Rhodes Creations: virginia

A drive on the Skyline Drive in Virginia

Monday

11/1/2011

(Don't forget to mute music at bottom of blog if you watch videos.)

Mark and I decided to take a nice excursion to the Skyline Drive today. It was Mark's idea, and I was so glad! We don't often get to go on such excursions and I was glad he suggested it. We didn't leave until after lunch because I had to finish my Green Tomato Relish/Salsa.. But it turned out that even in that, God had a reason. Well, it was our first time on the Skyline, mainly because they charge you to get on it, but we bit the bullet as it cost $15 for a one week pass. If you pay $30 you could get a season pass and if you are 62 and older you qualify for a $10 fee. It was just Mark and I and we prayed on the way. Before we got there we saw several goats, sheep Donkey or Mule at Rockfish River on 151. There's a place you can stop and park and look at the animals on the other side of the fence and there's actually a trail there, but we didn't walk it this time. I got footage of the animals and some pictures.

It was a nice, sunny day and a wonderful day to drive. It was still a bit cold out there and I would have loved to walk somewhere, but we didn't this time. We didn't know what to expect on the Skyline, but you could tell it was a bit ritzier than the parkway, I suppose because they get all that money to get on the Skyline. Lots of very nice overlooks and several Lodges/Restaurants/Giftshops..Supposedly the northern part of it was closed due to a previous snow as there was snow still up there. We stopped at several overlooks took pictures and video..Wildlife: We saw lots of deer, a fox, while we were stopped to help a guy whose Tire came plumb off his car get a spare on I walked up the road some to film and take pictures of a gang of turkeys walking on the road..Mark was at the car with the guy trying to get the wheel off the car..He had run it flat for so long that the tire separated from the wheel and came off and rolled in front of him. Apparently, we came at just the right time to help because Mark said he saw the tire still rolling before it came to a stop as we passed it and had thought it was an animal at first. But then we came upon Tim up the road a little bit and he said, yes, that would be my tire! He told us he kept hearing a thump thump thump and was making all kinds of excuses of what it could be all the while running on his flat..and the tire just couldn't take it anymore apparently. None of us had ever seen such a thing! Mark nor Tim had a very good lugnut wrench, and Mark was doing what he could to get the bolts off, but they were on there pretty tight...He needed some more manpower or a better wrench. Thankfully, some Hispanic guys ended up stopping and helped when I was walking up the road with the turkeys getting footage and they all got it fixed. Before the foundation of the world, God knew that we were to help that guy and we came at just the right time. Some of the places on the Skyline we stopped at: the Loft Mountain Gift Shop & Restaurant, Big Run Creek, Big Meadows Byrd Visitor's Center, Old Rag Mountain overlook, and Crescent Rock View Overlook. There were so many other overlooks we could have stopped at, as there were so many. We still didn't get to see the northern part yet, because the guy we paid said we'd have to get off at exit 211. It was a beautiful drive back as well. Rolling hills and the sunset's light playing on the fall foliage. We drove through New Market and ended up taking a couple of wrong turns and ended up near Lexington and still saw several deer and a raccoon on the way home. We didn't get home until close to 9:00 pm. We were praying that the deer would keep to themselves and not get crazy around us, as this is the season they mate and are not very reasonable. Got some nice pictures and video footage you'll be able to see on utube. We hope you enjoy God's bountiful beauty as much as we did. The pictures can't really compete with seeing it in person, but it's a pretty good thing for memories.