Summer Coming to a Close in DC!

A week and a half ago we had two little visitors from Rochester, NY, Jonathan and Joseph, our grandsons. The week went entirely too fast. We packed so much into the week that Papa and Grandma needed a week to recuperate. I'll post pictures of the week when I return from my visit with my sister Patti. This picture is of the boys on our ride back to NY.

Over Labor Day weekend, Larry and I went for a motorcycle ride to the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was much warmer than our last trip to the Blue Ridge two years ago. It actually snowed on that trip. Of course it was the end of October, what did we expect.

This trip, the day time temperatures were perfect, not to hot and not too cold. We rode for two days straight on the Skyline Drive taking frequent stops at the overlooks and visitor centers and lodges.

It took us an hour and a half from DC to Front Royal and the beginning of the park. When we arrived on Saturday we went to our motel to see if we might check in but our room wasn't ready so we started to drive the park. We went about half way and decided to take the valley back. We knew it would get cooler as the afternoon faded into evening. We enjoyed the drive though the valley every bit as much and the drive on the ridge. It was evening by the time we returned to Front Royal. Upon our return we went in search of a place to have dinner. We found a quaint little place within walking distance from our motel. The food was very good.

The picture is of the Shenandoah River taken from one of the first overlooks upon entering the park.

On Sunday after breakfast we started our day by taking the valley to the bottom of the Skyline Drive and entering the park at Waynesboro. We drove the entire length of the park that day. Making frequent stops to give our behinds a break.

The picture was taken while we were driving to the one and only tunnel on the parkway. It goes right though the mountain.

Sunday night finding a place for dinner was more of a challenge, as not many places were open for our business or anyone else's for that matter. We finally found a little place in town. It was more of a wine and cheese place but the owner was very accommodating and managed to serve us enough to satisfy our hunger.

This picture is for Mom Hodge. We found this thistle growing by the side of the overlook and it fit in well with our shot of the valley below.

It's Monday and time to return back to DC but not until we visit the Skyline Caverns. After breakfast we drove the less than mile and a half form the motel to the caverns. We chose this cavern because it looked less commercial than the one in Luray. It proved to be a good choice and we enjoyed our tour very much.

The picture is of Larry and me by a stalagmite on the floor of the cavern. I have many more pictures of the weekend and will put them on the web when I return from my sisters.

We had a good drive back to DC, but the traffic did pick up the closer we got.