Bill's Baltimore Blog #10: Skyline Drive, Virginia and The Shenandoah River & Valley

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timetraveler

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[SUP]My motivation and intent:
6.14.16
[/SUP]
I have temporarily moved to Baltimore County, Maryland to help my wife care for her ailing mother. I generally find the relocation experience to be interesting at the least, sometimes amusing, and in many cases, quite exciting.

Having spent most of my adult life in the Louisiana Deep South, I am struck by the historical, cultural and societal differences, and sometimes similarities, found in these two regions of our USA. Additionally, my coincidental recent retirement adds to the adjustments being required at this stage of my life. I'm taking it as adventure.

My intent with this series of posted topics is admittedly in part to document my experiences for my own enjoyment of the process. And I hope that some of my WiT friends will enjoy and find it interesting and/or entertaining as well.

As subject matter presents itself, I will present it here. And thanks for your indulgence!



Warning: This thread includes almost forty images and will take approximately fifteen minutes to absorb. If you don't have the time, or if you have little interest in my ramblings, you might want to move along. Otherwise, check it out quick before the mods take it down for burning too many modems! :pop:


Shenandoah

"Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you
Look away, you rollin' river
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you
Look away, we're bound away
Across the wide Missouri.
Now the Missouri is a mighty river
Look away, you rollin' river
Indians camp along her border
Look away, we're bound away
Across the wide Missouri."

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=shenandoah+song+origin&view=detail&mid=2D2E140C0781D90C153E2D2E140C0781D90C153E&FORM=VIRE

This epic American Folk Song composition was a staple of high school choirs of the 1950s & '60s (in my day) - and even much earlier. Written in the early 1800s, there are differing opinions about whether it refers to a love story between a pioneer and a Native American maiden, or the river valley itself. But as a choir member who was simultaneously studying the Blue Ridge Mountains in Geography class, this South Louisiana boy found the subject intriguing. Textbook images of mountain vistas from Skyline Drive were burned into my brain. Never for a moment did I think that I would ever see this wonder in person.

But life has a way of taking you to places and experiences one couldn't possibly plan on - some good, and some not so good. Now in my 70s, I've had plenty of both. But this little photographic essay definitely represents the very good ones. Only two hours from Mary's childhood home here in Baltimore lies one of Americas most beautiful natural treasures - the Shenandoah National Park and its primary thoroughfare, the limited access, 105-mile long "Skyline Drive" - both established in 1935.

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Personal notes regarding a visit to the park and Skyline Drive:
* Access is limited to four entrances - North at Front Royal Virginia, midway at Luray & Elkton, Virginia and South at Waynesboro, Virginia
* South of the park Skyline Drive becomes the Blue Ridge Parkway
* There are 75 paved overlooks on Skyline Drive
* Speed limit is 35 MPH in the park. To thoroughly enjoy your visit, at least two days should be planned (we scheduled one day) and did not make the entire 105 miles, exiting at Elkton. We missed the lower one third of the drive.
* Fall is peak time for visiting the park and finding lodging becomes difficult. There are three lodges/cabin facilities in the park, mostly booked solid up to a year in advance. We stayed in Winchester, Virginia, approximately twenty-five miles northwest of the Front Royal (North) entrance.
* Skyline Drive has an elevation that varies from 2,300 FASL at the Front Royal entrance to 3,800, midway. This variance (along with temperatures and rainfall) has significant effect upon foliage color changes.


Mary and I attempted to schedule our visit to coincide with the peak fall foliage period for the area. But as a Park Ranger told me, "Warmer than usual weather and recent rains have delayed the turning of color. In fact, we may not enjoy the usual intensity of color this year that we normally enjoy."

In my case, it made little difference. In Louisiana the leaves go from bright green to brown in about four days. Besides, the magnificent views here would be more than worth the trip, no matter the time of year!



So here is my photographic documentation of our visit to Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive. I hope my amateur efforts can at least communicate a feel for one of our country's most beautiful treasures.


Park North Entrance...
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Not my pic


The Visitors - Mary, Kobe, and Bill...
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Our first stop. In distance is Front Royal which lies along the banks of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River

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The watch is the wonderful Citizen Avion EcoDrive


Park Facilities...
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The largest of three Visitor Centers

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Vistas from the Overlooks...
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Looking west, toward the Shenandoah Valley and I-81 Corridor


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And east, toward the Piedmonts and Atlantic Ocean

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Views of the Skyline Drive, itself...
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Tunnel beneath "Mary's Rock" (no relation to my Mary).


So there you have it Friends! If you made it through, I hope you enjoyed this visit to America's Shenandoah National Park, and the Skyline Drive. If and when the opportunity presents itself, we recommend that you don't miss it!


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And as always... Thanks for lookin', WiTs!!! :applaud:




 
Looks like a wonderful trip Bill. Beautiful pics. See any bears?
 
Oh Oh!! Looks like Bill got off his leash in this pic!! :grin
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Beautiful Pics Bill, looks like a beautiful drive. Bet there is some really nice hiking in there too. Thanks for sharing
 
That's a beautiful stretch of roadway! I got to ride on my motorcycle a few years ago. I hope to ride it again one day.
 
That's a beautiful stretch of roadway! I got to ride on my motorcycle a few years ago. I hope to ride it again one day.


good stuff TT...our own american chronicler...see BLUE HIGHWAYS by WILLIAM LEAST HEAT MOON...note to self...go...


-now on a debbie downer...major drought in east causing lack of color in addition to hot planet ...and trees in distress sending out stress pheromones making them tasty meals for winged pestilence...


-none of this detracts from the beauty of this american chronicle-keep on trucking WIT-
 
Thanks Bill, I actually did see a bear there once when I was a little kid , scared the crap out of me .
 
A wonderful trip any time of the year and your picture do it justice. I haven't been in years but it's always a treat the times I've gone. It's too bad you didn't stop at Luray Caverns, that's something to experience. Plenty of ooohhhs and aaahhhs there! If you ever get back GO THERE, you certainly won't be disappointed.

P.S. Bring a sweater to the caverns as its always cool down there year around.

Thanks for the pictorial Bill, very nice my friend.
 
​Great photos of some beautiful country! Thanks for sharing, Bill.
 
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