Potomac Blues

Manassas DC Smithsonian Emitsburg – CLICK 4 SHOW

By Mike Reed
Due to the close down of the time warp continuem for Brother Bob E. and his return to present day CA. along with Brother Mike P. We start the day Saturday on the fields of Gettysburg PA. with a new scribe and a flat LR tire on the wagon.
Avis summons “Dicks Tow” from somewhere on the Mason Dixon Line (at least that’s what his cap said) so I knew he it would be alright. We would complete the journey on a small donut tire. (not very manley) Nothing specific was found but rumor spread that we took a Minnie Ball near Little Round Top with the 20TH Maine. A new itinery had developed with the closing in for the Dulles drop off. So we completed our last battlefield that actually was the first major engagement at Bull Run or Manassas. There were two battles here a year apart 1862 and 63 with both losses for the Union. Some Re-enactors were present here (Rebs) from the 14th Tennessee. They had come from TN. To participate with 370. Never returned home and stayed for all the major fighting in the east. After Longstreet’s Assalt (preferred over) Pickett’s charge at Gettysburg, They had three men left. Manassas is where Thomas Jackson got the name Stonewall! The day was a warm one. After about an hour and a movie (one of the nicer visitor centers) we proceeded to the new Air and Space Museum at Dulles. Three and a half hours later we emerged after seeing the Enterprise Space Shuttle, a retired Concorde, the Enola Gay. numerous fighters, space stuff, hang gliders and craft of every description. Everything that doesn’t fit at Air and Space in the Smithsonian on the Mall in DC. This place opened after 2003 and is huge and most excellent. What a way to bring us out of the past and back to the future. We experience separation axienty by saying goodby to our comrades in arms at the airport and return our Chev uplander in at Reagan national.
We now experience the DC Metro. Going to our lodging near Dupont Circle. We emeged with helicopter coverage and sirens wailing. It’s the George W. motorcade on Conneticut Ave. going to the Washington DC Press Dinner at the Hilton. This is the event of the spring and everyone is going to be at this one. So, after our dinner at Anna Maria’s Italian Restaurant with (a 1 minute wait, a window seat and excellent food), we return to witness the dinner exiting. A List of celebrity sightings follows: Adriana Huffington with escort Jeffrey Katzenberg, Leslie Stahl of 60 Minutes, CA. Jerry Brown. We said Hi! Californians here… Former Senator and actor Fred Thompson, Steve Forbes of Flat Tax fame (took photo) Bill Plant and of course Kathie Courick. Numerous faces that will now take weeks to remember and analyze, Ho-Hum. We climb into bed after midnight with memories of how our tax dollars are being spent. This is Washington!



As usual its is very late at night on the east coast for posting this. The Prez just finnished speaking at the hotel a coupple of blocks from mine in D.C.