Just a stone's throw away, many battles of the Civil War unfolded. Some of the local towns are; Uniontown, Union Mills, Freedom, Westminster, Gettysburg, Harpers Ferry etc. A couple weeks ago I had the most amazing ride. Of course I forgot my camera, but it may have been a good thing as I was caught in fierce rain storms in the mountains of Southern Pennsylvania with no shelter.

I remembered my digital camera Sunday and tired to retrace some of my previous route, but the weather was not cooperating. There is fantastic scenery around here, and some really interesting historic sites, battlefields and homes to check out. I'm going to begin taking my DSLR around with me and see if I can capture some of the local history, and beauty of Western Maryland, Southern PA and Virginia. I'm planning to update this thread with more pictures as I take them.
July 14th

Smooth sailing;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/IMG_0639-186.jpg
Take any side road and you're rewarded with twisties through the woods with interesting homes and farms to look at.

Uniontown;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/IMG_0641-188.jpg
There are these red white and blue signs popping up all over Maryland pointing out historic sites related to the Civil War.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/IMG_0640-187.jpg
A detail of strategic maneuvers taking place over a hundred and fifty years ago, with opposing armies camped out just miles apart. Lee was in Westminster, Meade in Uniontown.

I believe this is an old inn;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/IMG_0643-190.jpg

Built in 1794, how did they know how to make the roads just the perfect width for modern traffic? ;)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/IMG_0644-191.jpg

Back on the open road, the Versys handles dirt and gravel roads just fine;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/IMG_0646-193.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/IMG_0653-200.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/IMG_0658-205.jpg

Cool older farm house;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/IMG_0661-208.jpg

The rain was coming;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/IMG_0663-210.jpg

Found another sweet plot with a cool farm house;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/IMG_0670-217.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/IMG_0667-214.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/IMG_0665-212.jpg

And then... This thing is HUGE...I'll try and get some more pictures that show the scale of this massive machine located at a quarry. It can be seen for miles and miles around;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/IMG_0652-199.jpg

cool! I grew up in that area and used to love driving out to Gettysburg and surrounding environs. :)

Nice report! Great pics! :thumb::thumb::thumb:

This really makes me want to retrace my own Civil War expeditions of several years ago. I went to Gettysburg, Antietam, and Harper's Ferry, but I wasn't a rider back then. Nonetheless the experience was unforgettable. Doing it on a bike would be that much better. Maybe even using a CD tour of the battlefield.

Nice pictures. Looks like it was a fun ride. I love history and what a better way to see it, on a bike.

Awesome pics!

That looks like the kind of ride I'd like to do.:thumb:

Great pics....thanks for sharing

There's more to come, I'm trying to figure out the best way to carry my SLR w/o bringing my bag and all the gear. I might wind up with a tank bag soon.

I've got some cool pictures from Gettysburg from a couple years ago. I try and go there once a year or so. When you stop and begin reading all the names of the fallen, it can be moving. There are lists and more lists of the casualties every where you look around the battlefield. :(

Luke

We've been busy lately, but I managed to drag wifey out to Catoctin Mountain north of Frederick yesterday. There is a series of dirt roads that go through a state owned forest that houses the City of Frederick reservoir and some hunting/hiking lands. It's beautiful out there.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/August42008G9125.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/August42008G9074.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/August42008G9112.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/August42008G9110.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/August42008G9118.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/Versys%202008/August42008G9127.jpg

Still haven't taken the DSLR, but I've installed some Givi 21s so it won't be a problem. I picked up a G9 and it's really sweet, now I want an ultra compact tripod. :)


Luke

Man, you take some wonderful shots!

Thanks for sharing, you even made me just a little homesick for Maryland. Then I thought about the traffic, humidity and cost of living and that sentiment faded.

Thanks!

Thanks man, Maybe by the time I'm 70 or so I'll get something I can really be proud of. ;)

I agree about the traffic, humidity, congestion, (taxes) etc, but Maryland has some truly outstanding and beautiful land if you know where to look. I just moved out to Finksburg last year after living in Baltimore (Liberty Heights) my entire life. Talk about a difference! Twisties EVERYWHERE, I'm in Versys heaven. ;)

Luke

Thanks for the excellent ride report and photos,I visit many Civil war sites inc many in Md.I am in fact going to Antiem later this month and on to Harpers Ferry

Today I took a quick ride and wound up back in the "mountains" again. I saw a couple water towers on one hilltop, and a couple strange looking radio towers on anther mountain top. I was searching for a sweet vantage point to take pictures of the valley below, so I headed for the towers. I wound up riding right on up to the security gates, barricade and security shack of a "secret" compound. There was double fence all the way around with concertina and barbed wire. Homes and farms butt right up to the fence on all sides. There are no parking and warning signs all over the place. At the gate is a sign stating "No Photographs", so I left the camera in the saddle bags. I even began to feel a bit paranoid because I encircled the entire compound and pulled right up to two of the entrance gates while looking around. IMHO the place isn't very well hidden. The com towers don't look like ordinary commercial towers and they stick out like a sore thumb from miles away (enough to pick my curiosity). The place is called the "Raven Rock Mountain Complex". It's a "secret" underground bunker meant to replace the Pentagon in case of nuclear attack. Last year I stumbled upon Fort Ritchie, which was an army base setup to support Raven Rock. I'll see if I can't dig up some pictures of Fort Ritchie and post them up in a bit, it's a pretty cool complex that has been let go and is being rented out for commercial and residential uses.

I would have taken some pics for you guys, but you know, I like my bunghole the way it is thank you. ;)

Luke

I've got a few more Versys pictures taken from around the area while playing Tagorama on Adventure Riders.

Penn Mar, High Rock Road overlook;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/October82008G9001.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/October82008G9026.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/oco2008G9003.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/October82008G9037.jpg

The Whistle Stop in Finksburg, home of a horrible train wreck many many years ago;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/September182008G9010.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/September182008G9012.jpg

In Frederick at the home of Roger Brooke Taney, Cheif Justice many many moons ago;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/September132008G9014.jpg

Westminster City Park;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/September52008G9013.jpg

Carter Archer house just off the Susquehanna River;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/September42008G9010.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/September42008G9017.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/September42008G9015.jpg

No Versys, but these are kinda cool, Cape May NJ;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/August42008G9020.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/August42008G9027.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/August42008G9021.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/August42008G9031.jpg

WWII era bunker and anti ship emplacements;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/August42008G9049.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/August42008G9062.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lukejt/August42008G9056.jpg

Love the cape May shots.

I live in southeast PA. and love the country roads,
without the winters residual gravel of course.

Thank you for sharing.