Skyline Camping Trip: 10/14-10/15

They say that autumns in New England
are the greatest of them all,
But give me sweet Virginia
for the fireworks of fall!
The prettiest October in all the fifty states,
Just drive up to the Skyline,
and park your car and wait.
-"Old Dominion" by Eddie from Ohio




I love Virginia. And I love the fall. I also love camping and hiking. And I really really love being with friends. This past weekend I experienced a lot of what I love all at once!

John, Dimitar, Sarah, Bethany, and I went camping at the Big Meadows Campground on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park.
Daniel, my brother, spent the day with us on Saturday. Our first hike was White Oak Canyon, on which we saw many waterfalls and gorgeous trees. The weather was absolutely perfect, and the trees were at their leaf-changing peak. Being surrounded by such natural beauty reminded me of the quote, "All that I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all that I have not seen." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson (thanks, Mom :)



Here are some photos from Saturday's hike:











Saturday evening we enjoyed chili-dogs, s'mores, beautiful stars in a clear sky, and quality conversation around the campfire. Then we loaded on layers of clothing and blankets and cocooned ourselves in our sleeping bags. :)



On Sunday we enjoyed a pancake breakfast and Bible study around the fire before packing up. Around noon we hiked in the northern part of the park, up to a summit called "Mary's Rock." It was a strenuous hike, but the amazing panoramic view of the Shenandoah Valley was well-worth the trip!

Group Pic: Sarah, Me, Bethany, John, and Dimitar








Dimitar and I climbed to the highest point at Mary's Rock. The 360-degree view was BREATHTAKING.



Things we learned on this trip:

1. The Shenandoah National Park's definition of "strenuous" really isn't that bad.
2. The Mary's Rock hike is uphill both ways (not really...just felt like it).
3. When it's 50 degrees outside and you're driving 70mph for two hours straight, it might not be a good idea to ride with the convertible top down.
4. Some people have impeccable hearing and you should be careful what you say when hiking on a public trail (see story for more details).

5. Before choosing where to place your sleeping bag, always lay down to check for uncomfortable roots or rocks (or slants) under the tent floor.
6. There are only four words in the English language that end with -dous: stupendous, horrendous, tremendous, and...see if you can think of the last one (hint: it's somewhere in this list). And no, rotundous isn't a word...
7. Bethany hates spiders.
8. Banana peels don't burn.
9. John can rip entire dead-limbs off of a tree to provide free firewood for the campfire.
10. Sarah learned the entire Bulgarian alphabet on one hike (thanks to Dimitar).
11. People have funny reactions when John greets them with "Happy Birthday!"
12. Dimitar loves to listen/dance to anything by Usher.
13. Pouring coccoa onto a fire causes a cool "poof" of flame.
14. The stars are AMAZING on a clear night atop Skyline Drive.
15. Dimitar's sandwich preference: grape jelly, turkey, and a piece of Hershey's chocolate bar on white bread.
16. Not to disrespect Dimitar's sandwiches.
17. John snores really loud.
18. Dropping butter onto a super-hot skillet over an open fire causes high flames and isn't such a good idea...you might even call it hazardous.













Funny Story: Did I Say That Out Loud?

Sometimes I forget to turn on my "filter" and words come out of my mouth before I think. This happened on Sunday afternoon. We were sitting atop Mary's Rock, eating a picnic lunch and enjoying the view. There were several other hikers up there doing the same. One married couple had their super-cute baby girl with them. The husband was carrying her in one of those back-carrier thingys...As they approached us, John, being the gregarious gentleman that he is, called to them, "Hey, baby." The couple smiled, held the baby's hand up toward us, and then turned to walk away. Then I said, "He was talking to your daughter, not you." (Ever have one of those moments where you think something's said quieter than it actually is? Well, that was one of those moments...) The man turned back toward us and said, "Yeah, thanks." Then everyone started laughing. I was so embarrassed! :)



There are many more photos to see! Just
click here and select the "fall 06" album.