Despite our 7 hour drive today, it was a pretty incredible day filled with new adventures & experiences that were second to none! Looking back over the day, it seems like it began 3 weeks ago; we went through 4 states and traversed hundreds of miles, leaving the precious city of Frederick, MD to land in Floyd, VA…our favorite small town yet!
But before we begin our explanation about what it is about this one-light town (literally) that will keep us coming back for years to come, we simply must rehash the details of this glorious day!
So we began our morning jaunt a little later than usual because our inn keep actually “made a go” at being friendly, sitting with us at breakfast and arguing with JJDH about the path our ancestors trod when coming to Texas many years ago. Guess who won…I don’t travel with a DRT member for nothing!!
Speaking of heritage, our first stop along the way of Day 3 travels was in Harper’s Ferry, VA, where JJDH & NJO hoped to do a little hiking. This was made difficult by the fact that Bush-caused global warming was in full effect…it was approximately 7,500 degrees and NJO had on flip flops, black pants, and a long-sleeved shirt! She was hoping to meet the Park Ranger of her dreams along the way!
However, Elfie, being the incredible sidekick that he is, encouraged the girls not to let go of their life-long dream of walking in Thomas Jefferson’s footsteps and swimming in George Washington’s wake. The hike to Jefferson Rock was amazing and the view was lovely. In the words of Thomas Jefferson, considering the view whilst upon his rock, “On your right comes up the Shenandoah having ranged along the foot of the mountain a hundred miles to seek a vent. On your left approaches the Potomac seeking a passage also. In the moment of their junction, they rush together against the mountain and rend it asunder and pass off to the sea. This scene is worth a journey across the Atlantic.”
After viewing the spectacular scenery through beads of sweat, JJDH & NJO descended the mountain to have an up close & personal view of the Potomac River. Hot & in need of refreshment, dipping our feet in just wasn’t good enough, we needed to swim. Fully clothed, we channeled our inner George Washington and swam across the Potomac. Despite the slime and leeches, and the fact that the rocks did a number on NJO’s black pants (think real big holes!), the river proved quite refreshing. It was not as refreshing, however, to sneak onto the shuttle buses past the watchful eyes of the Park Rangers, who were not keen on the idea of shuttle seats drenched in slime water.
Upon returning to our car and realizing we had a 6.5 hour journey ahead of us, it became obvious we could not do it in our newly-created Haz-Mat suits. So, we pulled a Clark Kent-style parking lot wardrobe change, after which we realized that flashing in a National Park may in fact be a felony. We didn’t stick around to find out.
What we did learn this afternoon, however, is that 5 years without a car does not a pedestrian make…JJDH is truly Car & Driver’s 2007 Driver of the Year. She drove for 45 minutes at mock speed of 55, changed lanes 79 times, gripped the wheel with white knuckles, and had to finally give up when NJO’s harmonies became too much for her. Nevertheless, she has begun the re-entry process…and don’t worry folks, she’s nowhere near Texas yet!
Lexington, VA was a short jaunt away and yet another beautiful, quaint stop. We were able to view the Washington & Lee Chapel, where Elfie really wanted to see Robert E. Lee’s crypt (see photos below). We also visited Stonewall Jackson’s grave before heading out.
On the way out of town, we decided to bypass I-81 in order to traverse the more scenic Blue Ridge Parkway. We quickly learned why the parkway has earned the designation of being our nation’s most beautiful drive! There was gorgeous scenery, wildlife, lookout points and incredible vista views every few miles. After 135 miles of twisty, windy mountain roads, however, JJDH learned that the East Fork Mountain Vista is not Virginia’s most comfortable (or private) spot to express car sickness. A little air guitar and Sweet Child of Mine made her feel much better and soon we reached our destination of Floyd.
We noted immediately several dissimilarities between Damian and Sallye, this evening’s hostess at the log cabin Stonewall Bed & Breakfast just outside of Floyd, VA. First, Sallye does not hate the human race and in fact was very glad to see us. She and her husband and precious dogs greeted us warmly and showed us to the most adorable room with a beautiful porch view of the Blue Ridge mountains. We quickly dressed, hoping to have rid our bods of the Potomac leeches, and headed to town for dinner and Floyd Fest 2007.
We dined at Floyd’s only restaurant open past 8:30 p.m. with a bit of Blue Ridge fare and a delicious bottle of regional wine. After finishing up what could truly be termed as a “kountry supper,” (delish!) we hopped back in Gypsy and headed to the countryside for Floyd Fest.
When we finally got to the ticket booth for Floyd Fest, after an hour of driving, we were surprised to discover that two things exceeded our expectations. Number one, the size of the event (over 14,000 folks). Number 2, ticket prices…had we not sweet-talked the ticket guy, we would have paid $118 for a few hours of festival fun! We got in at half price and enjoyed live music, hippies, and Dark Side of the Moon in tandem with the Wizard of Oz. There are several great shots below of Elfie with friends at the festival (see below).
We returned to the B&B, where several other Festivus friends gathered to rehash the events of the drum circle, glo-stick dance party, and the similarities between Floyd Fest and Woodstock! All in all, it’s been a great day and we’re looking forward to passing into Bluegrass country tomorrow to continue in the theme of Americana and music for Road Trip ’07…stay tuned for details!
But before we begin our explanation about what it is about this one-light town (literally) that will keep us coming back for years to come, we simply must rehash the details of this glorious day!
So we began our morning jaunt a little later than usual because our inn keep actually “made a go” at being friendly, sitting with us at breakfast and arguing with JJDH about the path our ancestors trod when coming to Texas many years ago. Guess who won…I don’t travel with a DRT member for nothing!!
Speaking of heritage, our first stop along the way of Day 3 travels was in Harper’s Ferry, VA, where JJDH & NJO hoped to do a little hiking. This was made difficult by the fact that Bush-caused global warming was in full effect…it was approximately 7,500 degrees and NJO had on flip flops, black pants, and a long-sleeved shirt! She was hoping to meet the Park Ranger of her dreams along the way!
However, Elfie, being the incredible sidekick that he is, encouraged the girls not to let go of their life-long dream of walking in Thomas Jefferson’s footsteps and swimming in George Washington’s wake. The hike to Jefferson Rock was amazing and the view was lovely. In the words of Thomas Jefferson, considering the view whilst upon his rock, “On your right comes up the Shenandoah having ranged along the foot of the mountain a hundred miles to seek a vent. On your left approaches the Potomac seeking a passage also. In the moment of their junction, they rush together against the mountain and rend it asunder and pass off to the sea. This scene is worth a journey across the Atlantic.”
After viewing the spectacular scenery through beads of sweat, JJDH & NJO descended the mountain to have an up close & personal view of the Potomac River. Hot & in need of refreshment, dipping our feet in just wasn’t good enough, we needed to swim. Fully clothed, we channeled our inner George Washington and swam across the Potomac. Despite the slime and leeches, and the fact that the rocks did a number on NJO’s black pants (think real big holes!), the river proved quite refreshing. It was not as refreshing, however, to sneak onto the shuttle buses past the watchful eyes of the Park Rangers, who were not keen on the idea of shuttle seats drenched in slime water.
Upon returning to our car and realizing we had a 6.5 hour journey ahead of us, it became obvious we could not do it in our newly-created Haz-Mat suits. So, we pulled a Clark Kent-style parking lot wardrobe change, after which we realized that flashing in a National Park may in fact be a felony. We didn’t stick around to find out.
What we did learn this afternoon, however, is that 5 years without a car does not a pedestrian make…JJDH is truly Car & Driver’s 2007 Driver of the Year. She drove for 45 minutes at mock speed of 55, changed lanes 79 times, gripped the wheel with white knuckles, and had to finally give up when NJO’s harmonies became too much for her. Nevertheless, she has begun the re-entry process…and don’t worry folks, she’s nowhere near Texas yet!
Lexington, VA was a short jaunt away and yet another beautiful, quaint stop. We were able to view the Washington & Lee Chapel, where Elfie really wanted to see Robert E. Lee’s crypt (see photos below). We also visited Stonewall Jackson’s grave before heading out.
On the way out of town, we decided to bypass I-81 in order to traverse the more scenic Blue Ridge Parkway. We quickly learned why the parkway has earned the designation of being our nation’s most beautiful drive! There was gorgeous scenery, wildlife, lookout points and incredible vista views every few miles. After 135 miles of twisty, windy mountain roads, however, JJDH learned that the East Fork Mountain Vista is not Virginia’s most comfortable (or private) spot to express car sickness. A little air guitar and Sweet Child of Mine made her feel much better and soon we reached our destination of Floyd.
We noted immediately several dissimilarities between Damian and Sallye, this evening’s hostess at the log cabin Stonewall Bed & Breakfast just outside of Floyd, VA. First, Sallye does not hate the human race and in fact was very glad to see us. She and her husband and precious dogs greeted us warmly and showed us to the most adorable room with a beautiful porch view of the Blue Ridge mountains. We quickly dressed, hoping to have rid our bods of the Potomac leeches, and headed to town for dinner and Floyd Fest 2007.
We dined at Floyd’s only restaurant open past 8:30 p.m. with a bit of Blue Ridge fare and a delicious bottle of regional wine. After finishing up what could truly be termed as a “kountry supper,” (delish!) we hopped back in Gypsy and headed to the countryside for Floyd Fest.
When we finally got to the ticket booth for Floyd Fest, after an hour of driving, we were surprised to discover that two things exceeded our expectations. Number one, the size of the event (over 14,000 folks). Number 2, ticket prices…had we not sweet-talked the ticket guy, we would have paid $118 for a few hours of festival fun! We got in at half price and enjoyed live music, hippies, and Dark Side of the Moon in tandem with the Wizard of Oz. There are several great shots below of Elfie with friends at the festival (see below).
We returned to the B&B, where several other Festivus friends gathered to rehash the events of the drum circle, glo-stick dance party, and the similarities between Floyd Fest and Woodstock! All in all, it’s been a great day and we’re looking forward to passing into Bluegrass country tomorrow to continue in the theme of Americana and music for Road Trip ’07…stay tuned for details!
CLIFF NOTES VERSION: Waking, eating, driving, hiking, sweating, swimming, dripping, flashing, mourning, mountaineering, vomiting, ARRIVING!, hippie-ing, grooving, BATHING!, semi-blogging, crashing!
PICTORIAL DIARY:
Elfie at Jefferson rock contemplating the majesty of nature
Elfie mimics another of his presidential heroes while crossing the Potomac
Continuing on his presidential tour, Elfie visits Confederate President Robert E. Lee's "crypt".
Despite his Italian/French/Irish/Catholic heritage, Elfie is a flag-waving Confederate elf
Elfie at Floyd Fest jamming to the tunes of North Mississippi All-Stars
Elfie meets Elfen
Jamming, jamming, jamming all night long!
Too much jamming and not enough water lands Elfie at Floyd Fest's infirmary. The medic pictured below said it was his first time to use a stethoscope on an elf...small minded Doc!
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