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03/15/2006 09:51:45 AM · #1
Okay, there seems to be a handful of us here in the Ol' Dominion and maybe the eastern part of West by God Virginia. Where is everybody, and would anyone be interested in going to a state park.... maybe around the middle of May after everything is in bloom but before it gets brutally hot? I can't do anything too hard because 1) I'm fat, 2) I have a bad leg.

I'm in the Shenandoah Valley, near Harrisonburg.
03/15/2006 03:59:18 PM · #2
I'll show up if I can get away from work. Assuming you are thinking of going on a Saturday?
03/15/2006 04:04:47 PM · #3
...hmmm, strong maybe. How's that? ;^) I'll have to check the calendar and the map.
03/15/2006 08:34:41 PM · #4
Of course it would be a Saturday! Now, we just have to decide which state park.
03/15/2006 08:59:03 PM · #5
I'm in southwestern VA (between Roanoke & Lexington), but would be interested in hooking up with a bunch somewhere in our great state! :-) What location(s) are you/we thinking about?
03/15/2006 09:20:45 PM · #6
I'm in Richmond, unfortunately can't travel very far at all.
03/15/2006 09:21:43 PM · #7
let me know what the date and time is and I'll see if I can come
03/15/2006 09:22:41 PM · #8
I'm definitely in. I'm off for the summer so let's plan something :O)
Yeeeehaaaaawwwwww
03/15/2006 10:32:36 PM · #9
I have a suggestion. Dark Hollow Falls at mile marker 50.7 on Skyline Drive. Roundtrip from parking lot to falls and back is 1.4 miles. The falls are 70 feet high. Here's some info scanned from a book called "Hikes to Waterfalls in Shenandoah National Park" put out by the National Park Service.



Nearby at mile marker 51 is the Byrd Visitor Center (one of the 2 main information centers in the Shenandoah Park system. From the Shenandoah Park map it says "...providing exhibits on the area's human and natural history; film and ranger programs; sales outlet for publications, slides, and maps; conducted hikes; and self-guiding nature trail."

All of this is at the Big Meadows area. It's about halfway between the two central access areas of the park; (Luray) Thornton Gap @ Rt.522 and (Elkton) Swift Run Gap @ Rt.33.

I'm east (about 2 hr drive), nova is north (probably 1 1/2 hours out), and it's in ragamuffingirl's backyard (well almost). ;^)

In May the best Saturday's might be the 6th, or 20th. The 13th is Mother's day weekend (actually might work also). I wouldn't want to go over Memorial Day weekend, the 27th (too much traffic).

Just some ideas...
Barry


03/15/2006 10:46:51 PM · #10
That's a beautiful area. I've done a lot of backpacking and climbing @ Old Rag Mountain in Big Meadow. Should provide a great oportunity to fill up some cards. I'm about 2 hours south.
03/15/2006 11:38:07 PM · #11

Dark Hollow Falls is a great little hike...though there were quite a few people there when my wife and I went last September...





03/16/2006 12:07:20 AM · #12
Sounds great to me, too, Barry.... ragamuffngirl, does that hike sound too strenuous to you? As for the date, I can't make the 6th, but will have to check at work and let you know if we settle on the 20th. (So that would be a definite "maybe"). Hoping this will work out!
03/16/2006 07:08:27 AM · #13
As long as it's not steep, I can actually go for miles. I just do any climbing type stuff because of my bad leg/balance. A good example would actually be fence climbing. I can't do anything that would require I pivot my weight on one foot. I WILL fall.

I tried White Oak Canyon when I was in college, which was 7 miles in and 7 miles out. I'd like to do that again someday, but I seem to remember parts of it as particularly difficult. But, that might have been because my friends wanted to climb on all the rocks.

Klstover, I'm actually going to be in Richmond this Saturday. There's a couple of shots I want to try and get in Hollywood Cemetery while the sun is in the eastern sky. I want to go to Main Street station. Someone told me there's a breath taking view from some park up in Church Hill. Going to Church Hill doesn't thrill me, but I'd like to see that view. It's really hard to get a decent shot of Main Street Station because of how close it is to 95. There's a park near Maymont where you can see this stone railroad bridge really well. You can also see it real well from the Powhite Pkwy, but people get upset if you stop. I want to go down there and visit *my* bridge. If I could be there on a week day, I even have a good idea of when the trains come through. If I can find a way to safely get this shot, there's this view coming up 95 north just as you're coming into Richmond where all these bridges/roads are kind of criscrossing eachother, and Richmond's skyline (such as it is) is just starting to really come into view. There's no breakdown lane on that part of 95, or I'd just stop and go for it.
03/16/2006 10:05:51 AM · #14
Oooh. Yeah, Main Street Station's awesome, but going to Church Hill wouldn't thrill me either. ;-)

I've got a vet appointment late morning, but maybe something would still work out? I'll send you my email address and you can give me some details on times and things.

Another good shot of the city - the downtown/skyline part of it - would probably be from a bit to the south. Especially with the lights at night... there's a bridge over the James that I'm pretty sure has a section for pedestrians (and that's very close to where I'm going to be for some of the day, too!).
03/16/2006 10:59:19 AM · #15
I'd definitely be up for a Luray trip - that's not too far from me. And it's been YEARS since I've been through that area. :-)

Message edited by author 2006-03-16 11:00:05.
03/16/2006 11:18:51 AM · #16
I'm hoping the 20th works out. Discussed it with my better half (aka "Wife") and that date works. We may turn this into a mini-vacation and grab a room for the night in the lodge or a nearby cabin. Just checked room rates/availability - looks good.

Shenandoah National Park Lodging

Spend a few hours with some DPC folks and get some happy family time in as well. Sounds like a winner! ;^)
03/16/2006 11:59:21 AM · #17
Originally posted by klstover:

Oooh. Yeah, Main Street Station's awesome, but going to Church Hill wouldn't thrill me either. ;-)

I've got a vet appointment late morning, but maybe something would still work out? I'll send you my email address and you can give me some details on times and things.

Another good shot of the city - the downtown/skyline part of it - would probably be from a bit to the south. Especially with the lights at night... there's a bridge over the James that I'm pretty sure has a section for pedestrians (and that's very close to where I'm going to be for some of the day, too!).


That would be excellent. I can send you my cell phone number, so maybe we can hook up. I lived in Powhatan for 7 years, which is why I've already got so much in mind that I want to see. I'll have a non-photographer friend with me at least part of the day. We used to work together when I worked for the Department of Corruptions..err..Corrections. The DUMBEST thing I ever did was coming back here from Powhatan, and everytime I go to Richmond my heart twinges a little.

Luray is not far from here at all. What's so special about Luray? Is that where this park is, or is it the caverns? Luray Caverns are waaaaaayyyy overrated, and if you want to see truly beautiful caverns, you should go to Shenandoah Caverns in Mt. Jackson.

Message edited by author 2006-03-16 12:01:53.
03/16/2006 12:32:01 PM · #18
Ohoh, count me in. :)

I'd LOVE to go up around Skyline Drive. I haven't been there since I was a child. Regardless where it is, though, I'd be up for a nice little weekend trip.
I'll be in Charlottesville this weekend. My boyfriend has a meeting on Sunday morning near Monticello. I'm hoping to get some good sightseeing in. :)
03/16/2006 01:25:20 PM · #19
Originally posted by ragamuffingirl:

Luray is not far from here at all. What's so special about Luray? Is that where this park is, or is it the caverns?

I mentioned Luray as a location indicator for one of the park entrances, Elkton being the other. Dark Hollow Falls (near Big Meadows) is between the two entrances on Skyline Drive.
03/16/2006 01:35:12 PM · #20
I'll be living in Roanoke by that time...I live in Lynchburg now, so it's not a major difference...anyway...

Sounds like fun, just keep us up to date. There are plenty of places to shoot for a day within a few hours drive, so finding THE place may be more a matter of deciding than looking.
03/16/2006 02:46:21 PM · #21
Originally posted by glad2badad:

Originally posted by ragamuffingirl:

Luray is not far from here at all. What's so special about Luray? Is that where this park is, or is it the caverns?

I mentioned Luray as a location indicator for one of the park entrances, Elkton being the other. Dark Hollow Falls (near Big Meadows) is between the two entrances on Skyline Drive.


I think Elkton and Luray are about equal distance from me, so either is good. Does anyone know how much it costs to get onto Skyline Drive these days? If it's by the car load, maybe we should meet at the Wal-Mart in Luray, everyone climb into the same car, THEN go to Skyline Drive. Or is it Blue Ridge Parkway that costs money? I forget.
03/16/2006 02:54:48 PM · #22

from the pedestrian walkway, down from tredegar


at maymont, near the italian garden

hate that i'm going to appomattox saturday. ya'll have fun. church hill is SPECTACULAR--views, architecture, history.
03/16/2006 03:04:51 PM · #23
Originally posted by ragamuffingirl:

I think Elkton and Luray are about equal distance from me, so either is good. Does anyone know how much it costs to get onto Skyline Drive these days? If it's by the car load, maybe we should meet at the Wal-Mart in Luray, everyone climb into the same car, THEN go to Skyline Drive. Or is it Blue Ridge Parkway that costs money? I forget.

There is a per vehicle fee to come into the park. I can't remember if it's $5 or $10. I have a National Parks Pass so I'm good to go. ;^)
03/16/2006 03:09:13 PM · #24
Success! My leave request for May 20 was approved, so I'm a definite YES now. There's been talk of a Skyline Drive gtg for quite awhile now, although more commonly in the Fall for the changing leaves. Looking so forward to this! Thanks ragamuffingirl for getting the ball rolling.
03/16/2006 03:12:08 PM · #25
Originally posted by nova:

Success! My leave request for May 20 was approved, so I'm a definite YES now. There's been talk of a Skyline Drive gtg for quite awhile now, although more commonly in the Fall for the changing leaves. Looking so forward to this! Thanks ragamuffingirl for getting the ball rolling.

Hooray! Maybe this can be a fall warmup? ;^) I did look ahead and most of the rooms (Shenandoah Park facilities) are booked full already in the fall season.
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