Manny, Moe, Jack, and Poe

 Baltimore, MD

Us in front of a cool looking vaults in the Westminster Burial Ground in Downtown Baltimore

The Auto Repair Saga Continues

This morning we got up with full intention of picking up our van at Pep Boys.  We had gotten word at the end of the day (the work day that is) yesterday that the van was ready so we decided to take the bus there this morning to pick it up.  We walked to a bus stop in front of the Baltimore Convention Center and grabbed a 54 Bus.  This bus was an actual MTA Maryland Transit Authority Bus. It costs $2 and goes places the free Charm City Circulator doesn't go.  I have a feeling tourists use these busses less often than the Charm City Circulator.  I am sure we were the only tourists on the bus which is fine with us.  It gives you a good feel for the place you are at when you are amongst the locals and they are doing their local thing.  The bus took us north through downtown and then out into the more residential areas of Baltimore.  When we got off at Pep Boys we were still within Baltimore City but closer to the edge of the city than downtown.  We walked the short walk to the Pep Boys office and were greeted by one of the nice coworkers I had talked to about camping the other day.  We paid our bill and we were on our way.  It was good to have our van and home back.  It feels weird being separated from it.  We first noticed that feeling in Chicago when the van was in the valet parking garage.  

We punched in directions to a yarn store Donna wanted to visit and headed out.  Immediately the front end started clunking and making noises that weren't normal to us.  I slowed down and turned around the first chance I had and we headed back to the Pep Boys.  We walked in and the attendant asked if we had questions.  Donna and I described the sounds we were hearing and he looked confused and worried at the same time.  He called one of the mechanics in and asked if he could take it for a spin.  We handed him the keys and told him to just hit a few of the pot holes and he would hear the sound.  We watched him drive the car around the parking lot and then came in.  He asked summoned the guy we were talking to out to the garage to speak privately.  A minute later the man walked in and said, "welp, it's your anti sway bar, that's what you hear.  Is it something we missed?  Yes it is and we are sorry.  We are going to replace it and do the work for free."  I thanked him and asked how long it would take.  He told us they had one in stock and would try to finish it today.  This was our cue to get back on the bus and do another ride 40ish minute ride back to our Airbnb to figure out next steps.  

Edgar Allan Poe's Grave

Baltimore is famous for many things and Edgar Allan Poe is one of those things.  He was born in Boston and after 40 short years, died here in Baltimore.  The Poe House Museum (we will go there later) where he wrote some of his early stories is here in Baltimore, his grave is here in Baltimore, and the site of his death is marked by a sign here in Baltimore or at least the site where he was found in great distress just before he died.

Very quickly after his death, he was buried in an unmarked grave in the Westminster Burial Ground where his grandfather David Poe Sr. is buried.  David Poe Sr. served his country in the Revolutionary war as Assistant Deputy Quartermaster General of Baltimore and, at the age of 71, fought in the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812.

Shortly after Edgar's burial people raised money to help build him a gravestone.  There are actually 2 gravestones for Poe.  One that houses Poe and family and one that marks the original unmarked burial site of Poe.

Owl's Eye View Map

The Headstone where Poe and Family are burried

There are doors because they keep stuffing family members into the burial sites

Large tubes for large numbers of family members

The headstone that marks Poe's original burial site

Directions to the Poe House from the gravesite.

After the grave visit we walked to a brewery that is .2 miles from our Airbnb.  It's only open Th-Sunday so it was a good day to visit.  It was a nice neighborhood brewery.

That's it for today.  Check back tomorrow for our reunion with our van!  If you missed yesterday's post you can find it here.