Quantico Live!

 Sunrise 07:26 / Sunset 18:20 - It’s that summer feeling again Low 59 and High 82.

Pumpkin patches are always a favorite this time of year.  Now down on the farm you can experience more than just “picking your favorite pumpkin”.  Following is a list of Northern VA’s pumpkin patches with all of the trimmings.  You should always cal l to verify times due to weather changes.

Mount Vernon - George Washington’s Gristmill - wagon rides, straw bale maze, apple roasting, 18th-century games at the South end of George Washington Memorial Parkway. Phone: 703-780-2000.  Fall Harvest Family Days October 20 and 21, 2007 ,9am to 5, at the “George Washington: Pioneer Farmer” site at George Washington’s Gristmill.   Admission is free and includes wagon rides from 10am to 3, an appearance by “George Washington,” apple roasting, 18th-century games and Colonial demonstrations such as “sheep-to-shawl” wool gathering, blacksmithing and wheat treading. Other highlights include flax to linen demonstrations, outdoor cooking, colonial music and a bake sale. Visitors can help a candle maker and make a corn-husk doll.

Pumpkinville at Leesburg Animal Park - pumpkins, hayrides,  a toddler-sized hay maze
Leesburg Gardens and Leesburg Animal Park, 19270 James Monroe Hwy., Leesburg, VA.  (Route 15 South), about 1 half miles outside Leesburg. Phone: 703-779-2332.  Open daily 9 to 6 during September and October to November 6th. Weekdays -$7.00 per person and weekends $11.00.  Admission to Pumpkinville, through Nov. 6, includes entry into Leesburg Animal Park, a small pumpkin, hayrides (along a path with cut-outs), a toddler-sized hay maze, lots of moon bounces and all-you-can-eat apples, cider and, on weekends, popcorn. A three-acre play area features giant slides, tunnels, a tepee, straw mountains, a rope swing and mini-tractor rides. A giant inflatable slide looks like a fire truck and features firefighter wood cut-out accents. New this year is a Sea Monster Moon Bounce. Camel rides, $5, most weekends. Pony rides, $3, daily. There is also a country store, picnic tables and, on weekends, food concessions, including funnel cakes.

Old Mine Ranch -Pumpkins, pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, straw or hay bale maze, tractor-pulled hay rides, pony rides, petting zoo, and farm animals.  For a map to our farm, click here.  Admission price is $6.00 per person and includes hayrides, pony rides, farm animals, moon bounces, slides and much more.  Open: Pumpkin Patch Oct 1-Oct 31 - 10-5 everyday, 7-9pm weekdays and Sat. 

Maybe the simple pumpkin patch is not your thing to do because being scared out of your mind on Halloween is the way to go.  Here are a few of the Haunted Houses in the local area for the brave ones!

Spooky Splash Bash- Chinn Aquatics and Fitness Center - 13025 Chinn Park Drive, Prince William, VA .  Friday Oct 26 (5:30P.M. -9:30P.M.)  Tickets are sold at the door.  Cost is 18 and up $3 and 17 and under $6.  Admission to include swimming, games, candy, prizes, contest and a maze.

Haunted History Hike- Leesylvania State  park , 2001 Daniel K. Ludwig Dr., Woodbridge, VA, Call for information 703-670-0372.  Open Friday, October 26 - Saturday, October 27 (6:30 PM - 8:30 PM).  Admission fee is $2 per person or $5 per car.  Admission fee is to include a guided night hike back through time to visit the park’s historical residents, then enjoy a beach bonfire.

Trail of Terror- Signal Hill Park, 9300 Signal View Drive, Manassas Park, VA.  Call for more information 703-335-8872.  Open Friday, October 26 - Saturday October 27, (7:00 PM - 10:00 PM)  Admission is$3 per person.  Not recommended for children under the age of 6.  Admission includes a brave the Trail of Terror hayride through Signal Hill Park.

A Ghostly Journey Through Time- Loriella Park, 10910 Leavells Road, Fredericksburg, VA.  Call for More information 540-507-7529 and to pre-register.  Hours:  Saturday, October 27 (7:00 Pm - 10:00 PM).  Admission is $4 per person, Families are $15 and couples are $7.  Admission  includes a ghostly journey with us through time at the 1st Annual Halloween Hike.  The hike will take you through history and explore the time of the Civil War.  It will be a spooky but fun adventure for families and people of all ages.  Please reserve a time frame because only 30 people are allowed per time frame and space will fill up fast.  Pre-registration required.

There is a new website that we think you will be interested in called Military Uniform Exchange.

Military Uniform Exchange is the end result of a conversation between two recently retired, local area, Marines.  Both had serviceable Dress Blue uniforms, Service Alpha’s, Barracks Covers, Desert Boots and Utility uniforms hanging in their closets in Stafford that someone stationed at Camp Lejeune, Camp Pendleton or MCAS Yuma might be able to use.  

Many Marine Corps installations don’t have a thrift shop (MCRD San Diego, Reserve Centers, and some OCONUS locations). At installations that have thrift shops, Marines are limited to what is available on the shelf (luck of the draw).

If you couldn’t find what you were looking for at the Quantico thrift shop your only option was to pay full price at the Quantico PX or the Marine Shop.  Now you can check online at Military Uniform Exchange. Someone in California or North Carolina may have posted the USMC uniform you are looking for online.  By bringing Marines together from around the world you have a better chance of finding what you need and saving money over the high cost of new Marine Corps Uniforms.

Military Uniform Exchange as a worldwide electronic combination of all local base newspaper classified ads and all local base thrift shops.  The Military Uniform Exchange exists to serve Marines (and all military personnel) by providing a platform where they can come together at one location and defray the high cost of new uniform items.  It is one place where Marines stationed around the world can link-up, help each other and save money on Marine Corps Uniforms.

Military Uniform Exchange serves two basic purposes:

-Provides one location where all Marines can go to find a large selection of quality second hand USMC uniforms (saving significant money in the process).

-Provides an opportunity for transitioning Marines to post their serviceable uniforms for sale, help a fellow Marine and make a few dollars in the process. (There is no fee to post a basic ad for a current Marine Corps uniform. This includes one picture).

Originally the website concept was Marine Corps Uniforms only. It was expanded to all services in order to help cover costs and most importantly to keep all the basic services for posting current service uniforms free.

The Military Uniform Exchange also has a Vintage and Collectible Uniforms category for people interested in pre-2001 Military Uniforms (all types) that are collectible or may be of historical value.  This category is a great place to sell those out of service Woodland Utilities, black combat boots and other out of service uniforms.  Unlike the other categories a one time fee is charged for this basic service. The fees in this category help fund the website and keep costs down in the Service Uniform Categories.

Additionally, there is a Coins and Collectible category where you can find things like Marine Corps challenge coins, Flags, plaques, coffee mugs, patches and other memorabilia.

Marines selling uniforms must create a free account in order to list items. A seller can elect additional services (provides more exposure for the ad) for a fee.  If additional services are purchased, a one-time only fee is charged for that specific service over the specified period of time. There are no additional fees charged, including final value fees, for the duration of that ad unless the seller elects additional services.

Marines interested in purchasing an item can contact the seller using the “Reply to Ad” button. If a buyer notifies a seller that he is interested or agrees to buy an item listed, the buyer and seller deal directly with each other during the transaction.

There is no cost to create an account.  Marines looking for a specific uniform can sign up for a free account and elect to receive an email alert. An automatic notification will be sent when a uniform they are interested in is posted online for sale.

I think this site will be a great tool for Marines to find and sell uniforms on the web.  Please check it out at: http://www.militaryuniformexchange.com

Sunrise 07:07 | Sunset 18:47  - - - - Summer weather in the fall - High 80’s Low 60’s and mostly sunny all weekend.

Things to do around Quantico this weekend!

WINGS, WHEELS & DUCKS Sunday October 7, 2007

The Stafford rotary club is hosting their annual Wings, Wheels and Ducks at the Stafford Regional Airport.
Enjoy the air craft display (military, vintage and modern), a fly-in and sky diving demonstrations. There will also be a car and motorcycle show featuring classic, muscle cars, hot rods, trucks, mini-trucks and one–of–a–kinds.  No show would be complete with out the safety zone! This includes a fire and rescue display, K-9 demonstrations and a D.A.R.E. display.  The Rotary sponsors the rubber duck race. Everyone is encouraged to adopt a duck for $5.00 with the grand prize being a Harley Davison Motorcycle! There are hayrides and pumpkin painting for the children.

The cost is $2.00 per person children under 7 free!

Stafford Regional Airport
75 Aviation Way
Fredericksburg (Exit 136 - Centreport Parkway)
540-371-3636
Stafford Rotary Club