Virgina



Dogwood
 

Wildflowers

Red Bud tree

It's spring in the Blue Ridge Mountains and like last year, in Montana and Canada, we are about 2 weeks early for the full bloom in the mountains.  But in the Shenandoah valley, dogwoods, apple trees, tulips, a tree unfamiliar to us called Red Bud and azaleas are flaming in spectacular colors and the  wildflowers are popping.

On our way to Virginia, we made one last stop very close to the NC border in Mt. Airy.  This is the home town of Andy Griffith and the entire original town is dedicated to him and is affectionately known as Mayberry.  Spent a couple of hours here touring his museum and walking the main street of town.  Brought back a lot of memories of watching Mayberry RFD.

Sometimes making reservations in places you have never been before can be a crap shoot. Descriptions and pictures posted on their web site may never tell the real story.  Our first stop in Virginia, Stoney Creek RV Park was a bit of a surprise.  Thought we were coming to an RV park with lots of amenities, but in reality we are in a pretty run down park where the roads into the park are so pitted and full of pot holes you do a lot of weaving to avoid them, and if you hit them you hope nothing is breaking.   The people who run the place are nice, but we feel like we are in the way back woods of Virginia....do you hear banjos? YES!

Last couple of days in NC, as we were were going up and down the Blue Ridge Parkway, we kept hearing a funny sound when we would press on the breaks.  Long story short....got the car into the dealer in Staunton Va., and had to have a full brake job done... including flushing fluids, replacing everything and costing $$$$. While they worked on it, we got a rental and headed  to Charlottesville, VA. to see Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello. 

On the way to Monticello we had time to kill before our appointed tour, so we opted for visiting one of the 250 wineries in the area.  We picked one called First Colony (we thought it referenced being the first winery, when in fact it is justly named because Virginia was the first colony).  A quaint little place with some decent wines.  It  is amazing tasting wines made from grapes we never hear of on the west coast.  We bought a white wine made from Vidal Blanc, Petit Manseng and Traminette.

Back of Monticello--what you see
on the Nickle

Monticello, what an interesting place and such a great way to relearn what we were suppose to have
learned back in high school.  Besides being Governor of Virginia, Secretary of State, Member of Congress, the author of the Declaration of Independence, Vice President and then President of the United States, he was responsible for the wine industry in the U.S.  Prior to becoming President he spent 4 years as Minister to France

Wine cellar

where he developed a taste for fine wines.  He brought to the US, grapes from France to grow at Monticello where he made wines for his personal consumption. 

Also, while in this area, we discovered there are references to 6 other Presidents who were either born in the area or settled here for getaways from Washington, and all of their homes are open for visiting.
http://www.dallasnews.com/travel/coast-to-coast/20110623-visit-six-presidential-homes-near-charlottesville-virginia.ece

Sadly, because of our car problems we did not even scratch the surface of what there is to see in the area.  Will put this area on our 'Go back list" and maybe someday we will come back and spend more time here.

We traveled the full length of The Blue Ridge Parkway from around Waynesboro N.C.to Highway 64 in Virginia where the Parkway ends and the Skyline Road begins. The Skyline Road continues about 30 miles further north to Front Royal NC.  The Parkway and Skyline was fun to drive and enjoy all of the beauty.  It is very curvy with many pull outs to view the landscape on both sides of the mountains. 

 Front Royal Va., was a real experience.  In Front Royal we learned of a battle fought there. Those who volunteer at the museum are pretty proud to tell you how they pushed the North Union Army right out of town.  We visited a museum that even though it was small, was one of the best we have seen in a long time.  Most museums we encounter have 'reproductions'.  In this museum, everything was original, donated by descendants of those who fought.  We spent some time talking with one of the volunteers whose great-grandfather fought in the war.  It was amazing to learn many people here in the south still are upset their confederate army was not successful in defeating the north and establishing two separate nations.

Farm on Field of Lost Shoes

We also toured a town called New Market, Va. where we visited a museum that highlighted the efforts of a group of young men, graduate cadets of  VMI (Virginia Military Institute, the Souths version of  West Point).   Besides all of the artifacts on display, there is a movie called "The Battle Field of Lost Shoes", fought May 15, 1864.  A very emotional movie where the VMI cadets marched 80 miles in 4 days to meet up with the other confederates forces in the  valley.  The object was to defend the valley from the Union and the VMI cadets were suppose to be 'reserves' but in the end were called to participate in the fight. 

The ground was wet and soggy from all the rains as the boys, anxious to contribute to the cause, crossed the wheat field to meet the northern soldiers. As they worked their way across the field and around the farmhouse, they stepped thigh deep into the mud, loosing their shoes.  Not deter, they pushed forward eventually successful in forcing the North to retreat.  Sadly, not before 10 had lost their lives. 



Battle Field of lost Shoes

One young VMI cadet who did survive, went on to became a world renown sculptor, Sir Moses Ezekiel whose works are found in Europe as well as the United States.

Where the Blue Ridge Parkway ends, the Skyline road begins and continues to Front Royal.  Spring is in the Valley, but  has not reached above the 2000ft level.  Some plants are budding and grass is green, but the trees still hold onto their look from winter....bare.  Another couple of weeks and the parkway will be vibrant with color.