Claytor SP VA

A four day trip to Claytor SP, which is south of Roanoke. We drove up Thursday and set up camp. We got a new canopy that is bigger and sturdier than the old one. I was able to attach a tarp to it, then hold it up with tent poles. That way I could just drive the truck out, and back it in with no trouble.

Friday we drove to Falls Ridge Preserve. You walk up through this meadow into the forest.

If you turn right, you come to the falls -

(From the website - The rocks in the travertine falls watershed grew steadily, as minerals and lime dissolved in the water precipitate upon them. Over thousands of years, the build-up of calcium carbonate steepened the stream's gradient and slowly created both the waterfall and one of the largest-known exposed travertine deposits. ) This is just a part of it, my other pictures don't even do it justice.

If you turn left, there is a huge rock face of limestone and travertine, full of holes and caves -

A closer look at the formations -

It was so incredible to see up close. I don't think too many people go there, but probably some day they will have to limit access to the caves. We were able to explore them all we wanted, and only saw a few other people the whole time.

After all that exploring and awe, we went straight to the swimming area back at the campground. It was so beautiful! And to swim until we were cold felt amazing.

Saturday we headed to Roaring Run Falls and Furnace 

There is no way to do this trail justice with pictures. It's about .03 miles of following the creek upstream, and it is just cascade after cascade until you get to the main falls. 

On the way down we took the woodland trail, and ended up at the old iron furnace.

Then back to the lake for more swimming until 6:30. A fire, and then snoozing.

And now, a safety tip -

Road trip NY

 Many many miles. Through Virginia

to our first campsite - a private house that was listed on HipCamp. The surroundings were heavily wooded.

Day 2, the C&O canal path and the railway at Point of Rocks. Our lunch stop.

Point of Rocks - Rocky Point. Just sayin'...

That night we ran out of steam before we could get to our next HipCamp site, so we found Otter Creek Campground.

Day 3 we did the Walkway Over the Hudson.

And drove some more

to Crystal Grove Campground where you can dig for Herkimer diamonds.

It rained. Really really rained.

But we still drove some in the Andirondack Park, and saw some sights.

Then spent some time at a little town's ArtWalk.

Day 5 the weather cleared. We were able to do some diamond mining before packing up.

Drove oh-so-many miles back into PA. Lancaster County (Amish country) was the most beautiful place of the trip, and I would go back to spend more time there.

This was Hickory Run State Park in PA, where I got to look and feel like an idiot trying to get the trailer into the spot. It's an amazing campground though, with the most blooming Mountain Laurel I have ever seen.

Day 6 was PA to just south of Richmond VA, where we stayed at Pocohantas State Park. Another beautiful campground that we barely had time to enjoy.

Day 7 was all through VA to home.

This is what the back of the truck looked like at the end. I kind of gave up trying to keep it neat. If I was going to spend more time in it, I would have taken everything out to air out, and then re-organized.

Rob and I went camping again last weekend. Two in a row! This time we stayed in site 1 - the first site we made, at the top of the first hill. It's small, but so accessible!

Rob rented a little excavator and made major progress on the road to the top/back of the lot. The ground is clay, and packs like cement, but will need gravel when we can afford it.

 We were able to drive all the way up! Yuuuge big deal. Really great. This ridge is the highest on our lot, and drops off to the creek. It's got all the breezes.

And while Rob was playing with machinery, I headed up to the BRP to do a little hike. I ended up picking up a hitching AT thru-hiker and driving her 2 hours up the parkway. Good luck, Small Slice!

I did get in a tiny hike and an amazing view.

The trailer is GOT!

We picked up mom's custom trailer from Rustic Trails last week. How super-cool looking is this?

12' long, with a twin bed and little sink. The battery charges from the tow vehicle, and has a solar plug-in.

When Rob and I were in PA recently we found a cap for the truck, so mom and I are both set for some serious road-tripping. To be able to camp for a night without having to put up tents is going to make us so much more mobile.

First trip is to NY on June 17. The route is plotted in Roadtrippers, and 2 HipCamp sites are reserved. In the works are NC from end to end on Hwy 64, and the Natchez Trace from Mississippi to Tennessee.

More pics of the trailer when it cools off enough for mom to glamp it up.

These flowers are EVERY where this spring

"Dame's rocket was brought to North America in the 17th century and has since become naturalized there.

This species is commonly found in roadside ditches, dumps and in open woodland settings, where it is noticed when in bloom. Although it makes an attractive, hardy garden plant, it has been found to be ecologically invasive in North America."

In the past week, I've seen it all across NC, and all up to western PA. Also up in PA are tons and tons of honeysuckle bushes that are blooming.

Here we go...!

Trip last week was to Celo. Some of the rhododendrens were blooming, and so were the flame azaleas. When they were together they were crazy awesome - orange and purple and pink in a big ball. The blooms hadn't reached the higher elevations, so we should have known better than to go looking at Roan Mountain.

Mom was in hiker-mode:

Later, I found some Lady Slippers in the woods near the house.

And these... what? mushrooms?

We did some driving on the Parkway. We're both big fans of the BRP, and are thinking of driving it end-to-end.