Cool, Cheap, Daytrip Locations.....

[Roy Earle]

How about a trip this way? The Bluegrass music hall of fame is having a Jerry Garcia exhibit.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news...9abf0aa83&ei=9

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

Well, the interesting fact is that both sides claim victory but both sides also acknowledge that the Monitor had to retire from battle when a particularly good shot from the Virginia blew splinters into the pilothouse of the Monitor, blinding the captain. She hauled off into a cove and made repairs and the executive officer was put in charge. Meanwhile, the Virginia nosed around and looked for trouble until she was satisfied that Monitor had given up and then retired to Gosport Shipyard.

By the rules of engagement, the first ship to be forced to retire is considered to have lost the battle... except in this case.

Neither ship turned out to be seaworthy on the ocean. The Virginia was burned to the waterline again rather than being captured as the Union began to win back Norfolk. Her captain's stateroom mantel is installed in a private residence in Norfolk and her ship's wheel is at the Mariner's Museum. The Monitor sank off the Outer Banks while under tow to Chareslton. There just wasn't enough freeboard on her to keep the seas out.

But, alas, to the victor (in the war) goes the writing of the battle history, no? Bull Run/Manassas, etc.

Bob

Well, in this case everyone gets to write their history. Folks should read all the various accounts. I'm lucky to have a father who was a professor of US Hisotry and we got to read lots of versions of this and other battles with all the books lying around the home. Certainly interesting to read the different accounts of this battle from the different interested parties.

[Bob Womack]

Originally Posted by Jim Owen

Bob’s naval history reminded me that the last Confederate ironclad was scuttled and burnt in Columbus, Ga. It was raised and is now on display here.

https://www.portcolumbus.org/exhibit

Fascinating! Interestingly, a Union ironclad battery, the USS Cairo, based somewhat on the CSS Virginia's design and looking much like the CSS jackson, hit a torpedo (mine) on the Yazoo River near Vicksburg. When I was down there as a kid somewhere around 1963, they had just found her and were salvaging her. Her pilothouse and boilers had been brought up and were sitting on the waterfront in Vicksburg. I stood on the Cairo's bridge in the pilothouse. Here's a pic of the pilothouse scotched up against the flood wall from the Internet:


She's been partially reconstructed and is now on display in Vicksburg with a museum. The pilothouse is that cone-shaped protrusion towards the front, on top of her gun deck.


Here is a picture of her squadron in Illinois.


My parents were history nuts and we traveled quite a bit when I was young. Watch out: being a history nut is catching. I eventually caught it.

Bob

[Tunesalot]

Also maybe close enough is Land Between the Lakes KY/TN with an historical interpretive center and buffalo, Ft Donelson is nearby. Cole porter birthplace in Peru, Indiana is farther. Loretta Lynn’s place in TN, Stax Museum in Memphis may be closer.

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

But, alas, to the victor (in the war) goes the writing of the battle history, no?
Bob

Actually, no. You won't have to look very hard at all to find thousands of history books written by the losers, and the descendants/partisans of the losers, in a wide variety of wars. For example, somebody presumably wrote the battle history you posted above.

Aside from not being true, the cliche has a moderately interesting history: https://slate.com/culture/2019/11/hi...te-origin.html

Perhaps this thread has drifted far enough from the original poster's request?

[Murphy Slaw]

Originally Posted by frankmcr

Perhaps this thread has drifted far enough from the original poster's request?

I don't even think that's possible. I love all the history stuff. And junk stores.

Heck, a daytrip sometimes takes several days in my world...

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by RP

Virginia's Shenandoah Valley is bounded on the east by the Blue Ridge Mts. and on the west by the Alleghenies. The Valley has a karst topography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karst which results in numerous underground caverns that are open to the public. These include Endless, Luray, Grand, Shenandoah and Natural Bridge Caverns just to name a few...

Looks fantastic! Haven't been in serious caves since I was a kid at Carlsbad.

[icuker]

Seeing the biking in the driftless area reminded me of a bike trip we made to the Hinckley MN area. Stayed in Hinckley, in a cute motel. went downtown and saw a museum. It was about the massive Hinckley fire back in the 1800's. Very, very fascinating and dramatic. Was a highlight of our trip.

[fitness1]

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore - here in the Great Lake State.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by fitness1

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore - here in the Great Lake State.

Maybe you're giving away a secret? We've travelled a lot including different continents and have had fantastic trips near and across Lakes Michigan & Superior. I very much suggest the two very different ferries that cross Lake Michigan.

I'll add for Michigan that Henry Ford complex is neat. My suggestion for context and the history is museum first day, then 2nd day visit the village and Rouge plant last. Hotels near there all have shuttles for to the door service. It is neat to see the signs in the museum that measure how long the average US resident had to work to buy the items in their day.

Michigan's UP is great, and then head west to Duluth. Duluth is a very active port and they were 20 on the 1-10 scale of turning that city around.

[KenL]

We were in the Phoenix area back in February and toured the Musical Instrument Museum in Scottsdale.

Amazing place! I was overwhelmed after about 5 hours, couldn't take any more musical history. I would love to go back someday and pick up where I left off

The photo is from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band display. Every instrument in there was just beat to heck due to decades on the road.

Not to be missed if you are down that way.


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[JonWer]

Have you considered Graceland? Nashville?

[Murphy Slaw]

Originally Posted by Roy Earle

How about a trip this way? The Bluegrass music hall of fame is having a Jerry Garcia exhibit.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news...9abf0aa83&ei=9

Been there.

But I wasn't aware of a Jerry exhibit opening. Might have to go back.

[Roy Earle]

Originally Posted by Murphy Slaw

Been there.

But I wasn't aware of a Jerry exhibit opening. Might have to go back.

You say you've already been to the hall? Thats cool. I live right down the road and still haven't been. < I rarely leave the house. I do plan on going to this exhibit the next time my lady gets a day off.

We also have the BBQ Festival in May, its virtually the same spot as the hall. In June we have ROMP Festival. I heard names like Ricky S. Molly T. Jerry D. Sammy B. Marty S. Travelin' McCoury's Keller Williams and many more... on channel 4, Scooby-Doo on channel 2... lol had to do it. Anyway, I heard they will be here this year.

I'd also suggest a trip to Lexington, KY for a Michael Johnathon Woodsongs show. Next time I'm in lexville I'm not leaving until I get a seat to one of these shows.

Michael says something like; "you don't have to be famous, you just have to be really really good" in reference to getting on the show. I love it!

PS. I love the whole Murphy Slaw name, its... as only I can say, klaasi!

[icuker]

Speaking of musical instrument museums. There is one in in Vermillion South Dakota. Very impressive display there. it'll take you a while to get through it. They feature instruments from many eras and all over the world. The Stradivari display is pretty cool.