Luray, Virginia
GST Season IV - Chapter 8
Mardi Gras to Maine
“Virginia is for Lovers!”
The following is our twist on one of the most famous editorials ever written.
“Dear Editor: I am 61 years old. Some of my friends say that Virginia can’t be real. My wife says “if you see it on the internet, then it is so!” Please tell me the truth: Is Virginia real?” John
No Virginia? Your friends are wrong. Perhaps they have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age.
Yes John, there is a Virginia!
Many believe in only that which they see, in Virginia it is possible to not believe what you are seeing. But just as love, generosity, and devotion exist, so does the Shenandoah Valley, The Blue Ridge Mountains, and the Chesapeake Bay. If not for the Sons and Daughters of Virginia, we would not have a Declaration of Independence (Tommy J) the Father of our Country (George Washington) or the Legend of Pocahontas (a Native American Princess.)
Not believe in Virginia? It is my position that everyone who embraces faith and fancy, poetry and romance, owes themselves a visit to Virginia. It is a place so diverse, so entrenched in American History, and so responsible for the shaping of our culture that it must be explored!
No Virginia? Thank heavens there is! A thousand years from now, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, Virginia will continue to make us glad in our hearts and souls.
After all is said and done, John....
“Virginia is for Lovers!”
Points of Interest:
1. Hike Shenandoah National Park: If you enjoy hiking, you have come to the right place! There are two visitors centers along Skyline Drive and each will have park maps with separate printed maps for all of the individual trails in the area. The rangers were quite helpful in directing us to several interesting hikes that fit our hiking ability. Here is a sample of the hikes we conquered and our miles logged for each:
South River Falls - 5 miles
Stony Man: 4.5 miles
Bearfence Rock Scramble: 3.5 miles
Hawksbill Gap: 3 miles
Dark Hollow Falls to Rose River Loop: 5.1 miles
Mary’s Rock Summit: 2.5 miles
And finally: The Old Rag. Certainly our most challenging hike. By the time we finished we had logged 10 miles. The first 3.5 miles is a good climb, then a 1 mile rock scramble to get to the peak, and finishing with over 5 miles down to complete the loop. We made it! And yes... it was difficult, but so worth it. 😅
2. Luray, Virginia: There is a visitors center downtown that has area maps, local event calendars, and a long list of wonderful restaurants. Their railroad history display in the museum is worth walking through as well.
3. Walk / Bike the Hawksbill Greenway in Luray: Walk or ride your bike along the Hawksbill Creek for a scenic 2 miles. You are guaranteed to enjoy several types of birds, fresh air, clean water, and pass by the historic town of Luray along the way.
4. Front Royal: A quick drive (or ride:) will land you in a special location that has a driving tour of “The Battle of Front Royal” or the walking tour of downtown where a Civil War battle took place right in the streets. This “Brother Against Brother” area holds so much history, we know you will enjoy this stop.
5. Monticello and the plantation home of Thomas Jefferson: We enjoyed our tour of the lower level of the plantation home, a visit with “Tommy J” himself, as well as a walking tour of the grounds.
6. Civil War History: Virginia is home to SO much Civil War history that you will learn more than you ever could in 6th Grade. 😂 There are battlegrounds including New Market and Front Royal. You can find a Civil War museum in almost every town, so pick one and stop in. We found the history fascinating.
7. Caves: Virginia is home to several options to go “spelunking.” We did not opt to tour caves on this trip, but here are a few to choose from:
Luray Caverns
Shenandoah Caverns
Grand Caverns
Skyline Caverns
Endless... the name of the caves and the list is “Endless” 😃
Scenic Motorcycle Routes:
1. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a two lane, easy riding road that runs through the Appalachian Mountains. There are several overlooks along the 469 miles that run from Virginia to North Carolina.
2. The Skyline Drive through the Shenandoah National Park connects to the Blue Ridge Parkway is yet another example of endless beauty. We connected at the South entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Our ride from Luray north lead us to Front Royal for a quick stop at the visitors center, the downtown shops, and the historic walking tour.
3. Front Royal to Highway 11 follows the same route as Highway 81 but instead you travel through all of the small towns along the way. There are several historic signs, cemeteries, and battlefields to be seen. Our final stop was the New Market Battlefield.
4. Sperryville to Monticello. From Luray we took Highway 211 over the mountains to Sperryville and took any backroad we could ride until we got to Charlottesville. Our quiet morning ride was filled with green pastures, wonderful valley views, and ended at the plantation home of Thomas Jefferson. You can’t beat that!
RV Location:
Shenandoah View Campground - Spacious Skies
3402 Kimball Road
Luray, VA
540-743-7222
*We stayed in site 69 as a pull-through. If you want a longer term site be sure and call. Those sites are back in and are more difficult to navigate. The campground has a lot to offer for families: pool (in season) bounce mat and play area, pool table, laundry, showers. The location is perfect for access to the Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive. Hiking and views are just a short drive away. (See our Points of Interest for this area keeping in mind that there is way more to do then we had time for.)
Rating: 🍀🍀🍀🍀 (4 out of 5🍀)
We have not been “rating” our campgrounds but may start. Drop us a line if this interests you or you have specific questions about this park.)
Harvest Host:
Cockeye BBQ
1805 Parkman Road
Warren, Ohio 44485
While we had originally planned a month long stay in Virginia, our plans were cut short.
This is our final Episode on YouTube for our time in Virginia. We hope you enjoy it.
