The Trail of Honor - 05/22/2010 - My Report

We left home around 9:00 AM and made a stop at a drug store and my housemate got a small pack of Kleenex and a tube of sunscreen.  Then we headed to the JPD Pistol Range and parked there and boarded a waiting bus, along with some other people, carrying the bags of items to be donated to and shipped to the troops.   We were driven over to the Harley Davidson of Jackson and dropped off, then we went inside and she was trying to determine where the donations were to go.  I saw the Department of Public Safety booth and said I thought they went to DPS.  So we went over there and one of the women manning the booth took the bags we had with us.  She gave me a "backpack" with some goodies she put in it.  Included was a large water bottle with a "freeze stick" that is removable.  


We walked around the shop and did a lot of looking and talking with people at the various booths.  I took some pictures of some of the displays; we came up on a couple of members of the Black Daggers Parachute Jump Team and they signed pictures for us and posed for a photo with me.  We made our way out to the Trail of Honor and were probably halfway through it when we noted that we needed to break away from walking the trail in order to go catch the Black Daggers jump [the schedule called for them to jump at 11:30 AM].  We got there and discovered that the jump at that time had been canceled; they would be jumping at 2:00 PM instead.  


We went back inside the shop [I met my SS classmate and her daughter getting off a bus as we were making our way to the shop; I stopped and spoke to them] and cooled down for a while and browsed some more; finally, we went on back out and rewalked the Trail of Honor.  I had been taking pictures as we went along.  I resumed taking pictures when we got to the point where we had broken off.  Eventually, we "ran into" my classmate on the back of a golf cart [she has difficulty walking, she was using a cane when she exited the bus] and when her daughter returned from checking out something, I got a picture of them together.  


We made our way to the Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall and I got a picture of my housemate looking at the wall; she took a picture of me checking it out as well.  We made our way on through the trail and then stopped in the "Outhouse" - yeah, there was a big sign with that name over the building.  Then we went on and got in line and ordered food - hamburgers and drinks for lunch.  We found a spot to sit and when we finished eating, we went back inside for a little while to cool off; then we made our way back out to find a spot [hopefully shady] to wait for the Black Daggers/Sky Soldiers/1st Cavalry Horse Detachment and the Special Boat Team 22 Demonstration.  


When the Black Daggers started parachuting, I couldn't see anything on my LCD screen, though I could see them with my eyes.  I don't know how to explain this phenomenon other than to say that the sun was interfering with what I was able to see on my screen.  So, I just aimed the camera in the area of the sky where my eyes told me that they were.  I just went to snapping pictures - since with the digital, I don't have to print any that I don't like or want.  


After the Black Daggers were done, the Sky Soldiers were up next.  This consisted of several helicopters in "war games" in a field in between I-55 South and the Frontage Road.  They were making "bombing runs" and traffic passing on I-55 might've thought there was a war going on - my housemate said this - due to all the commotion.  Then the 1st Cavalry Horse Detachment was up - they were delayed in putting on their demonstration due to "technical difficulties".  I walked down closer to get some pictures and when I came back to where I had left my housemate, I couldn't find her.  I kept walking around trying to locate her and finally did - she had moved over in to a more shaded area.  She said that she had noticed me obviously looking for her and was waving at me but I didn't see her.  


We waited through the delay and then watched the 1st Cavalry Horse Detachment performance, followed by the Special Boat Team 22 Demonstration.  Once that was over, we went back inside and she waited for me while I went to try to get the other 2 members of the Black Daggers to sign the photos.  I got to where they had been, but they were already gone.  There were some posters on the table, so I grabbed a couple.  Then I headed back to where I had left my housemate and we made our way out and got in line to board a bus.  


We made our way onto a bus, then back to the JPD Pistol Range and to her car.  We headed towards home and decided to stop and get a shake; we did and then came home.  I've since taken a 2nd shower and changed clothes.  By the time I got home, I was hot, sweaty and tired.  It was hot out there - about 90 degrees - and I was also tired from the long day in the heat.  Taking a shower has helped me.


I uploaded the pictures from the camera and saved them to a folder on my flash drive.  I uploaded 181 pictures.  When I opened the folder in Microsoft Picture Manager, I went through each one as some I needed to turn to the right 90 degrees.  I found the picture of my classmate and her daughter together and noted the photo number [91] so I can e-mail it to them.  I also noted that my pictures of the Black Daggers turned out better than I thought.  Aiming the camera at the area of the sky where my eyes told me that they were worked out well.  


There was so much to see out there.  It shocked me that I took so many pictures.  But, like I said, I don't have to print any that I don't want to.  I will review them again in Picture Manager and make note of the ones that I want to upload to an album in Shutterfly.  


I was very impressed with this event and wish that somehow it could be arranged to have this during the week at a time when the schools could make field trips with the kids to see this "living history".  I thoroughly enjoyed it; what made it easier was that the trail itself was in a jungle of sorts that had a lot of shade to it.  


I think we walked a couple of miles while out there.  At least we got our exercise in!  I hope they have it again - hopefully at a cooler time of year!!!