7-24-19 Washington DC V & Charleston, WV

Some details I missed:

Lindy at the Bomb Burst spires

Looking up from the center of the spires

Missing Man Maneuver glass panel

The USAF Memorial at Arlington is beautiful.  The etched glass panel depicts one plane flying away from the formation, what the USAF calls the “Missing Man Maneuver.”  The tall monument of three spires represents a maneuver called the “Bomb Burst.”  Both of these maneuvers are performed by The Thunderbirds.  The “Bomb Burst” spires are 270 feet tall stainless.  If you stand on the star at the center of the three spires and look up, it is easy to get dizzy.

As I mentioned, we were not allowed to take pictures inside the Mt. Vernon home.  Why remains a mystery.  Anyway, the home is not furnished with “period” furniture to represent what “it might have been like.”  The Washingtons’ original furnishings are there, including the bed that George lie in when he died.  Martha’s heart broke when George died.  In the tradition of the time, she closed up the bedroom after his death and never went in there again, even though her writing desk was in there.  George had just finished writing out two versions of his Will.  The day he died, he asked that they be brought to him.  He kept one and ordered the other to be thrown in the fireplace in his bedroom, which they did.  His last words were, “’Tis well.” 

Rob demonstrating the
fan chair like George's

The chair Rob is sitting in is called a “fan chair.”  George Washington had one in his office at Mt. Vernon and it is still there.  You press simultaneously on the paddles beneath your feet and the fan waves back and forth.  Not exactly air conditioning but it moved the air around a little and kept flies off of your head, I guess.

CHARLESTON, WV

The state of VA was initially made up of all the counties of VA and WV.  When VA seceded from the Union, the northwest counties, loyal to the North, parted ways with the secessionists and started the process which would ultimately become the state of WV.  Abraham Lincoln approved the statehood of WV in 1863.  There have been several capitol buildings, the first two located in Wheeling.  In 1869, the capital was moved to Charleston and the third capitol burned down, naturally.  It was followed by a series of buildings until the one we see today was established and dedicated in 1932.  It is still a functional capitol building housing the Senate, the House and the Governor’s Office.  The dome is being refurbished right now and we couldn’t see it from the inside looking up.  So sadly, we couldn’t see the rather impressive 4,000 lb. chandelier in the dome.

I don't know what these plants are but
I thought they sure were pretty!

Rob, Senate Majority Leader

Lindy, House Speaker

Capitol in Charleston, WV

This is how you parallel park a
55 foot long train in the city

Thus concludes our capitol visits for this trip.  We have now chalked up 49 + the US capitol.  The one remaining is Honolulu, which will require oarlocks and a rudder on Noobee.  We are out of the oppressive heat and humidity of the east now and are camped at a nice park in Champaign, IL next to a lake where I just may go kayaking a little later.  The Red Lobster in town features walleye, which seems quite logical and more normal.  It is 82F out there with 54% humidity, considerably lower than what we have just waded through.  Tomorrow, we will head to the Kraus Family Reunion in Delavan, WI.  So I’m off the story-telling hook for a few days.  As Douglas said, “I shall return!”

This is how you conduct a
proper conference call