The Lost Generation

This year is the hundred year anniversary of the “War to End all Wars”. The spark that caused the conflagration more commonly known as World War 1 was the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austria-Hungarian throne. Ferdinand and his wife were shot by Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia on June 28, 1914. If you travel to Sarajevo you can see footprints etched in the sidewalk where Princip, a hero to the Yugoslav cause, fired his weapon and changed the world.

Princip's footprints

The ensuing diplomatic crisis from the assassination evoked international alliances forged by countries over decades and in a month the world was at war. The four year conflict between the Allied and Axis Powers quickly ground to a halt with trench warfare that saw the use of heavy artillery, machine guns, chemical weapons, barbed wire and, for the first time tanks and airplanes, all with deadly efficiency. Seventy million military personnel became embroiled in WWI and the world suffered at least 37 million military and civilian casualties.  Such bloodshed and devastation had never before been experienced at this scale and it had a lasting effect on the world, giving rise to a disaffected core of young men who were disillusioned after what some historians have termed an aimless, stupid war.

Gertrude Stein called them a “Lost Generation”.

The United States remained neutral even after the Lusitania was sunk by German U-Boats in 1915 with the loss of 128 American lives, but after January 1917 when the Germans sunk a number of U.S. merchant ships, war was declared on the Axis powers.  The American Expeditionary Forces, more commonly known by the enduring nickname “Doughboys” made a difference in the war. Major battles included Cantigny, Belleau Wood, St. Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. In 1 ½ years of fighting the AEF suffered nearly 53,000 battle deaths and over 200,000 wounded.

Varied memorials to the veterans were erected in communities across the country as they welcomed home their wounded and honored their dead. The most common statue from the time is “The Spirit of the American Doughboy” created by a sculptor from Indiana, E.M. Viquesney. It is his most enduring and well known work and according to his records he created upwards of 300 of this statue, although this number may have been inflated by Viquesney. The statue is of a doughboy walking into “No Man’s Land”, that area between the trenches. Tree stumps and barbed wire are at his feet. He holds a grenade in his right hand over his head and a bayonetted carbine in his left. He has a square gas mask pouch on his chest, a backpack and wears a flat steel helmet. The details of the soldier are uniform through the various versions Viquesney created, either in copper, stone or zinc.

Though this detailed statue shows him approaching battle a Viquesney quote said: “I do not

SPIRIT

urge the building of war memorials to perpetuate war, but to impress on American Youth the desirability of peace.”

Other similar statues of the American Doughboy were erected, but it is Viquesney’s that is the most common. Production of the statue began in the 1920’s through to the mid-30’s. Some no longer exist, others have been moved or some are missing parts of the statue. In all 30 states had claimed a Viquesney statue at one time. Active restorations continue by those dedicated to the ubiquitous doughboy and a listing of the whereabouts of the Viquesney (and other) doughboys can be found on various websites as well as the Smithsonian. But, because Viquesney left an incomplete listing of where his doughboys were sent, no one knows for sure how many are there and some doughboy statues are mistaken for Viquesney’s.

VIQUESNEY DOUGHBOY DATABASE

This year, as part of the Wounded Warrior Project, Tour of Honor will ride in search of all of Viquesney’s Doughboys, and hopefully find a few not listed in any database. Regardless, this AMA (American Motorcycle Association) sanctioned Tour of Honor is a way some honor our heroes and help contribute to veterans’ causes. It begins April 1.

TOUR OF HONOR

We at VFH chose to honor our fallen heroes in a different way. Nothing will get me on a motorcycle, but I shall endeavor to visit known Viquesney Doughboy sites in at least New Jersey. There are eight, mostly on municipal grounds or small parks at intersections. Come back for our ride and perhaps you can too honor our American Doughboys.

For The Birds

Just south of the Pennsylvania border the broad Susquehanna River empties into the Chesapeake Bay. Creating electricity from the flow of this river that has its headwaters in Ostego Lake at Cooperstown, New York, is the Conowingo Dam. Route 1 travels over the dam and although the Conowingo is not a proud edifice like the Hoover, it is quite the tourist attraction. Bald Eagles are readily seen fishing the waters beneath the dam, mostly from mid-October through January. It is the greatest gathering of Bald Eagles east of the Mississippi. During the peak viewing times hundreds of these majestic birds can be seen at one visit, although lesser numbers of eagles can still be seen throughout the rest of the year. Several species of gulls, heron and vultures can be readily seen as well, but it is for the Bald Eagles that people visit the Conowingo.

(C) Baltimore Sun

Birders and photographers gather here on a daily basis and there is quite a culture built up around the Bald Eagles. A google search of the Conowingo Dam reveals how popular (and free) this destination is to curious onlookers as well as professional-looking photographers. There is even a Facebook page devoted to the Conowingo Bald Eagles. Don’t fret! Although your lens may not be as big as those who gather to snap action shots of this symbol of America, you must not feel inadequate. The Conowingo is worth visiting even if you are just hauling out an instamatic.

VISITORS GUIDE TO THE BALD EAGLES AT CONOWINGO DAM

ANOTHER BALD EAGLE LINK

HANFORD BIRD CLUB

When the Conowingo releases water to generate electricity with their turbines fish get trapped in the mechanisms above the dam and get sluiced through to the other side, often dazed and disoriented. Red caution lights alert the birds the turbines are opening and the fantastic display of nature begins. This is the prime time to view the birds as they are the most active. It is possible to time your visit with the release of water by calling the Conowingo Dam “hot-line” at: 888-457-4076.

 

Conowingo Dam, looking south

There are two places to watch, either down near the water at Fisherman’s Park or along the fence line across from the island and the twin power towers, although you can also sit in your car and catch glimpses. Be sure to back into the spot. Be sure too to dress warmly and to take food for the invariably long wait. There are picnic tables and portable toilets, but nothing else, so arrive prepared. The entrance to the viewing area is on the south side of the river. The street off Route 1 is Shuresville Road then a left onto Shuresville Landing Road.

I missed the release of water that day when I recently visited the dam. The edifice itself was impressive and gulls swirled in the air and vultures perched on the dam itself, but I did not see a Bald Eagle. Just a few photographers remained and they were talking among themselves about their craft. They snickered at me when I hoisted my flip phone to snap a picture, but I ignored them. It was a mild day and I walked the grounds and read about the fish elevators that bring spawning fish upstream and about the tours that the Conowingo Dam authority had recently started up again after 12 years and the efforts to renew the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license for the 85 year old hydro-electric plant, which will expire on September 1, 2014.

On the way to the Conowingo Dam I stopped for snacks at the Herr’s Factory tour and outlet. It’s just a few miles north of the Mason-Dixon Line in Nottingham, Pennsylvania and directly off the highway. I didn't time the tour well either and did not wait for the next one. Instead I stocked up on supplies and snacked on some chocolate covered pretzel sticks as I visited the Conowingo. The Herr's store is open Monday through Thursday 9 a to 3 p and Fridays for two hours, 9 a to 11 a.

Commando Time Is Over

Despite shivering away the days as winter rapidly approaches us in the Northeast, Team VFH remains resolute. Summer soon will come again; although not soon enough. Winter never holds much more appeal than football season and hot chili. We’re not skiers or ice skaters, and after the initial ooh and ah of a glorious autumn spiked with colorful leaves, we are left with a rapid descent into darkness and cold temperatures.  

UGH.       

I hate winter

The allure of the holiday season is short-lived. The stress of Christmas shopping and the amateur night antics of New Year’s Eve makes this year-end stretch difficult. Even toasty fireplaces lose their charm after a time and who has money to escape to warm climes for a weekend? Certainly we don’t have that latitude and so we are stuck with the winter doldrums and our only respite is of fond memories from last summer and planning summer dalliances for next year.

Ah! Last summer was wonderful and exceptional. You may remember fair reader that your favorite cheapskates went on an extended road trip through the lowcountry of South Carolina. Memories of great food, wide beaches and warm water makes facing winter all the more grim. After wonderful stops in Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, Charleston and Beaufort, we headed out to Hilton Head Island for a week with friends.

Hilton Head was so very different that the rest of South Carolina. Our hosts in Hilton Head, Sally and Dave, are charter members of Team VFH, but they are less inclined to travel on the quick as our pocketbooks dictate. We need to sniff out deals, but our hosts are star-bellied Sneetches comparatively. Thankfully Team VFH leader, Janet, is a long time bosom buddy with Sally so they gladly overlooked our relative poverty and invited us into their summer home at Hilton Head.

Hilton Head breathes affluence. It is a rich person’s golfing mecca as there are a gazillion courses to play in the area. Human forms of star-bellied Sneetches on Hilton Head Island are often represented by denizens wearing plaid pants and toting a putter everywhere, even into the supermarket. Multi-million dollar homes are often torn down by new buyers to erect better abodes in sequestered gated communities called “plantations”.

I love summer

After having traveled the length of South Carolina lowcountry, skirting the shoreline, Hilton Head was certainly a change for your intrepid explorers. Since Hilton Head is in South Carolina one would think the genteel arms of southern hospitality would embrace us while there, but those attitudes quickly dissipated. It’s not that people weren’t nice, it’s just that things were more quickly paced as visitors scurried to their tee times or meal reservations. Plus the charm and culture of the lowcountry was somewhat missing at this vacation destination. Gullah culture, like basket weaving or delicious shrimp and grits, prevalent throughout the area practically vanished on Hilton Head Island, or, when found on the plantations it had an almost “Disneyland” quality to the presentation, as if visitors needed to be reminded where they were vacationing. Of course examples of this purest form of West-African culture can be found on HHI, but one will have to get off the plantation and look for it. Here's a link that may help if you are so inclined. If you decide to travel only to Hilton Head and nowhere else in South Carolina, take a day to explore this rich and enduring history.

Gullah Culture on Hilton Head

Conversely, Team VFH's HHI vacation last summer was in two parts, two separate, completely different vacations in South Carolina. Our trip began at the Grand Strand of Myrtle Beach and Murrells Inlet and continued through the charming cities of Charleston and Beaufort and the surrounding countryside. We ate and explored the culture of the area at a leisurely though determined pace, and there was much to see. Upon our arrival on Hilton Head we settled, quickly, into relaxing mode and our exploring ended. Of course, we did get to experience a different culture in Hilton Head, but it was moneyed and tony. Most of the people we encountered were not from South Carolina. The island, off the plantations, was fast-paced. It was an expensive beach town/island with lots of shopping and golf courses, but there was no “city” or “town square”. Though it was in South Carolina, South Carolina was not necessarily found in Hilton Head. It could have been anywhere, but it just happened to be located on this beautiful sneaker-shaped South Carolinian sea island.

And, it was beautiful. Overlook all the “nuances” that made Hilton Head so very different than the rest of the lowcountry and you are left with a great place to vacation. Golf if you must, but with 12 miles of wide, sandy beaches Hilton Head was an absolute delight for this wannabe beachcomber. Although access to some of the beaches was private all of it was public, from the surf to the high water mark. There is ample parking for the day traveler as there are several areas that had meters, or you can purchase a day pass to the Sea Pine Plantation, our home for the week, for access to the south beach area and Harbor Town area.

Head Head Island beach particulars

The Atlantic here is warm and clean. Starfish and sand dollars are abundant and little sting rays frolic sometimes at the surf line. When it is low tide, the sand gets firm and flat and riding bikes is a great way to travel, although a head strong breeze makes the process a bit laborious.

There are several places to rent bikes for the day or the length of your stay on Hilton Head and I would highly recommend doing this if you decide to visit.  Our morning conversations were often about the low tide, and we would plan our daily ride along the shore accordingly. The island does cater to bikers as there are paths everywhere on Hilton Head and in Sea Pines, our vacation home for the week, trails allowed us to go anywhere without the use of a car. If not for the allure of some very good eating on HHI we would have never gotten into the car for the duration of our stay.

 

Star-bellied Sneetches we ain't

Yes, summer cannot return soon enough.

Be careful out there on New Year’s Eve…it’s amateur night

Love

Janet and greg

EXCUSES EXCUSES

If I have retained any followers of this travel blog after such a lengthy time between entries I must consider myself fortunate and I thank you all for returning to this little eddy in the wide world web. I’m actually embarrassed that I have not been more diligent in reporting on Team VFH’s antics this past summer which according to the calendar is now a distant memory.

Our time in Eden is fleeting and one must grasp each opportunity and live each day fully.  Sadly I am guilty of not abiding by this basic tenet.

‘Why!?’ You may ask.

Well, I could make up elaborate excuses. I can tell you I recently escaped from Somalian pirates after they boarded by yacht and held me for ransom for months without access to the internet.

I can tell you that as a die-hard NY Football Giants fan I have been deeply mired in a malaise throughout their six game losing streak and only now after two wins has my head begun to clear enough to consider writing.

I can tell you that work and the commuting to my jobs has been so demanding of me that I have had little time but to shit, shower, shave and eat before hurtling out the door to the next gig, even though in the past I have managed to complete two novels with the same vociferous, unabated work schedule.

I can tell you there was nothing worthy to chronicle here on the blog, that I have spent most of the past months leading effectively a hermit’s existence.

All of it is untrue…well maybe not the NY Giants part.

I will tell you that Team VFH’s expansive trip to South Carolina this past summer was so calming and relaxing that to this very day I am still in the clutches of serenity and given to sloth, which is very true.

Yes, I have been very lazy. I am embarrassed. It’s not much of an excuse, and, to simply blame it on South Carolina and the fun times we enjoyed there is an invertebrate shifting from the real culprit. To explain my laziness away and assess blame elsewhere is wrong and soon, hopefully very soon, I’ll get into the swing of things.

Come back would you? 

FAST AND FUROUS

Okay, things are slowing down a bit for your intrepid travelers. Most of the Brits have returned to England and Team VFH has started to sober up, or at least the D.T.’s aren’t so violent the past couple of days. Janet though hasn’t taken off her sunglasses for a week…

Now is a good time then to try and recollect our thoughts about this summer, before the next soiree in Delaware for the Labor Day Weekend.

I’ll try and work my way backwards!?

The two weeks that Janet’s extended family visited from England were crammed with activities. This was not their first visit to the colonies, but we were determined to show them as much as possible in the Philly area. Sadly, there’s never enough time and we were all feeling stressed with the nonstop activities over the course of the visit. We soon smartly jettisoned planned side trips to Boston or tubing on the Delaware River near my house as they were over ambitious in the time allowed. We did not want to risk making this visit unpleasant. Besides, the purpose of such trips is to commune with family and many days were spent paying visits and reconnecting with loved ones.

I know…sounds like Team VFH is getting mushy huh.

Well, between pub crawls and area excursions there were pleas to have us return to England next year. Team VFH is always thinking ahead; it’s good to have a place to stay.

We still did quite a bit. One day we introduced the Brits to the game of baseball. It was fun to explain the game when it seemed nothing was happening. (An extra bonus: The Phillies won the game, a rarity these days.) We took the SEPTA regional rail into the city, rather than drive all the way into Philadelphia. I recommend looking into a One Day “Independence Pass”. For $11.00 it allows unlimited travel on the regional rails, buses and the city’s subway system. That day we hopped on and off the subway to visit various parts of Philadelphia after the game and it saved us a lot of money. I also recommend going to the stadium early, but not to watch batting practice, but to visit the Xfinity live center. It is a confluence of bars and restaurants. Victory brewing company, a favorite of Team VFH, has a brew pub there.

We spent a number of days at the Delaware beach. Friends have a rather opulent beach house there and they graciously opened their home to us. Our mini vacation included a day of surf fishing, (We landed a small sand shark and a couple of Croakers, although I thankfully caught nothing!) and a pub crawl in Lewes, Delaware. I recommend having margaritas in the upstairs lounge at Agave.

We got flagged at the Trappe Tavern one night. This level of penalty is difficult to attain at the Trappe, which conveys a party atmosphere in its lively confines. I think it was because members of our party were dancing when there was no music being played. We did manage to steal a couple of glasses as souvenirs and play a number of spirited games of Cornhole! The food is reasonably priced and they offer a fine selection of beers. I recommend buying a beer inside in order to get a glass and then find a seat at the outside bar.

The Trappe Tavern 

Another ambitious trip was to drive to Gettysburg. This year is the 150^th anniversary of this Civil War battle and it was a nice slice of American history to experience. It was our intent to drive back to Janet’s home along route 30 to see Amish people cavorting about, but our little party spent the entire day at this historic site. For the first time we “toured” the battlefield and visited the museum and the panoramic painting that depicts the infamous Pickett’s charge on that fateful third day of the battle. We considered buying into a bus tour, but discovered cd’s were for sale in the bookstore that explained the actions of the three day affair while in the comfort of our car. The cd was just $27.50 as opposed to 30+ dollars each for the bus and we were able to stop and walk around at various sites. It is well worth the visit.

After a number of visits to local pubs and more drinking on the back deck of Chez Janet and parties thrown by friends it was time for the Brits to go home and time for us to sober up!

I'M WALKING HERE....

This has been a summer of fun, friends and family. Your glorious moochers have been non-stop in the revelry department since June and it is with sincere apologies offered for our lack of sharing our experiences with you, our fair and glorious readers. You may digress here and say that you read our blog for the deals and the cheap thrills and finds and you don’t really care about our “experiences”.

To that I say: “I’m walkin’ here…”

 

Fun & games at the Devil's Den

That has been our battle cry these past two weeks. Janet’s extended family from England has been visiting the colonies and for some unknown reason Colin and I have adapted this famous scene from the film Midnight Cowboy for all situations and we utter it at the slightest provocation and usually loud enough for all to hear. We’re walking through Philadelphia to go to a Phillies game and drivers know what we’re doing. We order a beer someplace and we say, again loudly, “We’re drinking here….”  We’re surf fishing in Delaware, poles courtesy of dear friends Carl and Jill, and over the pounding froth of the waves you could hear us cry, “We’re fishing here….”  Touring the vast battlefield of Gettysburg we’re looking down the barrels of cannon and saying…  well, you get the picture. We’re a couple of knuckleheads….

We’re having loads of fun and we are not slowing down.  

Don't worry... we are careful crossing the streets. As soon as we sober up we'll write more!

Thanks for your patience!

greg and Janet

Fear and Loathing of Hilton Head?

Okay. This sounds ridiculous, but I now have a greater appreciation of Hilton Head after a week there. Previously I held it in little regard and would NEVER have considered visiting this large Sea Island on the South Carolina coast.

After all, it’s considered a golfing mecca.  There’s like a gazillion golf courses on Hilton Head and the surrounding area.  For this humble guy who writes a travel blog about being cheap, my golfing is regulated to wind-milled courses with decaying plastic fairy tale figurines.

After all, Hilton Head is a rich person’s paradise. Though I have champagne tastes, I have a beer barrel pocketbook. Throughout our preparations for this impending trip, Janet had me worried about my wardrobe. Normally I’m a t-shirt guy who throws on an Aloha shirt to dress up (ironing not required). That would not work in Hilton Head. Plus, being a cheap SOB brings out the Napoleonic complex in me; I will never earn the money required to be a “resident” of Hilton Head and I feel those who do can see it plain as the stain on my Piggly Wiggly t-shirt. More on that later and I’m not talking about more stains.

After all, Hilton Head is a ménage of people from all over. I was concerned that our trip to South Carolina would end abruptly as soon as we crossed over to Hilton Head; that the attitudes would get sharper and the genteelness would dissipate. South Carolina had been an easy, meandering ride. There was much history and beautiful views and phenomenal food so far in our vacation. I did not expect as much from Hilton Head.

Instead, I expected people wearing ugly colored golf pants and driving everywhere in golf carts. I expected tuxedos being worn in the overpriced super markets and having to pay an arm and a leg for sub par food in the island’s restaurants.

Right about now my fair readers of Vacations From Home I hope you are metaphysically bitch-slapping me. Fer crying out loud, you’re probably thinking, they got a free vacation in of all places Hilton Head; a luxurious destination for most, and yet Greg is complaining…. Quit your griping!

I hear you… I get off on these tangents.

Without hesitation, and despite my childish worries, the week Team VFH spent on Hilton Head was a positive and fun stay with dear friends. Janet remarked more than once that she had never seen me so relaxed and I have to admit that she was correct. There were so many pluses to our visit that I would give them short shrift if I tried to enumerate them here; I shall save that for future entries! Each day I would pronounce the day as one of the Top Ten of my life, which became a running joke with us as the week progressed, but truthfully Hilton Head was a joyful experience. Indeed, the old adage of “Judge a book by its cover, and you get a paper cut,” was never truer than with Hilton Head.

  

Now, mind you I am so relaxed, that I have been lax in these entries. Sigh… I will write more about our visit and here are some of the items I will cover in future entries of Vacations From Home. Hope you’ll return.

PRE-HISTORY

SEA PINES PLANTATION

HARBOUR TOWN

BIKING

BEACH

RESTAURANTS

PIGGLY WIGGLY