After that last post, I managed to get yet another hike in! It was only a couple miles (straight down, however) to a nice little waterfall, so I squeezed it in before sunset. The Parkway is crammed full of great hikes, and when I got to Shenandoah National Park, there were even more!
I found some coin operated showers and managed to wash the stink away (after one last hike to a waterfall). Somewhere along the way, I learned how to take amazingly fast showers. This one was 5 minutes for a dollar, and I had another dollar lined up and ready. I had so much time left, I thought the timer must have broken down. I can now claim to take both the fastest shower and the longest bath. Actually, I've heard stories from military guys of much faster showers, but under 5 minutes is pretty damn good for me.
I'm now in the middle of horse country, in rich, rural Virginia. Rambling black fences enclose huge estates, all with their own crest flying out front. A historic marker informed me that one mansion nearby has been home to the same family since the 1800's. This same family started the nation's oldest foxhunt (Piedmont), and the nation's oldest horseshow (Upper something). How gentile.
I've finally realized why I have been so obssessively collecting music since my teens. If you have a large enough variety, you can create the perfect soundtrack to whatever countryside you happen to be passing through. This truth was rammed home in Tennessee. My visor holder had the Porch Ghouls, Son Volt, Garth, Spice Girls (cause they work anywhere), and Open Road. In the player was Drive By Truckers. I was singing along when I went under an overpass with "DRive BY truckers" spraypainted in orange on it.
ha! i love the spice girls. they're such guilty pleasure...
Posted by: maryse | April 19, 2004 at 02:48 PM
ha! i love the spice girls. they're such guilty pleasure...thanks for the nice comment by the way
Posted by: maryse | April 19, 2004 at 02:52 PM
Shenandoah National Park, I lost my buffalo sandals there and my older sister forever shamed me as a weeny for not doing a slide for life at a campground there. It is a beautiful park. You are having such a remarkable adventure Bethany.
I am going to the Sheep and Wool festival with my husband. I hope I run into you. :)
Posted by: Kathleen | April 20, 2004 at 07:40 PM
Ahh, nothing like driving along seeing new sights with the perfect soundtrack :)
Posted by: Amy | April 20, 2004 at 08:00 PM
To add to your potential for perfect road soundtracks, I recommend:
Driving Sideways - Aimee Mann (best for bad days)
I Love the Unknown - Clem Snide (Best for adventurous days "...Then how will you know where to get off, He said 'The place with the most allure.'")
Posted by: Josh | April 21, 2004 at 09:48 AM