York Maine and Nubble Lighthouse

Anchorage Motor Inn, Food, Hotel, lighthouse, Lobster Cove, Motel, Nubble Lightho, Restaurant, seafood, seafood, Sun N Surf, , , , ,

York Maine is one of the greatest places that I have ever visited. Our first visit was by accident. We were traveling North from Boston on our tour of New England and had failed to make a reservation for the night. As the sun began to set we arrived at York Maine.
Anchorage Motor Inn
Anchorage Motor Inn

Driving North up the coast we passed some great looking older motels. One that we loved, Anchorage Motor Inn, had a great view of the Nubble lighthouse and the ocean. We drove past the motel to get to the lighthouse before we lost all light.

Nubble Lighthouse
Nubble Lighthouse

The Nubble lighthouse is the best lighthouse that we have ever seen. I think it is the perfect example of a lighthouse. Not having enough time to look at and photograph the lighthouse, we decided to spend the night at York.

Beach at York Maine
Beach at York Maine

We drove back to the motel, Anchorage Motor Inn, that we had seen driving in. The second floor of the motel had tables and chairs overlooking the ocean. I asked for and got a room on the second floor near one of the sitting areas.

Beach at York Maine
Beach at York Maine

The gentleman at the front desk was great. He recommended places to eat and things to see. Then as I was leaving he made one last recommendation. He told me that the sunrise was beautiful and something to see as the sun rises out of the ocean.

That night we walked across the street to the Sun N Surf restaurant  and got lobster rolls to go for supper. We sat outside at the table overlooking the ocean and enjoyed our food and the beautiful view.

My Mother sitting on the deck at Anchorage Motor Inn
My Mother sitting on the deck at Anchorage Motor Inn

The next morning my wife and I got up early and walked on the rocky beach in front of the motel, drank our coffee that they gave me at the front desk and watched a beautiful sunrise.  For breakfast that morning we drove a short distance south of the resort to a little restaurant called the Lobster Cove, which had a lot of local customers.  We were seated by the window facing the ocean.  The only thing better than the view was the food.  Staff was great and very friendly and my breakfast was the best breakfast that I the entire trip.

Sun rise at York Maine
Sun rise at York Maine

Before leaving York we drove back to the lighthouse to get some better photos and views of the little island it sits on and ocean around it.

My wife and I at Nubble Lighthouse
My wife and I at Nubble Lighthouse

If you ever travel up the New England Coast, York Maine is a must stop.  We enjoyed our time there and made plans to return.

Gettysburg

Armistead, Gettysburg, Hancock, Memorial Day, Pickett's Charge, Tours, , , ,

This past week I had the opportunity to visit Gettysburg. With Memorial Day fast approaching, this visit was even more meaningful to me. We did not have time to visit the area like I would have wanted to but we did do the driving tour. You can purchase a CD and a map at the visitor center for the driving tour. The CD tells the story as you drive from one site to another. You can pause the CD and get out to take a closer look at any time.

While at the visitor center you can have your photo made with a statue of President Abe Lincoln. The center also has a movie about the battle which is supposed to be great.

Carl and Abe
Carl and Abe

As you drive you will notice several interesting things. The first odd fact is that the Southern army arrived in Gettysburg from the North, marching south while the Northern Army arrived from the South.

 As you drive you will see several cannons and monuments showing the location of different regiments. As you hear the story you should take time to get out of the car and look across the fields at the cannons on the other side facing you. At Little Round Top, you can look down the hill and think about an enemy force trying to climb the hill to reach your location. Likewise, from the base of Little Round Top, look up and think of the courage it would take to try to climb this hill while being fired upon from the top.

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 The best end to the visit is a stop at the cemetery, where you can see the graves of only a few of the men who died in the battle. Take time to walk down to the monument where Lincoln gave his famous speech. After the tour, the speech may be more meaningful to you.

To try to understand the war and the men who fought in it, you should make one last stop. This stop is not on the tour map or was not on any I saw, but it should have been. The final stop is near the cemetery and is called, “Friend to Friend Masonic Memorial.”

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This memorial shows the true spirit of the civil war. It shows both the best and the worst of the war. The memorial tells the story of two friends Union General Winfield Scott Hancock and Confederate General Lewis Addison Armistead. The two men were best friends and had served and fought together side by side in the United States Army before the civil war. When the civil war started, Armistead said that he could not raise his sword against his fellow Southerners.

Masonic Brotherhood monument at Gettysburg

The two men parted, both taking command positions in their armies. During the war, both men proved their courage and leadership skills on several occasions. On the final day of Gettysburg, the two friends met. During Pickett’s Charge, Armistead lead his troops across the bloody field into the guns of the Union Army commanded by Hancock.

Armistead’s troops were able to penetrate Hancock’s line but were quickly driven back in defeat, ending the battle of Gettysburg. Both Hancock and Armistead were wounded in the fighting. Hancock sent his staff assistant, Doctor Henry Bingham to the dying Armistead. The memorial shows Armistead giving his personal belongings to Bingham to take back to Hancock.

 The memorial is dedicated to the “unique bonds of friendship enabled them to remain a brotherhood undivided, even as they fought in a divided nation, faithfully supporting the respective governments under which they lived.”

With all that is going on in the world we should stop pointing fingers at each other and look at these men. Neither side was all good nor evil, they were men, brothers who fought for what they believed.