Shenandoah Day 3

One of the reasons I love Shenandoah is because it reminds me of my Dad. When I was in middle school, Mom and Dad took me and my brother to Virginia one summer for vacation. One of our stops—and one of my favorites—was Shenandoah. It was the first national park I visited and I fell in love with hiking and being in the woods. The early morning fog on the Skyline drive was epic. We could not see more than a foot in front of us and Dad worried about driving through it. I can’t be on that road and not think about Dad.

It was slightly warmer last night. I had another fabulous night of sleep and when I got up this morning I was not freezing. By late morning, the temperature hit sixty. Again, it was perfect weather for a hike.

We drove North, a mile and a half beyond the Visitor Center, to hike the Rose River Loop Hike. It’s an easy four mile hike that passes several waterfalls. I think, it’s the hike we did the very first time we took G3 to Shenandoah, the summer he was eight. It was part of our history trip to Virginia when we visited presidents’ homes, Williamsburg, and Jamestown. After walking only about a mile, we reached the river. G3 wanted to set up his hammock and chill. Kati decided to stay with him, while I continued on the trail.

The waterfalls weren’t terribly scenic. We’ve definitely seen prettier ones, but I enjoyed the walk along the water. The plan was to meet back at the car at 2:00. I got there a half hour early and figured I might as well head back onto the trail to meet up with the family. Kati said G3 had a good time playing nature boy, and she was content to sit and watch.

It definitely feels like a holiday weekend in the park today. The hiking trail was crowded and cars were spilling out of the parking lot. We wanted to stop in again at the visitor center to eat lunch at one of the picnic tables, but there was no place to park. The lot was full. Instead, we pulled off at one of the overlooks and made our sandwiches there.

This afternoon we visited just one winery—Cross Keys Vineyard. Kati and I each got a flight of four different reds and we sat outside to sample them. The scenery from the patio, of the mountains in the distance, was pretty, but the wines weren’t anything special. Three of the four tasted almost the same. And the fourth, while different, didn’t tempt us to buy a bottle.

We had an exceptionally peaceful and fun evening by the fire. We made dinner and then sat around talking and joking with each other. It was much needed family time. I think this trip was good for all of us, but especially G3. I think he needed a break from school, and life, and everything else. Unfortunately, we need to return to reality tomorrow. At least the cats will be there to greet us. I’m sure they’ve missed us and will be happy to have us home. I’ve missed them and look forward to their cuddles and purrs.