East Coast 2021:
Day 9 - Jessup, MD

	Saturday, September 18, 2021: We started just after 7 AM. The Pennsylvania adopt-a-highway signs seem to allow you to advertise your business more than we've seen in other states.
	We stopped at McDonald's for breakfast, and were amazed that there were "double checked for accuracy" stickers on the bag, but the order was missing hash browns, napkins, and butter. We've never seen an order missing so many items in the same bag.
	Route 1 from Bensalem toward Philadelphia was a twelve-lane expressway, with three lanes for local southbound traffic, three lanes for express southbound traffic, and then six similar lanes northbound. It made for very rapid progress toward downtown.
	Our first stop of the day was going to be at Fairmount Park to see the washrooms from the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition, but we didn't count on them being in a city park behind gates that were not yet open. We'll have to catch them next time we are in the area.
	The buildings of Saint Joseph's University were imposing and beautiful.
	Near Glen Mills, we headed due south on a quick detour into Delaware. For those of you keeping track at home, this is the 39th state that we've visited just this year.
	We passed Wilmington University, which we were certain featured a courses in credit card law since almost every credit card company in the United States is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware.
	Those Drama Kids of Wilmington sure do like a clean highway.
	After seeing the sights of Wilmington, we backtracked to Route 1 in Pennsylvania to continue our journey southward.
	We drove through Brandywine Battlefield National Historic Landmark, which was the site of a decisive victory for the British during the American Revolution.
	The road was a two lane divided highway bordered with trees.
	We had thought long and hard about stopping at Longwood Gardens, and ultimately decided against it based on the amount of time such a visit would take, and what we would really see this late in the season. We were glad to be absolved of the guilt for not going when we drove past and saw that it was closed for a special event.
	After the congested northeast where Route 1 was a single lane and was either 45 MPH or less, we were really, really enjoying this two-lane divided highway. We hoped there was more of this in our future.
	Maryland welcomes you. Enjoy your visit. We will, Maryland, since you are our 40th state this year.
	The Maryland adopt-a-highway sign has a pretty flower motif.
	We were so intent on getting a picture of this historical marker that we forgot to take a picture of the tree itself. DOH!
	Route 1 took us right over ...
	... the Susquehanna River ...
	... on a dam that was part of ...
	... the Conowingo hydroelectric plant.
	We really felt like we were in the South now.
	US 1 Sales & Service would love to sell you a pre-owned vehicle.
	As we approached Baltimore, we started seeing these rows of houses all connected together.
	This row contained businesses, with each business having different color roof tiles.
	A social services agency, Humanism, now occupies the former American Brewery building, which was built in 1887.
	Here's more connected buildings, but this time they look more like apartments than single family houses.
	We were on the hunt for more Nipper statues, and we found this on top of the Maryland Center for History and Culture. This time, he was presented with the gramophone from the original painting. Nice.
	We headed deeper into Baltimore, ...
	... witnessing a drug deal going down, start to finish, under the Franklin Mulberry Expressway overpass while we were stopped at a light ...
	... on our way to the B&O Railroad Museum.
	The Roundhouse was an amazing sight, with lots and lots of beautiful traincars and memorabilia on display. We were looking for the Maryland's Merci Train boxcar, and expected to find it in the roundhouse. After not finding it, we asked at an information desk about it, and they told us it had been moved to another building. After giving us directions, they told us that they were overjoyed that someone had asked about it, as few people did.
	We made our way to the outbuilding that they had told us about ...
	... and were amazed at this beautiful engine right inside the entrance.
	Debbie once again helped a family by taking their picture for them.
	This diesel engine was also in great shape. Wow.
	We climbed the stairs next to it to the walkway between the exhibits and looked into the engine compartment of a coal-powered locomotive.
	Yes! Maryland's Merci Train boxcar was at the very back of the building. It looked quite distressed, with paint flaking off and many shields missing, but it did have both the US national insignia and the Merci Train emblem.
	This one also had the viewing platform at the back of the train, with stairs leading up it.
	We spotted the presention plate like the ones we had seen in New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
	The other side of the train was missing shields as well but it was in remarkably good shape for having never undergone a restoration. We suspect that it is because it has been stored indoors for decades, so it has been spared desctruction from the elements.
	This interpretive display included a letter written in 1949 from Chairman of the "40 and 8" Boxcar committee to the Superintendent of the Pennsylvania Railroad informing them that the boxcar would be moved from Baltimore's Pennsylvania Station, where it was being stored, to the B&O Railroad Museum. This is what leads us to believe that the boxcar has been stored indoors for 72 years.
	It also included this photo of the arrival of the Maryland boxcar. Since the 40 and 8 boxcars were built for the narrow gauge track of the French railway system, the boxcars had to be transported to the various states on American standard gauge flatcars.
	The shields, while distressed, seem to be the original ones from 1949.
	Here's a view of the roundhouse from the outside. It is a very impressive structure.
	They had a model train outside near the cafe, with buttons on each side that you could push to set the trains in motion.
	Look at these! They are tiny traincars built to look like carriages.
	The bathrooms in the roundhouse were "all gender." Tom used this one, which the sign indicated didn't have urinals, and inside there was a woman changing a baby.
	Debbie used this one, which had urinals, but they were in private stalls. She bumped into a man on her way in. It was a greatl experience to help normalize gender neutrality in restrooms, something we've successfully done in our homes for years.
	Here's Pulaski Street in Baltimore, no doubt named after the General.
	Debbie was fascinated with these long connected buildings.
	After leaving Baltimore, we headed on a quick detour south to Annapolis. We crossed over Weems Creek as we headed toward ...
	... the Maryland capitol building. This building has the dual distinction of being the oldest state capitol building in continuous use, and having the largest wooden dome in the United States constructed without nails.
	We headed toward the US Naval Academy and saw lots of individual groups of officer candidates walking toward campus.
	This building on the waterfront had lots and lots of identical boats at a pier connected to the building. We're guessing that at the Naval Academy, one of the courses may be in small boat handling.
	The road leading up to the entrance was jammed packed with people trying to get in. There was definitely something happening today, but we never did figure out what it was.
	The streets immediately around the academy were small and the houses were flying flags from all over the United States, including Oregon, Arizona, Florida, and Maryland, just in this photo alone.
	We glimpsed the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium off to the side of the road, but couldn't get a good picture.
	Leaving Annapolis and heading toward our hotel, we stopped at Casey's Crab Company for lunch.
	This colorful crab statue was just inside the building. Their indoor seating was closed, and they had set up tables at the entrance for the staff to take your order either to go, or to eat at the limited seating outside, or to eat in your car.
	We ordered two Casey's Crabcake Platters, featuring 6 ounces of Maryland crabcake and a choice of two sides: French fries and sweet corn nuggets for Debbie, and onion rings and cole slaw for Tom.
	While we sat outside and enjoyed our meals, the steam from a crabpot wafted over Debbie. It was an interesting experience.
	We checked into our hotel, the Sleep Inn in Jessup, Maryland, around 2 PM.
	We got into our comfy pants and relaxed for the rest of the day.
	There was a visible space station pass overhead a little around 7:30 PM, and being lazy, we opted to view it from the comfort of our room. Debbie was able to capture this photo as it passed its zenith and before it disappeared into the northeast. Miles today: 197. Total miles from Fort Kent, ME: 1285. Day 10 >