Mount Jackson, VA

     We've been extremely fortunate to be able to squeeze in a few more days here at Shenandoah Valley Campground.  There is history all around us with multiple Civil War campaigns happening within a few miles of us.  I don't remember fully understanding the death and violence that occurred during those battles when we studied them in school.  So in order to fully appreciate the intensity and the barbarity of war, you must go to the battlefields and read what happened here.  But first we had to do some sightseeing and first on the list was a visit to Shenandoah Caverns.  These caverns, just a short drive from the campground, are the only caverns in Virginia accessible by elevator.  What a great feature to conquer about a 90 foot drop into the cavern.

 The cavern features a comfortable gravel path, and the only obstacles encountered during the 1 mile guided tour, were occasional low ceilings.  Then there were the numerous strips of bacon hanging from the ceiling that beckoned you to reach out and touch.  But touching is forbidden by VA law, and the oils from your hand would eventually kill the living Stalactites and Stalagmites.

This is actually a pool of water about 4 inches deep, reflecting the formations overhead.  The cavern does a very nice job lighting the formations making some of them quite dramatic.  I didn't realize that light promotes the formation of algae, so as we leave each section, the lights are turned off behind us.  As an added treat, our tour guide turned the lights off completely, and believe me it was as dark as you imagine it would be.  Not some place you'd want to be without a good flashlight.  I couldn't imagine 2 twelve year old boys discovering the cavern by climbing down into the cavern by rope, carrying candles, about 90 years ago.

       

     The next day we ventured over to the Shenandoah National Park.  We entered at the north end of the park, up by Front Royal, and purchased our  Senior Pass for $10, good for a lifetime.  I've been waiting 62 years to buy one of those!  It was a beautiful day, with temps in the low 70's. The Park runs along the length of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and features the Skyline Drive cutting a magnificent path through the mountains.  We had hoped to follow the fall colors south as we left NY, but it seems the peak colors occurred in Shenandoah last week.  There were still plenty of leaves, but the colors seemed muted as compared to the fantastic colors we experienced at Chateaugay Lake in NY 2 weeks ago.  The forests of Shenandoah consist of numerous hardwoods such as oak, hickory and chestnuts, and one report accurately described them as "all the colors of a spice drawer-paprika, ginger, clove, sage, chili powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Of course, Shenandoah is amazing any time of year, and a peaceful drive through the Park is always good for the soul.
       We stopped and toured one of the campsites quite accessible by Big Red, so perhaps, next year, we'll be spending a few days here.  The Park Rangers all agreed that the black bears were active this time of year, but we didn't spot any this journey.  Perhaps later on this week we'll return to tour the southern end.

     Yesterday we visited New Market, VA, and the New Market Battlefield.  This particular site is unique because of the role the Cadets of the Virginia Military Institute played.  After being activated, the Cadets of VMI marched nearly 35 miles in two days, and stood in reserve to assist the Confederates Army in forcing the Union Army out of the Shenandoah Valley.  As the Cadets, which numbered about 247, advanced across the muddy field on the Bushong Farm, several cadets lost their shoes, and the field later became known as the "Field of Lost Shoes."

     The Cadets were successful in their charge against the enemy.  Although 10 Cadets lost their lives that day,  they were successful in capturing a Union artillery piece.  Forty years later, all the Cadets were awarded the Virginia Medal for Valor.  Since 1887, the VMI Cadets remember the fallen on New Market Day, and the names of the fallen are read aloud.

     Today we moved south to Charlottesville, and will be visiting numerous historic sites in the area.