I spent the first half or more of June in PA training and racing on both the road near Lancaster and the track at Trexlertown. Here are some photos of that.

The road riding aroud Lancaster was awesome with plenty of wide open country roads with more Amish horse and buggies than auto traffic. I didn’t get any pictures of that though. I’m not sure why not.

I did however dig the local market in a buidling in the center of downtown which was open every Tuesday morning and one other day too. Good stuff and a photo is below.

On my way into Lancaster I stopped off at Gettysburg national historic park. After half a day of driving I needed to spin out the legs or an hour or two so I parked my car and rode around the battlefield park taking it all in. This is my favorite way to see sights now and to get my rides in while on the road.

At various times in my life I’ve been quite the civil war buff (as perhaps all sons of Virginia are at some point.) In middle school I started dragging my parents along to the battlefields and museums while we were on trips. Quite the flip and unusual I know but hey I ended up being a history major so yeah.

Anyways, I had always wanted to visit Gettysburg and finally had the chance this summer. Now I really only have two major civil war battlefield sites that I’ve not been too (Shiloh and the wilderness)

Now to the pictures…. The one with me in it is from the confederate view point looking across the field to the union lines. It is where pickett’s charge took place, specifically over my left shoulder (your right.). Still not sure if I think general Lee was mistaken by hubris or desperation on that call.

The picture with the rocks in it and atop a hill is from the union perspective atop either little or big roudtop (I forget, it was June afterall and in doing this on my phone.) Some rough terrain on those hillsides.

To think of the blood shed on the fields there makes all my sacrifices insignificant because quite simply they are. It also brings to my mind how much our society now wants things without sacrificng. More casualties on those fields in one day than in multiple 9-11’s or the entire war on terrorism.

Thank God I had the chance to live the dream traveling to race my bike while in my mid twenties instead of having to fight a war and watch all my buddies die, possibly including myself too.

-andrew-