behind stone walls shooting miniballs at me.  On the other hand, I wouldn't want to be one of the Union soldiers behind the walls looking at thousands of Confederates screaming the rebel yell running directly at my position.

Joshua Chamberlain led the 20th Maine at Gettysburg.

20th Maine Monument.

Pennsylvania has the biggest and most expensive of all the monuments. Each PA soldier's name is listed around the base.

By the time we completed the tour, we had learned a lot about one of the pivotal battles of the Civil War.  This is definitely a place we would recommend for a visit (or revisit if you haven't been here for years).  When we got back to the campground, I got a campfire going, mixed some drinks, and we enjoyed our last night in Gettysburg.