Shenandoah Valley, Skyline Drive, VA

On Wednesday, on our way to view another battlefield, we decided to take the Skyline Drive through the Shenandoah National Forest. The northern entrance is in Front Royal.
Views to the west of George Washington National Forest and the Massanutten Mountain


and of the curving Shenandoah River

and to the east (Blue Ridge Mountains)

All of the views were incredible!
We passed a meadow of thistles, with butterflies galore!



And drove through a 600 foot tunnel (good thing we did not have the RV...it is 12‘4” and the tunnel height was 12’8”).

We stopped for a picnic lunch before taking a 4 mile round trip hike to see Rapidan Camp. This was the presidential summer retreat built by President Hoover. His presidential successor, President Roosevelt did not like it, so built Camp David. The boy scouts leased the property for a few years, it fell into disrepair and then was refurbished, making it a museum and destination hike. There is a van that comes a few times a week, but fills up fast. Fortunately it was full, forcing us to hike, which gave us a unique opportunity!
It was a rustic path, taking us 900 feet down in two miles.... yep that meant two miles uphill on the way back!

On the way down, we met a deer, (and also another one on the way back!)

saw some colorful "fungi",

and crossed the stream two different places!!



There were numerous buildings at the time, but there are only three now; the Brown House, which was the president’s house, set up as it was in his time (no pic allowed inside). It was basic, outside single-sided walls with exposed studs with no insulation inside.

The Prime Minister’s House, because Prime Minister McDonald, from the British Isle, would visit on a regular basis, now a museum,

and the Creel Cabin, housing Hoover’s personal assistant and his personal doctor. It is now used as the volunteer rangers’ home.

There was an outside kitchen where everyone present at the camp dined,

and a stream where Hoover fished and caught many good sized trout.

He even had a trout pond built!

This was certainly an unexpected site. The hike took about 2 hours 45 minutes including time at the site. With only three places to get off the Skyine Drive, we decided to get off after 65 miles (the end was another 40 miles) and headed home on a scenic road, seeing up close the farms and scenery we saw from the Skyline Drive.

Needless to say, we did not make it to our original destination, but had such a great time, getting fun exercise, and getting out into nature!!

Shenandoah Valley, Front Royal, VA

On Monday we moved north to a campground near Front Royal, VA. The whole town is built over a Civil War battlefield.

We took the rest of the week to explore the area, and some days we did not get to our planned destination because there is so much to see, we got sidetracked. But we really enjoyed what we did see!!

Just to the north of here, there is a plantation, Belle Grove. Cedar Creek battle was fought in the fields surrounding the home. We were very impressed with the home and the area. The home was initially built by the Hite family. Mrs. Hite was the sister of President Madison. It was later added onto as the family grew to 12 children. As usual, no photos allowed inside.
It was built in 1797, but to me it looks more modern! Thomas Jefferson reviewed the plans and there are obvious influences of his in the house, like the very narrow staircase. (He felt they were a waste of space)

Great views from all windows, but especially the front door. In the background, you can see the Massanutten Mountain.
In the next blog you will see a picture of the mountain from the Skyline Drive.

Outbuildings still exist


as does a slave cemetery.

The foundation that owns the plantation has a partnership with the National Forest Department, and we happen to be there the same time a ranger was to give a talk, so we got additional information on the battle from her presentation.

Shenandoah Valley, Charlottesville, VA

The next day, we took a drive on a section of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and stopped to have a picnic.

But because it rained off and on, we were unable to see a lot from the viewing areas due to low clouds, but what we did see was beautiful!!


We got onto the Parkway close to our campsite, and went north. At the north entrance to the Parkway was a visitor center with a period farm.


In the afternoon, it started raining harder.... about the time we got to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s home. No inside pictures allowed, but was able to get some outside shots. And half the people on our tour had been evacuated!



Jefferson really put a lot of thought to each detail, and even then, remodeled extensively. A lot of his ideas came from France! Great ideas and forward thinking for the era!
This small “room” at the end of this terrace was the home he and his wife lived in while building the home. Below there are some rooms for slaves, wine cellar, beer cellar, and kitchen. There is another terrace on the other side of the house, and a building at the end of that which was his son-in-law’s office when he came.

He experimented with gardens. He documented 330 varieties of more than 70 species of vegetables. This vegetable garden is terraced, with retaining wall below it, 80 feet wide, 1000 feet long.

Mulberry Row, where the slaves lived and worked on wood and ironworks, above it.
He also planted 160 species of trees, laid out 20 oval shaped flower beds at the four corners of the house and along the walkways.
Unfortunately, Jefferson died a man in debt, and his home had to be sold. A small family plot was saved in which he and many family members are buried.


The area we are headed for tomorrow is on the outskirts of where Irene is today.
We added one more day to this area since we did not want to have winds while traveling. Guess what....Sunday morning, the sun is bright and shining!
Of course when it is not raining, we plan to just go to church, then stay around the campground. But I am getting caught up on the blog and Paul gets to take a nap!

Shenandoah Valley, Staunton, VA

We are camped about the half way mark between Lexington and Staunton. So on the second day, we visited Staunton, President Woodrow Wilson’s birthplace, and took a tour of the Presbyterian Manse where he was born, (again, no interior pictures allowed, except of car!). He only lived here a year after he was born.



and museum housing his 1919 Pierce-Arrow limousine, and documenting his life.

To me, President Wilson was not one of the better known presidents, so it was an eye-opener to see decisions he was faced with, going into World War I. Times have not changed much in the political realm, where he had a supportive congress the first term, the winds changed during the second; and the blame statements made by him, representatives, and the press sound so familiar, just like today!! Some of the arguments are the same! It was during his presidency income tax was implemented (1% on $4000, which very few people made, and 3% over $100,000) and the unions were allowed to form. Borders were open but the movement to close them was beginning.

After a free trolley ride around the city and lunch, we took off into the countryside to visit the Natural Chimney Regional Park, with the natural rock chimney formations. Annual jousting tournaments have been held here the third Saturday in August (missed it by a week!) since the early 1800's!

and even saw a manmade chimney!


At the visitor center in Staunton, the docent there asked where we were from. She then told me everyone who had come in earlier had been evacuated from areas expecting the hurricane!

As always, there is always “still more to see”.

Shenandoah Valley, Lexington, VA

On our way to MMAP project in Pennsylvania, we left early enough to spend some time rubbernecking on the way up.

Our first night was in the northeast area of TN, Baileyton. We got a later start than we had anticipated, so did not get as far as we had planned. We got about 15 miles from home and realized we had forgotten the computer.... no blogging!! and lots of other self-assigned computer related jobs to do!! So we had to go back and get it. Sad how attached to the electronic world we have become!! But it worked out fine, and we had a pleasant stay at an RV park there. Besides a nice pond,


there were several antiques around. Do you remember when gas was this price?


We wanted to explore the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, our first day in Virginia we visited Lexington.

Lexington is where Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson lived, and taught at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) prior to the Civil War. We toured his home, and were impressed that he was truly a born again Christian. All family members, servants and guests, were expected at the table at 7 AM for breakfast and Bible study. After teaching in the morning, he would come home for lunch, private Bible reading, then preparation of lessons. Often his home was open for Bible study in the evening as well.

He led the corps of cadets to Richmond in April, 1861, and never came back to Lexington alive. His grave is also located in Lexington.

We drove around the campus of VMI.


There is a great museum on campus, where the story of the college, the nation’s first and oldest state-supported military college, is told through displays. Stonewall Jackson’s warhorse, “Little Sorrel” is mounted there.
Of course, no interior pictures allowed! But we were able to take a picture of this room, Jackson Memorial Hall.


Right next door is Washington and Lee college,

Lee Chapel was built under Robert E. Lee’s supervision while he served as president at the college. It houses a museum tracing the contributions of George Washington and Robert E. Lee to education in the nation and at the University. The family crypt is in the basement, where he is buried. He served as president of the college after the Civil War, bringing it back to prosperity.

The remains of Traveller, Lee’s horse is also buried there, beside the chapel.

We took a country road and came across some rock ruins, part of the “railroad that never was”. Begun prior to the war, and financially unable to complete the tracks, this is what was started but never finished.

Although Paul has seen the Natural Bridge before, I had not. It is 20 stories high!! George Washington surveyed the area and left his initials in the wall. Thomas Jefferson owned the bridge and 157 acres, paying 20 shillings ($2.40) to King George III, from 1774 until his death in 1826. His heirs sold the site in 1933.

It was beautiful and very impressive.



But it started pouring down rain (Hurricane Irene is currently east of here) while we were there, with no let-up in sight, so we hung out at the snack bar for a while, but it continued, so we could not take the nature trail to the falls.

Also included in the cost of admission was a wax museum. The quality was not overly impressive, but there were some interesting displays, including these:
the 8 presidents from Virginia

as well as the last supper


There was also a new indoor butterfly exhibit.

Check out this picture......dinosaur peeking out or butterfly?!


As we monitor Irene, we plan to stay here for a few more days so we will have better traveling weather! And besides, there are more places to visit and see!!