On the Road to Florida
Thanks for reading the On the Road to Florida report. Part of our route followed America’s Favorite Drive as we work our way back to Florida.
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Our first stop was at Wompatuck State Park in Massachusetts. An uneventful night there was followed by a stretch of highway driving, a full-on travel day, to Hickory Run State Park in Pennsylvania.
Daddy Long Legs, a harmless critter you’ll see all through the northeast.
We loved this park. Lots of hiking trails, a couple streams with native brook trout (which we did not fish for), a nationally recognized geologic wonder called the Boulder Field, great campsites, etc. Wunnerful, wunnerful. We spent a night, but did not spend enough time there.
The Boulder Field.
All you geologists- what kinds of rocks are these??
A drive through Hickory Run Park.
Home of the brook trout.
Another travel day followed, to Front Royal, Virginia, where we got on the north end of Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park. Driving became much more relaxing- no commercial vehicles, and a 35-mph speed limit. Lots of places to stop and enjoy views.
Every time we got out of the car, it was like stepping into a cloud forest. The air, cool and damp, softly enveloped us, depositing a layer of mist on everything it touched, truly magical moments.
We got off the Drive and went to Luray Caverns for a spectacular hour-and-a-half walk underground. This was the fourth cavern we have visited- they never cease to amaze.
Cave worms.
Cave eggs.
Cave lake.
Cave woman.
Back on Skyline Drive, we ambled south, crossing the Appalachian Trail, which more-or-less parallels the road. I even walked down to the AT from one of our campsites. Maybe I’d see a through-hiker! But, no such luck.
Wildflower and pollinator.
Driving this road is like driving through an endless wildflower garden- milkweeds, Joe-Pye-weed, goldenrods, wild carrot, ox-eye daisies, ironweed, yarrow, thistles, and others I didn’t know. And there are views one after another after another. And when it ends, you just drive onto the Blue Ridge Parkway, where if anything, the drive gets even better. Four days we spent on these roads, and I honestly think that, if you went hiking, and fishing, and investigated the towns at the base of the mountains, you could easily spend a couple weeks on these roads and have a great vacation.
All good things come to an end, though. We got off the Parkway at I-26 and drove to our friend’s (Jim and Kathy Tedesco) house in Flat Rock. We visited a couple orchards and a couple vineyards, and hope to visit the Hendersonville Apple Festival tomorrow. Then we have a long travel day, and if all goes to plan we sleep in our own bed.
That’s the On the Road to Florida Report. Thanks for reading!
Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!
John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog
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