So many have been enchanted by this photo, taken in the
Shenandoah National Park a few years ago. Here's the rest of the story:
Greg and I -- and our faithful dog Maggie -- were on the
road constantly for about 10 years, but in all that time we didn't have much
"true" vacation time. Sure, we got to see and do some really
beautiful and interesting things, like the time we got to see Michigan's
Tahquamenon Falls ... which we caught en route from a music festival in Evart,
Michigan to an art fair in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. More often, we sped past
historical monument after park after attraction, promising ourselves that eventually
there'd be time for a proper visit. One year, however, we found ourselves
with an "off" weekend between New York's Dutchess County Fair and
Stone Mountain's Yellow Daisy Fesitval. So we treated ourselves to a
week's vacation in Luray, Virginia, conveniently located more or less en route
from New York to Georgia.
The campground we chose was off the beaten path. It
afforded great vistas almost all around; I imagined what a wonderful place this
would've been, back in the day, to build a fort, because you could see anyone
approaching from below for miles before they actually reached you. The
only part that didn't have a view was a sheer rise up to the Skyline Drive and
the Appalachian Trail. We were so far away from bright city lights that,
on a cloudless night, we clearly saw the innumerable stars of the summer sky,
and even the Milky Way. Talk about a getaway!
One day we visited Luray Caverns; another day we ventured
into Washington, D.C. Greg's first-ever visit to our nation's capital. True
touristy stuff. Mags and I even put in a few miles along the Appalachian Trail. Greg
elected to stay behind on that day, leaving us gals to our own adventure.
But my favorite part of our little vacation was a drive
along the Skyline Drive and into the Shenandoah National Park. It was a very
foggy morning and we found our sightseeing somewhat limited. We still
managed to sneak in a "dog friendly" -- and
"somewhat-out-of-shape-people friendly" -- trail that led to the
remains of a pre-National Park-era farm. Due to the fog, we missed
promised views of Signal Knob and the Shenandoah Valley, but thanks to the fog
it was peaceful and still ... so still, in fact, that we had a long staring
session with a large buck who, though somewhat startled, did not run from us
even though he was fewer than 100 paces away. Those are the moments you
cherish -- even Maggie seemed to realize that it was somewhat magical, as she
did not bark or even strain much at her leash.
I look back now to realize just how magical that experience
was, and I feel blessed. There are many, many memories of our years on the
road, but it seems that memories of these quiet times are the ones that I
cherish most.
