Today we were able to do some exploring in earnest. We drove from our great RV spot at Natural Chimneys County Park near Mt. Solon, VA, and headed east. We passed through a bit of Staunton and continued through Waynesboro until we got to a point where the Blue Ridge Parkway turns south and Skyline Drive turns north. Skyline Drive is a magnificent road that runs along the mountains on the east side of the Shenandoah Valley. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs along, surprisingly, the Blue Ridge which skirts the southern parts of the Shenandoah. The scenery here is magnificent.
Today’s drive took us south down the Blue Ridge Parkway from milepost 0 to around the James River which is at about milepost 80 or so. Since the weather was relatively clear today, the views from the Parkway were terrific, both ways. We spotted tons of birds, some ground hogs, a couple deer, a series of waterfalls, a beautiful lake and the James River. The views of the Shenandoah Valley were stunning from the plentiful overlooks along the Parkway. Sumacs were sporting gorgeous flowers today.
We finally dropped off the Parkway and descended into the Shenandoah Valley where we soon found ourselves in the absolutely staggering architecture of the town of Lexington. It is an old town and also the home of the Virginia Military Institute where numerous American military officers have been trained. At one time, I believe Robert E. Lee was the head honcho here. The Lee Highway passes right through the campus. Only the rich and buddies of senators get to go to Annapolis or West Point. The remainder come from places like VMI. VMI is quite a facility, rivaling most major universities. It’s a monster.
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