Started early in the morning and couldn’t resist this still life tableau in a field near the West Koshkonong Lutheran Church.

A long day of driving but soon I was crossing the Allegheny River into Pittsburgh.

Enjoyed a delightful evening with my sister Marianne Novy and her husband David Carrier. Marianne recently retired from teaching English Literature at the University of Pittsburgh.

David is a philosopher and cultural critic, according to his Wikipedia biography, and taught at Carnegie-Mellon University. We had a great dinner and after-dinner discussion. His art collection includes some portraits.

The next stop was Valley Forge, in eastern Pennsylvania, a site that marks a critical turning point in the American Revolutionary War.

Costumed historians described the life of the Revolutionary War soldiers who spent the winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge while the British were ensconced nearby in Philadelphia.

George Washington is remembered with a statue near his headquarters on the banks of the Schuylkill River

The hero of Valley Forge, though, was probably the Prussian Baron von Steuben, who drilled the Revolutionary soldiers on this plain and turned them into an army that could whip the British.

I spent a delightful two days at the home of veteran InterVarsity staff members Neil and Jeanie Rendall, talking about the early history of InterVarsity’s Multiethnic Ministry.

Never been to Philadelphia before, so I needed to squeeze in a visit to the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.

The foundations of American democracy were forged in this room.

Getting out of downtown Philadelphia during rush hour was a challenge, but once I got past the Rodin museum, it was a beautiful drive along the Schuylkill River.

A close call on the highway the next day, but drove through Delaware for the first time ever.

Met with Chris Koppen in Washington DC, whose interest in government was stirred when we worked together on his high school newspaper.

Also met with John DeDakis, a former Madison and CNN journalist who now writes novels.

And dropped in on Steve Coleman, who handles radio religion news for the Associated Press radio network.

Also couldn’t resist the Greek exhibit at the National Geographic museum, visited twice.

Did a little more sightseeing in the evening at the Jefferson Memorial.

Beautiful in the evening rays.

Jefferson’s words still resonate today.

Paused along the Potomac to watch planes land at Reagan National and crew teams race upriver.

The next day Steve Coleman invited me on a bike ride through the woods in Burke, Virginia. A great way to start the day!

A brief stop at Fort Washington, an historic site overlooking the Potomac River.

One appointment for this day, with Esrael Seyum, an InterVarsity staff member in Maryland who grew up in Eritrea.

The first half of my journey ends at a very intriguing historic city in Virginia.