You just can't be cultural tourists all the time. Occasionally you have to stop at one of those uniquely American attractions that makes traveling so much fun.

After years of passing by this amazing display we finally decided today was the day. Texas Stonehenge!

We were winding our way through Tennessee on highway 57 through the more down trodden part of Grand Junction when out out of nowhere we come across this.

Amid the ramshackle homes and cars this really stands out.

You just never know what's around the bend do you?

Shiloh is one of those battles that is not easy to imagine unless you get to see the sight itself.

One thing that amazes me is how small the areas are where these fights took place.

For instance, Ruggle's Battery, which blasted the Union troops in the Hornet's Nest with 62 artillery pieces, is only a couple blocks away on a hill.

How these men could face this and not run is beyond me.

The Park itself is not very large but is well worth seeing. We were lucky to arrive on a day when some re-enactors were giving a demonstration of in line fire.

The Battle of Antietam (or Sharpsburg) was Lee's first invasion into the North and was called the bloodiest day of the Civil War.

Partly this was due to Burnside's insistence his men march across Lower Bridge (known now as Burnside Bridge), as the Confederates massacred them from the hill above.

Burnside never considered fording the creek at another point.

Despite the bloody history, the park is very lovely.
There are still some family farms on the property which are still active.

The Monitor's turret is being restored at the Mariners Museum in Newport News, VA. and will be on display in the USS Monitor Center opening March of 2007.

The museum has many displays, none of which we thought to photograph. We were enjoying it all so much we just forgot.

So, all you get to see are those murky shots of the restoration tanks holding the turret and a cannon.

Our next stop was past Hampton Roads to Fort Monroe.

Fort Monroe is home to the Casement Museum and the cell where Confederate President Jefferson Davis was interned after capture.

Entrance to the fort is through a sallyport, and since it is an active fort you need to obey the rules as you walk around.

This is also the home of the Old Point Comfort Lighthouse.

One interesting thing not mentioned on the brochure are the pet grave markers that are found around the base of the outer wall on the ramparts.

After Ft. Monroe we drove to Norfolk.

Along the causeway the seagulls are perched on the lights. Looks pretty funny.

Anyway, we wanted to see the USS Wisconsin Battleship at the Naval Museum. These things are just floating gun platforms but we really enjoy them.

I think every girl my age grew up reading "Misty of Chincoteage" and wanting a pony.

Well, the ponies are actually on Assateague Island right next door.

Once a year there is a roundup of the Virginia ponies and they are herded across the channel (at low tide) to Chincoteague for auction. It's one way of raising money and managing the size of the heard.

Chincoteague is a beautiful island that still has that charm not found in our over developed beach areas.

As we left Chincoteague heading back toward home we decided to veer off the main road and see St. Michaels since it has a lighthouse.

This is a beautiful little town who's claim to fame is "The town that fooled the British". Ask any local and they can tell you the story, although they will not vouch for the authenticity of the claim.

Unfortunately we arrived rather late in the day so we did not get to walk around. We had a great dinner however and plan to return the next time we are in the area.

Fort McHenry - famous as the inspiration for The Star Spangled Banner. This is a small but pretty fort, with lots of walls, ramparts and batteries.

Something not listed as a feature is how young boys can just about drive their mothers to fainting by nearly falling from these walls as they run over hills to abrupt ends.

Just an added feature.

Skyline Drive through Shenandoah Park is such a beautiful road. There are so many overlooks, side trails, and vistas you have a hard time making any progress because you keep stopping along the way. But eventually you find you are running out of daylight and need a place to stay.

Thankfully we were in between summer and the peak leaf viewing so we had no trouble getting into the Big Meadows Lodge in the Park. As usual the rooms are clean but not plush and the restaurant is great.

The only major hike we did was along Rose River. It's a nice trail that takes you to Rose Falls and Dark Hollow Falls. Lots of quiet, pretty scenery and just a ton of mushrooms.

For those who may not remember this battle, it's the one where the VMI Cadets joined the line under General Breckinridge in the battle against the Union Army.

The area is not very large and is easily walked in less than an hour.

The route is through a field and the path is cut in among the high grass. It's very scenic and quiet.

What would a trip to Virginia be without Monticello? It's just one of those truly remarkable places that we just couldn't pass up. And, as usual, we took the back way to get to it.

Leaving New Market we meandered along a few back roads to see Meems Bottom Bridge. It's a beautiful, covered bridge that has a long history of being destroyed and rebuilt. So, we had a little picnic near it and then on to Monticello.

Unfortunately as our tour of the house ended the weather started turning sour on us with thunder and lightening so we had to cut our visit short. Next time we'll do the garden tour where you can take lots of pictures.

Richmond National Battlefield Park is actually a series of battlefields from the 1862 and 1864 campaigns.

The Visitor Center is in the old Tredegar Iron Works building, so your tour starts there. Naturally we took tons of pictures but I promise not to host most of them, although the buildings are really lovely.

To see the battlefields you drive a specific route following the map from the Visitor Center. Even if you have no interest in the Civil War the drive takes you through some lovely areas.

Now, I must also warn you the forts mentioned here do not have walls of brick or wood but are huge mounds of earth.

Since one huge mound of dirt looks pretty much like another, I'll just include the signs and a few shots to give you a flavor.

As we meandered home we stopped in South Carolina to visit some friends for a couple of days.

We did a bit of boating on beautiful Keowee Key Lake and some hiking in a nearby park.

It seems this area is just full of waterfalls, so we did a trail that took us by 3 of them.

On our last trip with Paula & Bruce we did about 8 waterfalls in one day. This is such a beautiful place.

Our way home was along I-10, so we stopped in Mobile, Alabama to see the USS Alabama which sits in the bay.
This is one of the most complete tours of a battleship we have ever taken.
They also have the USS Drum submarine on display.
The interior is in great shape but as you can see the body needs more repair.

Yes, I did make it through the entire sub and even managed to enjoy myself.
I credit this with the fact we were about the only ones on the tour so I had a straight shot out if I needed it.