Opening up a second front in Northern Wales June 09, 2012  -- Days 1 & 2 Our team was comprised of Allen Rice, construction leader Lonnie Hamman, Joe Williams, Elizabeth Wagoner, Jenonne Kessler, Larry Lewis, David Mathieson, and his daughter Andie Mathieson.  We all boarded the same United Airlines plane on Friday, leaving at a leisurely  noontime and landing at DC Dulles without incident.  The team split up into two as four stayed in the airport vicinity and Joe led the other half (including Lonnie, David, and Andie) on a 37 minute quickie tour of the these memorials (Lincoln, Washington! Jefferson, and WWII) memorials as well as the Capitol and the White House.  Oh and they had hot dogs.  We landed in Manchester without incident and praise be to God, passed through immigration as easily as possible.  let me say that again.  Praise God. Saturday we grabbed a couple of vans at the Manchester airport and headed for our hotel, Rossett Hall, which was built in 1750. We checked in, dropped off our bags, and toured Valle Crucis Abbey and Chirk castle instead of eating lunch.  Valle Crucis is not so grand or mystical a monastery as Tintern Abbey, but it is interesting because it is so complete, with roof and a second floor indoor museum.  Chirk Castle is not large but has a truly grand garden, complete with elaborate shrubberies crenelated like a castle wall.  It was Andie's first castle and out by the parking lot, Allen got to see a ridge that was part of historic Offa's Dyke, a sight he quested for last summer unsuccessfully.  After a lovely pub meal at Aleyn's in Rossett village it was  off to an early bed for some much needed rest. Tomorrow, Sunday, will be a day of church, Okies meeting the Welsh, reconnaissance, and big-picture planning.