↓
 

The New American Digest

For Followers of Gerard Van der Leun's Fine Work

  • About American Digest
  • About New American Digest
  • “The Name In The Stone”
  • Remembering Gerard Van der Leun
    • from the website: Through the Looking Glass
    • from the website: Barnhardt
    • from the website: Neo’s Blog
  • Articles
    • The Overland Stage
      • The Holladay Overland Stage: 1 – The Central Route
      • The Overland Stage – 2 Company Operations
      • The Overland Stage – 3 Exploring The Route – An Overview
      • The Overland Stage: 4 – South Platte/Julesburg/Ft Sedgwick
        • Jack Slade
      • The Overland Stage: 5 – Julesburg to Junction Station (aka Ft Morgan)
      • The Overland Stage: 6 – Junction Station to Latham
      • The Overland Stage: 7 – Latham Crossing to Fort Collins
      • The Overland Stage: 8 – LaPorte to Virginia Dale
      • The Overland Stage: 9 – Virginia Dale to Cooper Creek
      • The Overland Stage: 10 – Cooper Creek to Pass Creek
        • Fletcher Family
      • The Overland Stage: 11 – Pass Creek to Bridger Station
      • The Overland Stage: 12 – Bridger Pass to Duck Lake
      • The Overland Stage: 13 – Duck Lake to LaClede
      • The Overland Stage: 14 – LaClede to Almond
      • The Overland Stage: 15 – Almond to Rock Springs
      • The Overland Stage: 16 – Rock Springs to Fort Bridger
      • The Overland Stage: 17 – Fort Bridger to Weber Station

I find I don’t wish to explore new lands, but to explore again those I have already passed through, trying to see what I’d missed in the first hectic rush … Gerard Van der Leun

Home→Published 2026 → April → 23

Daily Archives: April 23, 2026

Park Service Lecture

The New American Digest Posted on April 23, 2026 by DTApril 22, 2026

When I lived in Williamsburg, I spent a lot of time on Jamestown Island. I cheated a bit - the island has a loop road which doesn't require a entrance ticket but the Jamestown Settlement grounds do. But if one parks along the loop road and hoofs it, it's possible to come in through a back way.

Bad DT, bad! (Nah, I have a lifetime park pass anyway - just don't like dealing with the front office)

So here I am, wandering around the grounds and I got inspired to take this photo of the crowd more than the exhibits (though I have those photos as well).

That's the James River in the background and Scotland Landing across the river. A ferry runs across here; free last time I was there ... (gee, almost 10 years ago. Didn't realize it had been that long ...)

When you get down to it, there's not really much to see here beyond some signs telling one what once was here; some reconstructions, a bit of facade of a 1609 church, some crumbled bricks of old foundations. A building over-standing an old 1600s glassworks pit with an operating glassworks nearby.

A ruin of a home that burned in 1895 and was never rebuilt. Some old graves, a statue of Pocahontas - probably the model was better looking than the person.

I spent a lot of time wandering through places in the woods I probably wasn't supposed to be.

Less than 20 miles from Gloucester Point/Yorktown to Scotland/Jamestown

There's a lot of history packed into this region.
I don't want to live there again but I wouldn't mind visiting - many places to re-visit; to see what I missed the first time 'round.

Continue reading →
Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Replies

Rules

Contact: dt@newamericandigest.org

Gerard Van der Leun
12/26/45 - 1/27/23


Gerard's Last Post
(posthumous): Feb 4, 2023
"So Long. See You All a Little Further Down the Road"

When my body won’t hold me anymore
And it finally lets me free
Where will I go?
Will the trade winds take me south through Georgia grain?
Or tropical rain?
Or snow from the heavens?
Will I join with the ocean blue?
Or run into a savior true?
And shake hands laughing
And walk through the night, straight to the light
Holding the love I’ve known in my life
And no hard feelings

Avett Brothers - No Hard Feelings

The following was posted along with the announcement of Gerard's passing.
Leonard Cohen - Going Home

For a 2005 interview with Gerard


April 2026
S M T W T F S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
« Mar    

Most Recent Comments

  1. GrayDog on The Potato StateApril 24, 2026

    My sincere condolences Ghost.  No matter if it barks, purrs, or whinnies, it is never easy.

  2. SK on The Potato StateApril 24, 2026

    Sorry to hear you're dealing with disaster and the loss of another pet. Never easy, losing our 4 legged friends.

  3. DT on The Potato StateApril 24, 2026

    He was around a bit in the beginning but faded away. I for one miss his commentary on all sorts…

  4. DT on The Potato StateApril 24, 2026

    Aw man - sorry to hear that. We've lost a couple - not to old age - and it affects…

  5. azlibertarian on The Potato StateApril 24, 2026

    Last Christmas, the lovely Mrs azlib bought me a sourdough class as a gift, and I've been keeping the house…


Blogroll
The New Neo
Jean's Blog - Pondering
The Feral Irishman

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man,
play a song for me
I'm not sleepy
and there ain't no place I'm goin' to

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man,
play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning,
I'll come followin' you

Take me for a trip upon
your magic swirling ship
All my senses have been stripped
And my hands can't feel to grip
And my toes too numb to step
Wait only for my boot heels to be wanderin'

I'm ready to go anywhere,
I'm ready for to fade
Unto my own parade
Cast your dancing spell my way
I promise to go under it


Men who saw night coming down about them could somehow act as if they stood at the edge of dawn.


From Gerard's site. The picture always caught my eye.

Archives

  • April 2026
  • March 2026
  • February 2026
  • January 2026
  • December 2025
  • November 2025
  • October 2025
  • September 2025
  • August 2025
  • July 2025
  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024

Contact: dt@newamericandigest.org

About "DT"

The New American Digest © 2024 - Weaver Xtreme Theme
↑