PA to OH

We left Harrisburg headed west with several stops to visit family and friends.  This time we turned of the "Avoid Toll Roads" setting on the GPS we'd used this far.  With that on, we'd seen a lot of beautiful back roads and gorgeous small old towns.  We figured if we'd left it on, we'd still be in PA.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike

Total tolls to Ohio - $88.30!

Stopped in the Akron-Canton area of Ohio. We are visiting some friends from our early years in the Air Force.

Thursday we stopped to visit the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, PA. It really is out in the country.

Looking from the Visitor's Center down to the crash site.

40 Groves of 40 trees were planted between the Visitor's Center and the crash site in memory of the 40 passengers and crew. 

Part of the walkway from the visitor's center to the crash site.

Walkway to the Visitor's Center.

Looking back at the visitor's center from the crash site.

Wall along debris field with benches and niches to leave messages or flowers.

Wall of names lining up with wall at visitor's center mark flight path of plane.

Wall of names running towards crash site.

Boulder marking the impact spot. All of debris field is restricted to family members only.

We didn't take pictures inside the Visitor's Center because there were too many people and we didn't think they would come out well. The displays were of all the attacks that day and lots of recordings of news reports etc. A few of the calls made by passengers from the plane and left on answering machines were available to listen to. Very moving. Pictures of the passengers and crew with bios, names of victims of all attacks on 9/11, mementos left by visitors were displayed. A 15th Anniversary Ceremony is planned for Sept 11 and preparations were being made while we were there. The memorial will be open to the public the night before when they (possibly family members) will place candelaria along the wall of names which is lighted at night. I'm sure it will be on the news reports around the country.

Of course, when it's my (Peg's) turn to drive it starts raining!  But Willis was ecstatic; finally, some duck weather!