This morning, after being roused by an early alarm clock, we had a hurried breakfast and rushed to the Franconia-Springfield Metro stop to meet Andrea "Lehigh" Diehl. Lehigh is a friend of ours from our days at Colorado State University. After college she married Brian Diehl, who had been my roommate at the Beta house and again at the University of Edinburgh. (Kids, the Beta house was at 801 S. Shields in Fort Collins. Swing by there when I'm 70 and let me what is there). We travelled with Lehigh and her daughter, Delaney, to the National Archives so that our clan could visit the Rotunda and see, with our own eyes, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. After visiting so many sites from the Revolutionary War, and especially Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and Constitutions were signed, and Congress Hall, where the Bill of Rights were enacted, it was important to close the loop by seeing the actual documents. I was somewhat shocked to see how faded the Declaration of Independence has become. You could hardly tell there was anything written on the parchment. Jll and Lehigh were constantly hounded by security while we were in the Rotunda. They let about fifty people in at a time, and you mill about without any real order until you've had your fill. Jll and Lehigh left two strollers at the bottom of the stairs where we had been in line to enter the Rotunda. A few minutes after we entered, we heard security calling for the owners of the strollers to retrieve them and bring them up into the Rotunda. They were politely asked to set them aside on top of the stairs. About ten minutes later, we heard security calling again for the owners of the strollers, telling them this time to just keep the strollers with them. The kids and I got a laugh out of the situation by announcing stroller security breaches wherever we went for the next half hour. Lehigh packed a lunch for her family and ours, and we ate together at the café in the National Archives before heading back out onto the streets.
The next stop was the Smithsonian Museum of American History. I wanted to see the newly redisplayed flag which had flown over Fort McHenry and which inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the Defence of Fort McHenry, which was later set to music and became the Star-Spangled Banner. Even though we missed seeing Fort McHenry in Baltimore I wanted to see the flag, and it was impressive. I appreciate that kids spend time reading exhibits. They particularly like the interactive displays. Adelaide informed me after leaving the exhibit that the missing star was actually removed from the flag and given to Abraham Lincoln as a gift. I will have to ask her tomorrow where she read that because in preparing to write this blog, I can't find any information to substantiate that story. Lehigh and Delaney had to leave to go get Lehigh's son, Max, from baseball camp and we were joined by my mother-in-law, Lynne Scates, who flew out from Denver this morning to be part of McLains on the Road. We left the museum and made our way to Arlington National Cemetery. On our way out, the kids found Harry Potter's uniform and asked that I take this picture. Incidentally, Jessica and Amanda, Adelaide wanted me to inform you that she has now finished reading the Harry Potter series.
We took a quick tour of the cemetery, with an extended stop at the Tomb of the Unknowns. After watching the changing of the guard ceremony, watching a little more guarding, and walking around the amphitheater, we realized that the next guard change was only five minutes away, and the kids voted to watch it again. Adelaide, Alastair, and I opted against the central viewing area and stood right next to where the commanding officer inspected the rifle and uniform of the incoming guard. After the ceremony we followed two of the Honor Guard to the flagpole where we watched them retire the colors for the evening. It was truly impressive to watch men perform with such precision and perfection. I admired most the fact that they never leave the post, day or night, rain or shine. As the city evacuated for Hurricane Sandy, the Honor Guard performed their duty. I read on one website that the 24 hour guard start on July 2, 1937. If that is accurate, that means that there has been a soldier pacing back and forth continuously in front of the tomb for the last 76 years and 22 days. That is a lot of pacing back and forth. We knew that the kids were impressed by the changing of the guard also because afterward, they were marching around and Alastair was performing precision drill movements with an empty water bottle. Unfortunately we missed our chance to visit the interior of the Arlington House, but I did enjoy reading about the familial relationship between George Washington and Robert E. Lee.
We left Arlington Cemetery just in time to meet Lehigh, with both Delaney and Max in tow, to walk over to the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial to watch the Sunset Parade. Lehigh was kind enough to pack in a dinner for all of us and we enjoyed a picnic dinner on the grass before the start of the parade. The parade features the music of "The Commandant's Own," the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, and a precision drill by the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon. This was also an impressive thing to see, and certainly a much more memorable way to see the Iwo Jima Memorial. Afterward we walked back to the entry to the Arlington National Cemetery and parted ways. Adelaide and Lynne jumped into a cab to head in to Lynne's hotel for the evening, the Diehls jumped into their car to head home, and the remaining McLains on the Road headed to the Metro to get back to our car. Jll and I remarked as
we drove back to our Pohick campground that it amazes us that every day, we have the greatest intentions of getting our kids to bed at a decent our and every day, we are dragging back to the RV way too late. All in all it was a great day in the city and we owe a huge thanks to Lehigh for shepherding us around safely and feeding the hungry. She is a saint indeed.
- Dave
We took a quick tour of the cemetery, with an extended stop at the Tomb of the Unknowns. After watching the changing of the guard ceremony, watching a little more guarding, and walking around the amphitheater, we realized that the next guard change was only five minutes away, and the kids voted to watch it again. Adelaide, Alastair, and I opted against the central viewing area and stood right next to where the commanding officer inspected the rifle and uniform of the incoming guard. After the ceremony we followed two of the Honor Guard to the flagpole where we watched them retire the colors for the evening. It was truly impressive to watch men perform with such precision and perfection. I admired most the fact that they never leave the post, day or night, rain or shine. As the city evacuated for Hurricane Sandy, the Honor Guard performed their duty. I read on one website that the 24 hour guard start on July 2, 1937. If that is accurate, that means that there has been a soldier pacing back and forth continuously in front of the tomb for the last 76 years and 22 days. That is a lot of pacing back and forth. We knew that the kids were impressed by the changing of the guard also because afterward, they were marching around and Alastair was performing precision drill movements with an empty water bottle. Unfortunately we missed our chance to visit the interior of the Arlington House, but I did enjoy reading about the familial relationship between George Washington and Robert E. Lee. 
We left Arlington Cemetery just in time to meet Lehigh, with both Delaney and Max in tow, to walk over to the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial to watch the Sunset Parade. Lehigh was kind enough to pack in a dinner for all of us and we enjoyed a picnic dinner on the grass before the start of the parade. The parade features the music of "The Commandant's Own," the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, and a precision drill by the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon. This was also an impressive thing to see, and certainly a much more memorable way to see the Iwo Jima Memorial. Afterward we walked back to the entry to the Arlington National Cemetery and parted ways. Adelaide and Lynne jumped into a cab to head in to Lynne's hotel for the evening, the Diehls jumped into their car to head home, and the remaining McLains on the Road headed to the Metro to get back to our car. Jll and I remarked as
we drove back to our Pohick campground that it amazes us that every day, we have the greatest intentions of getting our kids to bed at a decent our and every day, we are dragging back to the RV way too late. All in all it was a great day in the city and we owe a huge thanks to Lehigh for shepherding us around safely and feeding the hungry. She is a saint indeed.
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