Reconnecting In The Mountains

We decided to head to the mountains to see the changing leaves, hike to Overall Run Falls (a 93-foot waterfall) and visit Luray Caverns.  It would be our first camping trip in the wild.

I felt a great sense of excitement and anticipation as we started up the mountain (a road I had not driven on in over 30 years).  At the top, we turned on to the Skyline Drive after a brief stop to pay the entrance fee to the Shenandoah National Park.  The leaves were beautiful despite the colors not being terribly vibrant this year.  After a short drive, we arrived at Mathews Arm Campground (a primitive setting, but with bathroom facilities and a wash sink).

After a lovely lunch, we headed out to see the waterfall.  It was about a two-mile hike on a fairly easy to follow trail.  We enjoyed the varying colors of the leaves and the many interesting rock formations along the way.  Unfortunately, there had been very little rain throughout the season so the waterfall was a mere trickle, but the weather was quite nice (one of those perfect days with sunshine, a few puffy clouds and pleasantly warm but cool enough to hike comfortably) and we relished the opportunity to soak up the energy of the woods.

After our hike, we headed out to find an overlook where we could watch the sunset.  After a few stops, we found the perfect spot and enjoyed a spectacular show.  We then set up camp, Chris cooked up some delicious steaks and we spent the evening by the campfire just enjoying each other’s company and looking for bears every time we heard a noise.  It was the most romantic evening we have had in some time.

The next morning we headed into the cloud bank (it was very foggy at the top of the mountains) and headed towards Luray.  We started off on the ropes course, a three-level course with various types of crossings.  I went up first and was not nearly as brave as I thought.  Some of the crossings did not have handholds. Despite the secure harness, and logically knowing it was safe, I was still petrified.  Chris, however, whizzed through the course, even on the top-level (and he is the one who is uncomfortable with heights!).

We then went into the Garden Maze.  We had a blast wandering through the hedges, figuring out which way to go, and discovering the delightful nooks with statues, flowers, and fountains.

The tour through the caverns was delightful.  Our tour guide was full of entertaining information and it was obvious that she really enjoyed her job.  The organ was amazing despite the fact that some of the people in the group could not be bothered to stop talking long enough to hear it.  We were both hit with water dripping from the ceiling, but the tour guide said that is a sign of good luck.

After we shopped for souvenirs, looked around the toy store and purchased some fudge we headed to dinner.  We stopped at Moonshadows for what we anticipated would be a lovely culinary experience.  The restaurant is in a lovely older home. At first, we felt slightly out-of-place in our camping attire and this was a very nice place, but the owner welcomed us graciously (even giving us a tour after we ate).  The meal was delightful and of course, I treated myself to the tiramisu.

The only downside to the trip was the three-hour traffic delay less than a mile from our exit.  Not to worry, we just turned the music up and made the most of it.