Tunnels are feats of engineering at any level, above or below ground, underwater or high in the mountains. But seeing and going through the more than three dozen tunnels cut through the Rocky Mountains for railroad engines is an unforgettable experience.

Traveling on Amtrak’s California Zephyr through Colorado gives you an entirely new awe and appreciation for engineers, both the train-driving railroad kind and those who design highways, bridges and tunnels.

Seeing the rocky, rugged, oft snow-covered mountains, dipping into the deep and gorgeous chasms, sitting in lounge cars with ceilings made of glass so you can see the tops of the mountains as the train curves gently, and slowly, through the middle or higher of them and then suddenly thrust into the utter blackness of a tunnel in spite of sun-filled skies gives you a little insight into both how gorgeous the United States truly is and how brilliant the minds, how hard the work of laborers, how fortunate we are to have all of that in our lives.

Most of the 31 tunnels you pass through on the Zephyr within the approximate 1,000 miles of Colorado you pass through between its Nebraska and Utah lines are short, all with numbered openings that reflect the order in which they were built, not necessarily the order they come along the route. There are a few more tunnels as you continue through the Wasatch Mountains while traveling the roughly 500 miles through Utah before arriving in Nevada.

Regardless, the Moffet Tunnel is the piece de resistance, if you will.

Built in the 1920s around the same time the Holland and Lincoln tunnels were under construction in New Jersey, the tunnel had been the dream and idea of banker Daniel Moffet from the early 1900s. His purpose was to establish a shorter quicker way from Denver to points west, but designs, engineers, feuds among legislators and lack of funds kept putting off construction for more than 20 years. And though Mr. Moffet died a millionaire, he unfortunately never lived to see the realization of his dream.

In contrast to the Holland and Lincoln tunnels, both about a mile and a half long, the Moffet Tunnel is six miles long! It takes ten minutes to pass through, given the engineer goes at between 30 and 40 miles an hour into the pitch darkness. It’s rather like spelunking in a deep cave in the Blue Ridge Mountains, only on the train it’s the headlight that cuts through blackness rather than a small light on a helmet.

Passengers seem to take the trip in a hushed silence, whether in wonder or reverence, since conversation came to a halt as the train entered the tunnel. The Tunnel crosses the Continental Divide, that line signifying the water basins of North America, where all the rivers west of it flow to the Pacific, and those east of it empty into the Atlantic Ocean.

We had crossed the Mississippi river at the point it separates Illinois from Iowa, and the Missouri, the nation’s longest river, where it separates Iowa from Nebraska. We went from central to mountain time when we crossed from Nebraska into Colorado and could feel and see how the train was climbing once, we left Denver. Passing through the Moffet Tunnel we reached the highest point above sea level, approximately 10,000 feet.

There’s one more treat for the eyes when you emerge from the tunnel into bright sunlight. While on the east side of the tunnel, the rugged mountains were absent of snow earlier this month, their multi-hued brownish coarseness and rugged curves dotted with pines and many other evergreens, suddenly there’s snow filled terrain, ski resorts, and even a ski aerial lift directly over the tracks, strange to see from a train, but must be even more strange for a skier passing over a locomotive on her way to the top of the mountain!

They say the Upper and Lower Gore canyons in Colorado are dramatic to see, accessible only by rail or kayak, and indeed they are. But as you go through the canyons alongside the Colorado River, pass through Fraser which earns its name as the Icebox of America because it never experiences a frost-free season but where they say the fishing for all kinds of trout is unparalleled, and Granby, the Gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, you’re reaching Dotsero, the halfway point of the trip between Chicago and San Francisco. You pass through New Castle, a former coal mining town where several mine explosions led to the end of the trade.

But a fire still smolders inside and deep down in the mountain because of so many underground explosions from the high level of methane gas. Today, in true American custom and the spirit of rising above grief and destruction, there’s an annual Burning Mountain Festival held in New Castle every autumn.

Several readers have asked that I write some stories about how my husband and I decided to give up full time jobs, a home, a 14-room house in Highlands, being close to our children, and spending ten years traveling throughout the 50 states. Let me start by staying it was the most wonderful ten years of my life. It really started when we were young, were on moderate income and had four children we wanted to see the country, vacation, and enjoy a different way of life. During those incredibly wonderful years we first had a tent, later a ten trailer, and we packed all three, later, four kids, Freckles, our wonderful mixed breed dog, and us into those cramped but cozy quarters and set out to blend family life, new experiences a bit of learning and lots of excitement into a couple of weeks every year. I remember the warmth of campfires as the kids roasted marshmallows, the thrill of catching lobster in Marathon Florida then cooking it over a campfire, the joy of hearing another camper singing Georgia on my Mind as he accompanied himself on the guitar and we all huddled together enjoying new friends. I remember the kids running wild over open fields in New York state, walking on trails in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and making their way through caverns in the Shenandoah mountains of Virginia. I remember White Sands, New Mexico and of course the Must-Stop at South of the Border on the way to Florida. So many happy memories with a family filled with so much love, not only for each other, but for sharing new experiences. The kids grew up, moved on, started their own families and we continued to work, with a life filled with happy memories. So in 1995, after Jimmy recovered miraculously well after four heart attacks, an angioplasty, catherization and quintuple bypass all within 60 hours, we decided God was giving us a message we should change our lifestyle. It was easy to decide what we should do, given all those happy memories with the family. For our 40th wedding anniversary that year, we bought us a 30 foot Flair, a bus-type RV that included a bedroom, bath, living-dining room -kitchen and driving quarters, left our home in the hands of our son and grandson, threw ourselves a going away party and took off. We had no plans where we were going or how or when we would get there. Open road, new adventures, lots of relaxation, plenty of time to learn, enjoy each other’s company, and see as much of the United States as we could were our focus. We carried an atlas with us and a campground guide and after a couple of days of wandering around the familiar areas of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, we hit on a plan: as soon as we arrived in a new state, we would stop at the visitor’s center, pick up all the brochures they had to offer, find a campground close by, pick up a bottle of wine, and settle in for a night or two or three always around 4 in the afternoon. We’d set up our site, put a couple of chairs and a table under the awning outside, poured that glass of wine and begin poring through the brochures. That usually took until well past dark, so we moved back inside, put dinner on to cook and finished reviewing the brochures. By the time dinner was ready, we had decided which attractions, museums, campgrounds, we wanted to see and visit. And that’s how we decided how long we would spend in any one campground. Once we saw everything we wanted to see there, we would pack up, perhaps stop at a grocery store for more supplies, and move on to the next part of the state, or the next state. We learned early some planning made life much easier for us. Jimmy, during his convalescence from all the cardiac procedures, had spent a lot of time watching cooking shows on tv and decided not only did he like to cook, but he was also really good at it! In the few months between his recuperation and our taking to the road, and while I was still working, he would do all the cooking. So it was natural for him to continue it on the road, whether we were cooking over a woodfire outside or the little stove in the RV. The planning part came over more glasses of wine at that kitchen table as we talked about what we wanted for dinner each night. If we were along a coast, we knew we wanted seafood and would wait until we got there to make purchases. But we would plan each meal, pack in the groceries necessary for that week’s menus…..RV refrigerators in the 1990s had limited size freezers so planning became really essential… and stock up before we left in the morning for our next day of travel. It worked perfectly, because we never knew exactly where we would end up that night…..there might be a fair going on in a town along the way we stopped to stop and visit, or a park with some walking paths we thought we’d try. But by 4 p.m. we knew we would stop, have plenty of time to set up our site and still enjoy a leisurely and excellent dinner. It didn’t take many days to put behind us the drudgery of working every day, the routine of taking care of a big house, and the realization we really didn’t need all the accoutrements we had collected, enjoyed and saved through the years. Life in an RV is an exciting experience! Doing it for a decade is a dream come true!

It was four years ago I spent a week aboard America Cruise Line’s paddle wheeler America , but the memories last a lifetime, and the knowledge gained from experts like Bill Wiemuth on the Mississippi River and Bertram Davis, great great grandson of Confederate States President Jefferson Davis, on the Civil War is sheer luxury. Still, the cruise line had one final offer for its satiated and contented customers….a brief tour of New Orleans with an unforgettable stop at a cemetery. Cemeteries in New Orleans are truly cities of the dead, with their vast above ground tombs lined up on either side of the streets, the vaults holding the remains of everyone from Voodoo priestess Marie Leveau to long ago mayors and a pioneer in the sugar industry, Etienne de Bore. Clearly the most popular cemetery in town is St. Louis No. 1 (there are 3) which has been actively accepting the remains of Louisianans since 1789. It’s a complete city block in size, with more than 700 tombs and more than 100,000 bodies in them. Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, St. Louis #1 is reportedly haunted…no surprise there….and a popular tourist attraction with guides who spiel out delightfully entertaining stories as they weave among the vaults and point out famous family names. A block away from the famed French Quarter of this exciting, colorful and in many ways deviant city that firmly believes in letting the good times roll, St. Louis #1 cemetery tour guides will show you the sealed vaults, the smaller sealed vault tucked away in a corner of the big monument and how each can be opened and re-sealed again to prevent flood waters from getting inside. The smaller doors to a corner of the vault serve another purpose. Each vault only holds one or two bodies, so when the next family member dies, the vault is opened, the remains of the last entombed which by now have turned to dust, are packed away carefully in a small container and reinterred in the little vault in the corner of the bigger one. Kind of an early version of cremation, but explains how more than 100,000 bodies can be buried in a sacred place the size of a city block. If two or three family members die before the first deceased’s body has disintegrated, families simply ask a neighbor if they can borrow their vault for a year or so. Benjamin Latrobe, architect of the US Capitol, also designed a part of St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans’s Jackson Square and was working on the engineering design for a new waterworks project in New Orleans when he died of yellow fever. His son had died of the same disease three years earlier, and both are entombed in the cemetery. The burial ground is owned by the Catholic diocese and entry is limited to tour groups with storytellers who have been approved by the Bishop. Family members or genealogists can get special permits to enter and walk through the cemetery unattended. Jackson Square is exciting regardless of the hour of day or night, with swarms of people in all manner of dress and habits dancing, playing musical instruments, reading tarot cards, telling fortunes, selling voodoo dolls, all kinds of food, drink and strange smelling cigarettes, painting and selling caricatures or portraits, or simply sitting around watching everyone else. With St. Louis Cathedral the focal point of the Square, it isn’t unusual to see a bride and groom and their entire wedding party and guests come out of the Catholic cathedral and dance their way, complete with anything from a violinist to a mariachi band, through the Square to the applause and congratulations of happy strangers. Many of the brides carry white lace umbrellas and all their guests wave white linen cloths as they wend their way past tourists, artists, booths and stalls throughout the Square. Café du Monde, the open always café best known for its strong coffee and very special beignets, is only a short distance from the Square, but with lines of tourists waiting hours to sit and enjoy those fried donuts, it’s simply not worth the walk. Back in Jackson Square, two of the state’s museums, each dedicated to a different phase of the Pelican State’s history and lore, flank the still active Catholic cathedral where tourists wander up and down the aisles eyeing the statues and architecture, but are respectful and quiet during mass or other religious services. Excellent restaurants abound. Finding an outstanding restaurant in the Square with spectacular French and Creole cuisine was not a surprise. Finding one named Muriel’s was. And finding Muriel’s had a fascinating ghost in residence, complete with his story, as well as an upstairs outdoor balcony for sipping cocktails overlooking the excitement below made it irresistible. According to local lore, a wealthy man named Pierre Antoine Lepardi bought the property in the 1800s and refurbished the 18th century house to its original grandeur, loving not only the work it involved but the house itself. Pierre also had a thirst for gambling and lost the house in a poker game in 1814. So distraught was he over the loss, the story goes, he committed suicide on the second floor in what is now Muriel’s Séance Room. The room is elegant, rich in colorful fabrics, period furnishings and magnificent large framed paintings. But as much as I sat on the settee quietly in the eerily lit room and listened, inviting company and willing to take my chances on whether he would be friendly, I never heard a peep or got a glimpse of Monsieur Lepardi. The view from the balcony was sheer fun; the later dinner in the downstairs dining room, however, was spectacular. There’s a lot to be said for sampling Bouillabaisse, a combination of shrimp, mussels, crab meat, seafood meatballs and andouille sausage served in a sweet vermouth tomato broth, or shrimp and grits, seasoned with leeks and smoked tomato butter sauce and garlic. Finish it with a Gorgonzola cheesecake with honeyed pecans and slices of tart green apple and you find Muriel’s is as gourmet as it is mysterious. Even better. When the hostess, who runs a very tight, well-organized but very friendly staff, learns a real life Muriel is a dining guest, she presents her with a special labeled bottle of Muriel’s hot sauce. A great souvenir of a magnificent trip south

Whoever said the joy of the journey is in the journey itself must have taken the Auto Train. It’s the only way you can get from the Northeast to Florida on a tank of gas. The Auto-Train, the only one of its kind in the world, at three-quarters of a mile long, the longest passenger train in the world, and the most relaxing way to get between the north east and the Sunshine State, is the non-stop ride that takes you and your vehicle, be it sedan, motorcycle, or SUV, from Lorton, Va. to Sanford, Florida. From there, you’re on your own to points further north or south. But a ride on the Auto-Train means beginning the vacation as soon as you step into the designed especially for the Auto-Train station in Lorton. You check your vehicle at the door, take a carry-on bag of essentials for overnight, and begin to relax. Your vehicle is taken by trained crew members and driven into the two-level enclosed rail cars where, along with the other up to 330 cars making the same trip, it is secured in place for the journey south. At the same time, you’re welcomed into the passenger cars, and depending on whether you opt for a lounge seat or a Superliner Deluxe bedroom, or something in-between, settle into your assigned quarters. It’s the same for the trip north to Lorton, where the station is located immediately adjacent to I-95.. Trains in both directions leave their respective stations at 4 in the afternoon, scheduled to arrive at their destinations 17 hours, 30 minutes later at 9:30 the following morning. You’re requested to arrive at least 60 minutes in advance of departure time, and it takes about an hour on average for all the vehicles to be unloaded and get you on your way at the opposite end. IN between, there are lounge and dining cars, regardless of whether you opt for a seat or a bedroom, movies in the evening, practically always a wine tasting at departure, and a three course dinner complete with wine, all included in the price of the ticket. For those who opt for lounge seats, it means stretching out in the recliner and using the blanket and pillow they provide, or, if you want the extra baggage, carry on your own. Bathrooms are located on the lower level of each car, and fresh fruit, coffee and cookies are generally provided in the lounge car. A full bar is also accessible. Dinner menu offers a choice of five dishes, always including a vegetarian, chicken, beef, and fish entree, with a chef’s special. For those who opt for the Superliner bedrooms, coffee is always available in each car, the deluxe rooms are made for two, have private bathrooms with a mini-shower built in, and the five dinner entrees in the Superliner passenger dining room often include filet mignon along with gourmet chicken dishes. There’s still fresh fruit and cookies in the lounge car. The roomettes are built for two, snug and without a private bath, but providing privacy and comfort. There are also family bedrooms, which sleep two adults and two children in one room, and accessible bedrooms which accommodate two adults and are on the lower level, available on every train. Besides the comfort of travel, there’s the beauty of the passing scenery. Before the sun sets heading north, you’ll leave Florida, pass through Georgia’s oldest city, Savannah, and if everything’s on time, cross the state line into South Carolina. Just before dark, then whiz through Charleston and Florence, SC, as well as the home of the 82nd Airborne at Ft. Bragg, NC. If you’re a light sleeper, you’ll know the train stops for a half hour or so at Florence, SC for a change of engine crew, fueling and watering. If you’re an early riser, the charm of Virginia, from Petersburg, where a famous battle of the Civil War was waged, to Quantico, the home of the US Marine Corps and an FBI training facility, are worth seeing from the large train windows. The railroad runs right smack dab down the middle of several communities, including Ashland, so the slower speed gives you ample time to admire the gracious old Victorian mansions, the busy main street, and picturesque Randolph-Macon College. As spectacular as the scenery is, it’s the folks you meet traveling by train that set this mode of transportation above all the rest. Dining room tables are all set for four, so you’re bound to sit with other interesting people. It’s always fascinating to see where they’re from, where they’re heading and what they like best about rail travel. Surprisingly, there are a plethora of college kids who opt for Amtrak, some because they are afraid to fly, others because it’s an easy way to get all their stuff, crammed into their cars, between home and campus. If there is a major disadvantage to the Auto-Train it’s the fact it travels over rails owned by CSX railroad, which means freight frequently has the right-of-way and the Auto-Train is put on a siding to give access to CSX equipment. This occasionally means delays at arrival; on the occasions late arrivals are four hours late or more, the ingenious kitchen crew aboard whips up lunch for all. Cost of the Auto-Train sounds expensive on the surface, but considering it includes dinner and breakfast, that wine tasting and wine with dinner, the constant coffee and fruit and muffins, and comfortable sleeping accommodations, it isn’t too bad. Add to that the high cost of fuel, particularly if you’re traveling alone, and it could even represent a bargain. Like the airlines, prices vary according to the time of year and the availability; generally, the earlier you reserve, the cheaper you’ll get it. Amtrak often offers a special, sometimes allowing kids to travel free with adults. Any way you look at it, it’s worth a call to 1-800-USA-RAIL to learn more about a Vacation to a Vacation.

Covid! It even has made booking a cruise less fun and more difficult! Booking a cruise on one of the wonderful and spectacularly beautiful rivers and bays of the United States is always a thrill. Actually taking it is so much more. And having cruised on both American Queen and American Cruise lines several times on the Mississippi, as well as the Columbia and Snake rivers and going through the Pacific Northwest following the Lewis and Clark trail from the Mississippi west, it seemed like the best way to beat Covid-depression, get away from indoor activities, strengthen my mind and learn something new. It is the best thing to do, I did it. So now I am preparing for another cruise, and I’m working my way through all the changes Covid has meant. Though I’ve visited many historic and entertaining sites, to say nothing of military installations, in both Maryland and Virginia, the states still hold great allure for me and there’s always so much more to learn. So a tour on the Chesapeake Bay of some sites in both states, together with one or two of the islands in the Bay seemed like a great idea. Besides, with the ship leaving Baltimore, it is easily accessible by Amtrak from Metropark and a cab ride to the Four Seasons hotel, the luxurious hotel American Cruise Lines makes accommodations for you for the night before the cruise. BUT Covid has added something to the planning. New regulations. New rules to follow, literally wherever you go. Amtrak’s rules are different from Maryland’s, Maryland’s are different from Virginia’s, and all are different from American Cruise Lines. On the plus side, there’s no doubt absolutely nothing will be crowded, there will not be any long lines to wait in to get into some attractions, and you’re practically positively assured everything everywhere in all your accommodations, both on land and on travel, will be pristine and spotlessly clean. On the ship, with the total number of passengers reduced by 25 per cent, you’re sure to meet everyone with whom you’re cruising someplace along the way. On ships that only accommodate fewer than 200 passengers regularly, that means fewer than 149 others will be on board with me. While I feel certain the employees will also be reduced in keeping with the fewer ship guests, I’m sure there will still be plenty to pamper each customer and fill every need. There will still be all manner of recreation aboard, from music and entertainment to lectures and games. The daily visits to attractions in the ports where the ship docks will continue to be great fun, with perhaps coach transportation instead of busses from pier to sightseeing site, be it the Naval Academy or a museum. Ships already well known for their spectacular meals and overabundance of foods of all kinds won’t change either. Also on the plus side, every state still requires face masks, as do all modes of transportation, so you’re ready and prepared for that. But Covid has made it necessary to learn so much more. Take Amtrak for instance. Besides the mask requirement for every passenger and employee….I must check to see whether the engineer seated by himself in the cab also has to wear one…..Amtrak makes it clear, in no uncertain terms, that mask better stay in place both in the station and on the train. They even warn you..the masks better not have any mesh or holes of any kind, they can’t be bandanas and they must cover nose and mouth. To be sure you know they mean business, Amtrak also warns you they’re following federal laws, and violators are subject to penalties, which could include being denied admittance to a train, being removed from a train, and …drum roll here!!! Being banned from future travel! If you already have a reservation, and you exhibit any symptoms, they also suggest you call Julie, their telephone connection, and she will help you cancel your reservation and make another for the future. Amtrak isn’t taking any chances. Then there’s the ship itself! They aren’t requiring customers to have had vaccines, but they are strongly suggesting them. And just saying you have been vaccinated isn’t enough; they will ask for proof such as that little cards that gives the dates and type.m They’re obeying shoreside regulations wherever they go which should be kind of interesting and test their versatility. They’re even having a Medical Officer aboard every ship to ensure testing as you go aboard, and identification of any positivity during the cruise. In fact, the ships all have a few rooms set aside just in case they need one or more for isolation. For those who are not vaccinated, they are required to be tested four days before the beginning of their cruise, and only NAAT or PCR tests will be accepted. Of course the usual pristine accommodations are more so, there will be constant cleaning going on, and plenty of opportunities for hand washing and cleansing. While masks, they say must be worn at all times, I can only hope they’re off for meals. There should not be many changes in visiting the on land sites. Both Maryland and Virginia require masks and the six foot distances, though it’s interesting that Virginia’s regulations call for the outdoor masks only when you cannot keep six feet away from another. In Maryland, all the shops and businesses are open, and the six foot mandate is required. Is it worth it? Of course it is. There’s the comfort of knowing the need to prevent spreading of the disease is important. There’s comfort in seeing how cleanliness is such a vital factor. But there’s a distinct thrill and a quiver of excitement in looking forward to a week or so in a new environment, on a ship that knows how to pamper well, with people who are bound to be happy and eager to share that happiness. I’m looking forward to it. I can hear the laughter in the air already.

Even though we have all that spectacular waterfront beauty, those magnificent rivers and ocean, that nation-founding and before history, and our own historic Sandy Hook and Twin Lights lighthouses, there is something equally special about the Chesapeake Bay. And cruising through a good part of it on American Cruise Lines Independence, even while Covid is still impacting the world, is a magnificent and unforgettable experience. A week-long trip last week meant not only reliving some great parts of history, learning more than I ever need to know about crabs and ‘picking,’ and seeing lighthouses like nowhere else, it also included meeting some great people…with only 56 aboard the 100 passenger Independence, you get the opportunity to enjoy the company of all others on the ship. But this trip was made even more special by meeting…on the first day, no less, a charming couple from Port St. Lucie, Fla, whom I knew, talked about, and yes, wrote about, decades ago when they lived in Tinton Falls, and had many active and successful businesses. Enjoying the cruise with Don and Sue Somers was an added bonus to a wonderful week. Don, who had more businesses than most people have credit cards, at one time owned the Paradise Trailer Park on the waterfront while at the same time running the very successful limo, cab, and other businesses in Red Bank. HE and Sue moved from Tinton Falls, settled in Port St Lucie, found another home there they liked even better there and are now a couple of very happy former Monmouth Countians now Floridians. They flew up from their home at the same time I was Amtrak-ing it down from Metro park, and we all shared the last night before the cruise at the super-luxurious, super expensive Four Seasons Hotel at Baltimore Inner Harbor before boarding the cruise ship. American Cruise Lines had made all the arrangements, at our expense, of course, which included an overnight at the hotel, breakfast in the morning, a fantastic guided tour for a couple of hours of Baltimore, all while ACL crew scooped up our luggage, brought it to the ship and had it neatly placed in our rooms by the time we got there at the end of the tour. Of course there was all manner of liquid and appetizing refreshments in the main room to give us 56 passengers an opportunity meet each other, chat about where we’re from, why we were on this specific cruise, and what we were looking forward to. But let’s just start with the Baltimore tour. The city, at least parts of it, has changed one heck of a lot from the days when it was downright shabby, dirty, not very appealing and certainly with little regard for the huge history that envelops it. I’m sure those areas still exist, but certainly not on the bus tour. Instead, the magnificent Inner Harbor houses history in such ships as the Sloop Constellation, made in part from pieces of the Frigate Constellation which played an earlier role in American history. The sloop on display, however, is the last of its kind built by the United States Navy. Not far from it is the Sub Torsk, the 1944 submarine that housed 80 sailors in spaces so small they had to walk sideways to get through passageways, and the only one of its kind to serve in World War II. Today, it is both a museum and a memorial. The lighthouse in the harbor is an 1856 light, not very high, and not very bright compared to the Fresnel lens in the Twin Lights, but hearty and strong for the Inner Harbor. Baltimore is also so proud of so many of its native sons and others who chose to call it home while making headlines. Edgar Allan Poe’s home is on display, and they like him so much there that every October there’s a huge festival in his honor. Frederick Douglas is another personage highly revered and recalled in a museum, as is the famous Carroll family. They’re also proud to be home to the bakery that provides the rolls for all the McDonald’s restaurants along the east coast and the conversion of its many canneries into modern day office and residential buildings. Churches abound in Baltimore, many of which are pointed out on the tour, but none is as large or magnificent as the Cathedral of the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a mouthful to say or write, and better known these days as the Baltimore Cathedral. It was built soon after the Constitution guaranteeing religious freedom in America was signed, and Catholics wanted it to be large and beautiful as a way of showing they were finally getting the freedom to practice their religion without fear of penalty. It was designed by Thomas Jefferson’s architect, Benjamin Latrobe, the same brilliant mind who designed the US Capitol, and at the time of its construction, rivaled the Capitol in size and design. Built in the neoclassical style, since the church wanted to accent its acceptance in America, it appears more to be a federal building rather than religious, with its clear pane windows rather than the traditional stained glass of churches. The first Cathedral of any religion built in the United States, it took 15 years to construct, had John Carroll, the cousin of the Declaration as its bishop and was considered the most advanced building of its era. There are numerous museums to the many different ethnic groups that call Baltimore home, including black Americans, Irish Americans, Jewish Americans and many more. Baltimore is a city of museums and ethnic pride, together with a healthy respect for all the beer for which it’s famous, and crab houses for the state treasured shellfish. Fort McHenry is a story onto itself. Because of Covid restrictions, while the tour bus stopped and offered brief walks around some of the 42 acres of the national historic site, the museum itself is closed. While that huge American flag that flew over Fort McHenry is now housed in temperature and light controlled exhibition at the Smithsonian in Washington, it’s still stirring to step on the land where the flag flew in all its glory for Francis Scott Key to see from his ship the morning after the British bombed the fort in an unsuccessful attempt to take it over. Inspiring enough for the national anthem words to be written during the War of 1812, it’s still inspiring to be on the site. The tour bus made a final pass past Baltimore’s Washington Monument, the 178 foot high Doric column designed by Robert Mills who later went on to design the nation’s 555 foot tall Washington Monument. It was built on donated land in the heart of Baltimore and if you’re game for the 227 spiral staircase steps, it offers a spectacular view of the city. Back at the Harbor, guests were met at the pier by ACL staff who introduced us all to the ship, our home for the next six nights, and a tour of historic and beautiful Chesapeake Bay. NEXT: The ship, the crew, and Yorktown, Va.

There is a great intimacy, great camaraderie and great opportunity to meet new friends traveling on river cruises in both the United States and Europe. Several US companies have expanded from only offering these golden opportunities on the Mighty Mississippi, American Cruise Lines among them. Their Independence travels the east coast and by comparison, is one of the smallest of cruise liners that whisk people away for six to 14 days or so of pampering, learning, eating, seeing new and exciting cities and towns, and simply relaxing and enjoying the beauty of the surroundings. It’s got almost all the same amenities as the river cruising ships that accommodate 200 passengers, just in a lesser degree. For instance, there’s one dining room on the first deck, at the ship’s stern, offering fantastic views of the scenery along both shores as well as traffic on the Bay. It’s got a lounge, but only one, on the second deck, and that’s where all the evening entertainment and the daytime games are held. It’s also where cocktail hour starts usually at 5:30, but early visitors to the lounge readily found out that the staff sets up the bar a half hour or so earlier, and has no complaints if guests go up and help themselves. All the third deck rooms have their own great private decks, with a table and chairs to enjoy passing scenery and feel up close to the seagulls and terns flying near by. The top deck is open, a great place to see the captain as he comes out of the second floor wheelhouse to guide the ship to a dock, or simply just to sit and enjoy cool breezes and the sounds of the sea. There’s a mini putting range on this deck as well, and a few pieces of exercise equipment for those who feel the need. At most, the Independence holds 100 passengers, and on a cruise earlier this month, there were only 56 aboard because of Covid restrictions. However, a full complement, or so it seemed, of staff catered to the needs and wishes of each of these 56 guests, and certainly worked their hardest to keep them happy from the time they stepped on the boat in Baltimore until disembarking at the same location after stopping at Yorktown, Crisfield, Cambridge, St. Michael’s and Annapolis. Yorktown is clearly a highlight on the Chesapeake cruise and American Cruise Lines did it almost perfectly. Here again, the ship docks right at the edge of the historic town, and it‘s a walk up the hill to see it on your own. Since it is so full of history, a trolley tour with a local expert obviously proud of her town is the best way to see Yorktown. Yorktown was a pretty exciting place to live in the 1700s, when Williamsburg was the capital of Virginia and there were about 2,000 people living and working in the 250 to 300 buildings around town. Once Richmond became capital, the Revolution was over, and people began seeking other shores, Yorktown diminished in size but certainly not in charm. The battle lasted about 20 days, and was the turning point and last great battle of the Revolution. The guide will point out houses where the gunshots are still embedded in the exterior walls and tell the delightful story of how General Cornwallis did everything he could to avoid surrendering to General Washington, including sending out his second in command to surrender his sword. According to the storyteller, Washington retaliated with the same, sending his second in command to accept it. Eventually, however, Cornwallis did sign the surrender, which ultimately led to the end of the war and the signing of the Treaty of Paris. Yorktown is also the battle where young America depended on its French friends to win the battle, and Lafayette, our own General Nathaniel Greene, and Rochambeau are held in high esteem. There’s a great memorial high on the hill overlooking the town that commemorates the brave French and Americans, together with many Germans who fought for the colonies. The Independence also offered a bus trip to Williamsburg, but four hours in this former capital and wonderfully restored city can only give you a hint of the art, music, history, beauty and warmth that surround Williamsburg. With so many buildings to see, but with Covid restrictions limiting the amount, it was only possible to go into the Governor’s House, magnificent in its splendor and size, the court house, where guides in 18th century garb and 21st century masks looked a bit ludicrous, and the armory with its storage of muskets, gun powder and guides knowledgeable on how to load cannon and use ancient weapons. ACL could have done better by scheduling this stop for a weekday, since Bruton Parish Church, historic for the number of Presidents who worshiped there, is closed to the public Sunday to allow for its five or six religious services. The William and Mary Book Store at the perimeter of the restored area has rows and rows of tables devoted to famous Virginians and Yorktown heroes, from Thomas Jefferson to Alexander Hamilton. Enroute to Williamsburg, the bus passed not only the Yorktown Weapons Station, one of the sister bases to Naval Weapons Station Earle, but also the Museum of American Revolution. One wonders why ACL, in this town where Revolutionary War history was made, did not include a visit to this museum among its tours. Once back on the ship, after cocktails, hors oeuvres and friends talking over the facts they had learned during the day, then dinner, yet the best was still yet to come. In the evening, ACL had invited the local teen Drum and Fife Corps to have a contingent come aboard to entertain its passengers. And entertain they did. Two fifers and a drummer, all teens, all dressed in their official Revolutionary era regalia, all playing instruments of the era, delighted the passengers first with their renditions of music played during the war, then with their explanations of why the music was so important and what each piece signaled, and finally explaining and demonstrating in great detail each instrument and how it is played. A rousing rendition of Yankee Doodle Dandy with guests singing along, finished off an unforgettable day of remembering what it took, and the lives it took, to preserve freedom and begin a new country. Next: Crisfield and Cambridge

is not so well known as some of the other Chesapeake towns like Yorktown and Annapolis, but it’s got its own kind of charm. It’s where you get the ferry to Smith Island if you ever want to visit that really out-of-the-way-perfectly wonderful little piece of a century or more ago but with modern facilities and a great clam museum. The Independence docked right up in the heart of town, and guests had the opportunity to either stroll the streets on their own or take a walking exploration with a guide. Since I’ve been there before, I opted to go it alone and stopped in a few of the gift shops and antique stores simply to pass the time of day with shopkeepers who were happy to see visitors. With fewer than 3,000 people, Crisfield in not really on Chesapeake Bay itself, but rather on Tangier Sound, an arm of the Bay. And it’s located in Maryland’s Somerset County. Rachel was one of several speakers American Cruise Lines invites on the ship to give information and historic stories about the different towns and areas the ship is visiting, as well as some ideas on the variety of shops, monuments, or restaurants in the towns where the ship is docking. On Tangier Bay, she gave a talk on the bay itself, pointed out Smith Island, which she said, is slowing disappearing since it’s an island that sits low in the water, and is challenged by rising waters. Founded in the 1600s, the island was founded by the English and kept to itself for centuries, so today’s inhabitants often can still be heard speaking in old English. An environmentalist, Rhode Islander, graduate of the University of Wisconsin, and a captivating speaker who invites the public to join in, ask questions, and give some facts on their own, Rachel is a wealth of knowledge about the western shore of the Chesapeake, and all the little rivers that are fed with the drainage from the mountains, leaving the water brackish before heading into the large bay and more mixture with salt water. Because of Covid, and though it was a Monday, only three stores, in addition to a couple of eating establishments, within walking distance of the Independence were open, but all three were fun to visit. In the first place, Marylanders are folksy, friendly people and they like to brag about their own little piece of heaven and tell you stories from their points of view. There’s always a fisherman or a boater on the dock, so that’s more friendly conversation about what’s going in and how Covid has affected them. And simply watching the boaters or fishermen is relaxing and always an opportunity to learn. Back on the ship in time for cocktails and conversation before the evening meal. Like all meals on most cruise ships, American Cruise Lines provides top of the line menus, and takes advantage of its cruises on the Chesapeake to ensure lots of seafood, predominately crabs, oysters and lobster from local waters. With only 56 seaboard the 100 passenger ship, there were generally only three entrees for each night’s dinner, generally a chicken, beef and always seafood, but also always a variety of soups, salads, and vegetables to supplement any entrée. And this after a broad array of tantalizing hors d’oeuvres served in the lounge during cocktail hour. ACL proves it simply isn’t possible to go hungry on a cruise. A great chef was aboard the Chesapeake cruise with an ability to think out of the box and try something new. His pan seared salmon, for instance, was served with a tomato jam, aside broccoli rabe served in a lemon butter sauce. The mixed salad included grape tomatoes, carrots and cucumber, and the brisket was braised in beer and served with Texas toast and kettle chips. Another night, there was grilled swordfish with a crab salsa, served with a vegetable pilaf, or a Dijon crusted leg of lamb with a red wine and min demi-glaze. The lobster tail was stuffed with shrimp and crab and served, would you believe, with a beef tenderloin. Cambridge was the next docking address for the Independence fourth day into the cruise, one of the large cities along the Chesapeake with its more than 12,000 residents that also makes it the fourth most populous cities on the eastern shore of Maryland, While the Harriet Tubman museum is the main attraction in this town, and the ACL offered a trip and tour of the museum, I opted instead the Choptank River Lighthouse, once again to talk with local residents about why they love their town so much. It was an education in lighthouses so different from our Twin Lights and Sandy Hook historic sites. Chesapeake lighthouses, because of the nature of the area, are “screwpile” types, neither high nor lofty like our New Jersey beacons, but rather shorter since height is not a necessity y in this area. More unusual, its legs are screwed into the riverbed to keep it steady. The Chop Tank River Lighthouse displayed by an enthusiastic volunteer from the organization that maintains it, isn’t the real thing. It’s a replica of the only lighthouse that was in the bay and served the neighboring states of Maryland and Virginia. It’s small, only 42 feet wide at its broadest, and replicates the one built in 1921 to replace the 1870 wooden schooner that had served as a lightship. The lighthouse sat in the Choptank River for only three years; it had been moved by barge from Virginia to replace another lighthouse that had been destroyed by an ice storm a few years earlier. Like many others, the Choptank light was dismantled and replaced by a Coast Guard buoy in the 20th century. The volunteer told of the loneliness of life on a lighthouse accessible only by water, two miles from land and where the term “white glove test” came from. (in his lonely splendor, the keeper nonetheless had to keep everything spic and span, dust free and spotless, always ready for the inspector who might show up for his white glove test for cleanliness.) The light was fueled by kerosene with a Fresnel lens to shine the light, but the keeper also had a fog bell for the times when even that light could not be seen by mariners. That had a mechanical striker the keeper used to hammer the help, warning vessels of nearby hazards, and enabling them to navigate by sound. Authentic and accurate in its replicated beauty, the lighthouse does have modern additions including a fire sprinkling system and a chair lift so even handicapper visitors can get up to view the area from the windows of the lighthouse. Next; St Michael’s and the Maritime Museum

There is no doubt about it. I’ve been mesmerized by trains by entire married life. Oh, it wasn’t all fun and games, and I didn’t always like it. Growing up in Union County, I didn’t have much interaction with trains. It was easier to hop on a bus to Port Authority in New York or take the Number #8 bus to go to Elizabeth to shop in Goerke’s or visit Humes Music Store. As kids, we never took a train anyplace; family vacations to the White Mountains of New Hampshire were by car, two days of travel, an overnight in Connecticut and arriving at this magical wonderful Burroughs Farm in Twin Mountain, NH early afternoon the second day. It was exciting. But then I married a fireman on the railroad. Jimmy, like his dad, worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad. It was a time when you hired out you hired as a fireman…and yes, there were steam engines, and yes, Jimmy really did shovel coal and sweat by the fire pit even on the coldest days. It would be years until he had the seniority to be ‘promoted’ to engineer. In between, the PRR became the Penn Central Railroad, the government stepped in and Conrail became the ‘freight’ railroad, and firemen and engineers had their choice…did they want to be Conrail engineers or Amtrak engineers, the new government railroad. Jimmy was already an engineer and he chose Amtrak, he liked running passenger trains, liked the trips to Washington, D.C, layovers in Philadelphia where he could visit museums before bringing another train back to New York, and liked the fact we would then have passes to travel wherever Amtrak ran. Even then, we never took many train trips. Jimmy didn’t want to spend his time off as a passenger on a train another engineer was running. Even with passes, we never got to take our children cross country, or even to the nation’s Capital by train. Jimmy believes the train was for work, not for pleasure. And he worked hard for his pay. At the time, there were no sick days, no holidays, no days off. If you didn’t work, you simply didn’t get paid. So he was very healthy all those years we were raising four children and putting them in tuition paid Catholic schools. He called in sick for our daughter’s cheerleading meets, our son’s Pop Warner games. Looking back, I’m so happy he had the option and we both recognized enjoying our kids’ activities beat a bigger paycheck any day. My train trips while Jimmy was alive were glorious when I took them. Often, when Jimmy had a run to Washington, DC, a four or five hour layover there, and another trip back to New York. I could go as a passenger, meet him at Union Station, and we could spend a couple of hours visiting the Smithsonian and having lunch in one of the Capitol’s restaurants before boarding his train for our trip back home. I loved it, and so loved the Smithsonian and visited every building, in addition to the Library of Congress and the Capitol many times. We took several trips after the Auto Train came into being, driving to Lorton, Virginia, boarding the train and watching them board our car, for the overnight trip to Florida, then reclaiming our vehicle and moving on to wherever we were going. Wonderful trips. After Jimmy’s death, both to memorialize him and our happy memories, and to travel….so easy to travel by train when you’re a lone woman traveler…I knew I wanted to take the train across the country! At least once! I ended up doing it more than that. I took one trip to New Orleans since I was also taking a cruise sailing out of there. What better way to start a cruise on the Mississippi than by taking the train to the boat! t was an opportunity to see the beauty and wonder of America through 11 states and Washington, D.C. There simply isn’t anything that can compare! Boarding in New York…Amtrak’s Crescent is one of the few long distance East Coast trains that doesn’t stop at Metro Park…you whiz through New Jersey, Philadelphia, Delaware and Maryland before stopping for a few minutes in Washington, D.C where dozens more board for the trip South through Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and final stop, New Orleans. Rather than the straight line south leaving the nation’s Capital, the Crescent travels west through Virginia, giving riders the opportunity to ride through the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, smack through the middle of towns like Manassas and Culpeper, Jefferson’s Charlottesville, before moving on through High Point and Charlotte in North Carolina, touching on Spartanburg and Clemson in South Carolina, and on to the beautiful city of Atlanta, Georgia. Alabama’s small towns along the route include Anniston, where Anniston Army Depot, a huge Army installation with dozens of tanks lining a perimeter near the railroad, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, home of the University of Alabama, then on to Meridian, Picayune and more in Mississippi before pulling into the Festival City of the World, New Orleans. The Crescent is the only Amtrak train that makes this route, and timing of the trains going north and south makes it possible to see different towns by night and day. Heading south, you’re just about entering Virginia at dusk, and sleeping your way through the Carolinas, with the sun rising over Georgia and an evening arrival New Orleans. On the return trip, it’s daylight from New Orleans through Georgia, then sleeping once again through the Carolinas, and daylight through the beautiful western side of Virginia and the upper Southern states for a noon-time or so arrival in New York. Accommodations aboard Amtrak are delightful, whether you opt for coach, sleeping cars, or, in between, business class accommodations which mean more space, quiet and comfort than the more popular and less expensive coaches, but still a lower cost and privacy than the private miniature cabins for two. All classes of travel on the Crescent enjoy the same dining room and lounge cars, and seats in both coach and business allow plenty of room for stretching out and lying flat. In recent years, I’ve traveled overnight both ways, in coach and in a private bedroom. Both have distinctive benefits. The coach seats are far less expensive, the seats are wide, big and lay back, and you can bring pillows or blankets for added comfort at night. You have the joy of meeting other travelers, making new friends, and everyone is polite and quite throughout the sleep hours when the lights are dimmed. The private cars of course give you all the privacy you want, two seats and a table for playing games, reading, or holding a glass of wine, and a porter who comes in and converts those two seats to a most comfortable bed at night., You meet your new friends in the dining room where the menu always has a minimum of five entrees and great desserts. It’s elegance on wheels. On the Crescent, it’s in Georgia in the right season, when you first see spring has arrived in the South, with magnolias in bloom, violet and white wisteria blowing gently in the breeze along tree limbs, and dogwood and bulb flowers adding brilliant colors to an already beautiful scenery. As in most large cities, the train stations are right in the heart of things, so it’s always an inexpensive cab ride to hotels of all price ranges, and museums, shops, restaurants and other entertainment you can start enjoying immediately. After all, it was a most relaxing, enjoyable, and scenic trip to get there.

Clearly, the tourism bureau of St. Michael’s in Maryland knows how to attract visitors. Coupling a visit here with a most unusual discussion and workshop on crabs aboard American Cruise Lines’ Independence are certainly highlights on a six day cruise on the Chesapeake Bay that was altered somewhat by the Covid situation, but nonetheless filled with wonderful people, making new friends, reviving old ones, great meals aboard a 100 passenger ship reduced to 56 because of Covid, and getting a chance to see how unique the Chesapeake Bay area is.

St. Michael’s, which is on Maryland’s Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake, is considered one of the top 10 Best Small Coastal Towns in America and it’s easy to see why, even during a brief stay on a cruise ship. It’s picturesque, filled with history and a harbor and homes that go back more than 500 years. It offers all kinds of festivals and activities throughout the year….upcoming next week is the antique and classic boat festival. There’s the Classic Motor Museum, a weekly Farmer’s Market, a Running Festival in August, a ghost walk, friendly people, and a charming downtown area. Of course there is kayaking, golfing, cycling, canoeing, boating of all kinds, restaurants and bistros, B&Bs and hotels.

But best of all, St. Michael’s is home to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum.

The Independence docks right in the Museum, an incredibly wonderful 18-acre museum with at least ten different exhibit buildings, all within walking distance of each other, and all offering something unique about the Bay area, the people and the lighthouse. There’s even a working boatyard in the museum, the largest in the nation, a building devoted to Native Americans, one to small boats from crab skiffs to log canoes, of course a lighthouse to climb, another building dedicated to history makers from the 18th century, one to duck decoys, and so much more. In one of the buildings devoted to crabbers, there’s even an exhibit and a place of honor for Capt. Ben Dye, who was born in Monmouth County in 1827, but moved with his family to Perryville in Maryland’s Cecil County when he was a boy and where he lived until his death in 1896. Capt. Dye was best known for his decoys, characteristic because they were all hand-chopped and featured ducks with perfectly flat tails and simple or no wing decorations.

My personal favorite is the exhibition building on the very edge of them all, this one devoted to the art of oystering. That exhibit is unique in that the designers of this non-profit educational museum brought a real oyster boat inside, then created life-like models of the boat’s captain and a few working oysterman intent at their craft. The recording doesn’t simply explain what each model is doing; rather it’s a recording of the watermen talking with each other, explaining to a young oysterman the whys and wherefores of every action he takes. It’s realistic and startling when you first walk in, see very lifelike models hard at work and think you’re interrupting an oystering lesson.

The Museum has been around since the mid-1960s, and does an outstanding job of meeting its mission to preserve and explore history, the environment and the culture of the Bay area. Certainly worth a weekend trip for the museum along.

The Independence certainly takes advantage of Maryland’s pride in its crabs, and native Lori Gross came aboard to lead an afternoon discussion in the ship’s lounge on crabs, crabbing, crab habits, how to catch them, cook then, and eat them. Just to be sure all the guests got it down perfectly, she also brought aboard dozens of freshly caught blue crabs, spread newspapers on the lounge tables in true Maryland style, and led the group in how to pick a crab, what to eat, what to discard, and how to protect your pile of crabmeat from a hungry friendly tablemate. Lori, who now spends most of her time in photography and teaching about the Antarctic, convinced Independence guests that picking through the tough shells of crabs is worth the work and the mess. The following day, when the ship was in Annapolis, I chatted with a wholesaler on the dock who went into great detail about the feud between Virginians and Marylanders about crab regulations, where each state’s territory ends in the bay and how Marylanders…he was a native…..are so much more protective of the shellfish than Virginian crabbers.

Another joy of cruising. You meet the finest people in the strangest places who want to share their own pride in their own hometown.

Next Annapolis and how American Cruise Lines fails.