U.s. republican presidential and vice presidential candidates mitt romney , left , and paul ryan wave after a campaign rally at the harris pavilion in manassas on aug. 11 .
That 's one reason why carolyn a. clarke , a reader 's digest reader and mother from manassas , va. , has made eating around the tree a family tradition .
It 's not the most direct of amtrak 's routes , but it charts a course through textbook american history : baltimore ; washington ; manassas , va. ; cincinnati .