50 States, Day 329

  Fredericksburg to Austin  107 Miles

"Leadership consists of picking good men and helping them do their best."

~Admiral Chester Nimitz

First, a test. Ten Presidents served in WWII. Name them. Answers below.

Before leaving Freddytown, we visited the National Museum of the Pacific War. Once again the museum exceeded our expectations, probably because it was in two separate buildings and the second one didn't look so big.

The first building covered Admiral Chester Nimitz, who grew up in Fred Hollow, and by chance ended up in the Navy. The place celebrated his long and successful Naval career, as he gave up his grandfather's hotel business to serve in the military.

Interesting how one thing leads to another; WWI and it's war reparations led to the worldwide Great Depression which led to WWII. Japan hammered China, seized islands, oppressed the Chinese and moved toward domination. When the US instigated  an embargo on exports to Japan, they attacked Pearl Harbor. Next thing, we're neck deep in WWII. 

The museum covered most of the battles, indicating their strategic advantage, and how the US struggled to succeed in the Pacific theater while most of our resources fought in Europe.  

The museum featured movies, video map tables, charts and actual armament. In one section an Aussie described a battle as his tank got hammered by enemy fire, and right in front of us sat the exact tank, and the actual Japanese gun that fired on him sat across the room. 

A Japanese submarine recovered from Pearl Harbor sat in front of a multi media display of the attack on December 7. Very sobering. But nothing compared to the room with a replica of 'Little Boy,' the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Video and stills accompanied it. What a horror. 

I never realized how China and Russia fit into the equation, and that Russia was poised to come in and clean up Japan after we beat them to a pulp. 

Fourteen million deaths. Incomprehensible. And ten million were civilians. War is hell.

We should have started earlier, taken two days, or skipped some sections (horrors!) as we finished the museum and started today's ride at 4:30. But it was worth it, and Fredericksburg gets two thumbs up from both of us (four thumbs, then) and we were happy to spend the time there. 

And now, war weary and smarter, Quilter Girl!

We rode 290 all the way to Austin, very simple, though finding a motel was a bit of a challenge.  The frontage road system is difficult as the roads go one way and it is a long way to a turn around.  It was later than usual when we checked in so we were starved.  No restaurants in walking distance so we rode to find a Buffalo Wild Wings.  We watched a bit of basketball with a great dinner.  Kevin had some great nachos that had three kinds of nachos in one, including a barbecued pork and a buffalo chicken.  Good and different.  

I would highly recommend a trip to Fredericksburg.  There are lots of things to see and do along with the cute town.  The KOA there has a bunch of really friendly people along with nice shady spots.   

Tomorrow is a sewing day for me and I am looking forward to it.

QG

Church Surch tomorrow and The Weekly Wrap-Up, see you then!

The Presidents who served in WWII were: Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, George H.W. Bush, Reagan and Carter.