Gem of the Blue Ridge

November 25-30, 2019

Skyline Ranch Resort, Front Royal, Virginia

Day 164-169

Driving thru the congested suburban areas of Northern Virginia, it seems the towns look all the same with, unremarkable, new urban sprawl. Fortunately as I get back on countryl back roads, small farms dot the landscape but there's new construction in these rural areas too.

All the leaves have fallen now, but I know this area is stunningly beautiful in the spring and early fall. I am starting to hear a lot of southern accents; I kind of like it. Also, I am noticing more and more beautiful stone homes. Very unique to this area.

I’m not drawn to Civil War history. I am open to learning more about it though but it seems that most of the museums or historical markers require more walking than I am able to do because of my hip situation. So I drive.... Haven’t seen any Confederate flags yet, but I know I will soon.

Camp is fine, not fancy but at least it has full hook ups. It’s off season and it looks like they're running about 20% occupancy, if that. Most rigs are older, and I am guessing all are residents. Still, they have a security guard and a terrific dog lawn, so I am happy. Plus they sell propane, which I will be needing soon.

It’s now very cold, and tonight it will be the high 20F’s. I have many layers of bedding including 2 wool, 1 heavy cotton, 1 light comforter and a wool shawl, not to mention the t-shirt and sweatshirt and pants I sleep in. I am going thru about 1 tank (5 gal) of propane per week. The rig is toasty, but at night it can get a little noisy when the heat kicks on at 58F. The interior walls of the rig are aluminum, so they can get cold. I barricade with wall with pillows, so I don’t touch it. I hate being cold.

Day 2 - Drove the 105 miles of Shenandoah National Park's scenic Skyline Drive; this is northern part of the Blue Ridge Mountains. On the west side of the ridge it look over the Shenandoah Valley which is rich in agriculture. On the east side it overlooks the Piedmont, foot hills of the Appalachian Mountains. The elevation is about 6,000' so parts, or all, of the road can be closed during the winter. The road is open to trailers and RV's but there is one tunnel to consider. There are two primitive campgrounds, but they are both closed for the season. Otherwise, I would have stayed there.

The good news is that there was no traffic and you could actually see thru the trees. The bad news was it was less beautiful this time of year because there are no leaves. I can only imagine how gorgeous it must be in early fall or even the spring. All the pictures I have seen are breathtaking. But, I’ll take less traffic anytime. I stop at one of the visitor’s centers for the “video” history and a tour of the museum. Definitely worth the stop. The drive is smooth with gently windy curves with a speed limit of 35 mph. There are turnouts and scenic overlooks every few miles. The drive takes me about 3 hours with all the stops.

Then I head over to Staunton, voted one of the “Best Small Towns by the Smithsonian” and the place where my mother went to boarding school – Stuart Hall. This stop was really a treat. The town is darling and seems to have a nice little food scene because of small farms in the area (Shenandoah Valley). Downtown is a few blocks long, quaint but with a couple of empty store fronts. Retailers are getting ready for Shopping Small Weekend, it’s sweet. I actually found a vintage 60’s nylon sweater set for myself, a score! And, picked up some local wine for Thanksgiving dinner at my other, other, brother’s. Stopped into Chicano Boy Taco for a tasty, early dinner before heading back. They have outdoor seating so Sparky hangs out with me. We are both happy.

Day 3 - Drove to Winchester today, the home of Pasty Cline; too bad the house was closed today. Not much else going on here so I drove to Woodstock and Strasburg. There's a lot of agriculture in these back roads – goats, variety of cows, corn, apples and more. Most of the small roads are still 55 mph which is stunning to me; even with clusters of homes and sharp turns. This is the valley of the Appalachian and Shenandoah Mountains. It’s gorgeous, even without leaves. I drove so many back roads today, I'm exhausted.

Day 4 - Thanksgiving! Took me about 2 hours to get to my brother Nick's, near Baltimore. We are staying the night because it will be too late for me to get back. I leave some lights on and the radio, but honestly, I am not sure that is a deterrent to crime because my truck won't be there.

I can't say enough about what a wonderful and delicious dinner I had with my brother Nick, half-niece Nikki and her daughter Cammy. Nikki did all the cooking too! There was a lot to be thankful for. They made me feel so welcome and, they liked Sparky too. Nick is my oldest sibling and the one I am least close too, because of our 12 year age gap. Staying here was wonderful. The reason for this trip was to re-connect with family and friends, and there is really no better example of that, than this. Fortunately, I will see them again on the way back up in a few weeks.

Day 5 – Nikki sent us out the door with an amazing breakfast too!!! What a great way to start a day.

Drove mostly highways back to camp. Once off the main road, I go thru clusters of new neighborhoods with McMansions on hilltops with no trees, then thru thick rural groupings of less attractive housing with a few Confederate and Trump proudly displayed along the street. Glad I didn't have any car trouble around here.

It's late afternoon and I refilled the propane, then went shopping. I go to a local butcher and pickup some meats. It's not a fancy place so my expectations are low. The grocery store, Martin's, was actually a pleasant surprise. I stock up.

Big driving day tomorrow, off to Southern Virginia.