We started our 2nd Virginia State Park adventure
with a Visit to Sky Meadows. It wasn’t
our first time there. In fact, it is legendary with my boys because of the
skeletons. Our first visit to that park was about 4 years ago, and my sons were so fascinated with the bones and skulls
all over the hill that they have never forgotten those days. According to
someone we were talking to (though I can no longer remember who), the deer carcasses (roadkill) are put out there so that the vultures can pick them clean without
the danger of being struck by a car.
On this visit we met a woman
portraying Amanda Virginia Edmonds, a woman of the civil war era who kept a
journal which has since been published.
She shared much with us about what it was like to live in her time along
with some mint and pineapple tea and sugar cookies. The sugar cookies were a
rare treat since sugar was hard to come by. To my surprise, she told us that pineapple was
very important to them at the time. I
would have believed such a fruit nearly impossible to come by at that time in
history in norther Virginia.
Of course, keeping human as slaves is not acceptable on any
level, but some masters were cruel beyond
confinement, while others were more kind ( as kind as one can be while keeping
another human being under your control without pay or permission from
them). I asked here which end of the
spectrum her family fell to. Her answer
interested me. She said that she saw the
slaves as members of her family and that when some were sold to cover the costs that the family was incurring because of the war, she was absolutely heartbroken.
She even referred to her handmaid as her aunt. She also told me that she couldn’t imagine why
her familie's slaves would want to be free when there were given “good food, a
safe place to live, and honest work to do.” Perspective is an interesting
thing.
After taking in the views at Sky Meadows, we tarried on to Shenandoah River State Park. We enjoyed the drive
through the park along what seemed like a mini skyline drive. The view from an overlook to the river was
absolutely breathtaking.
We made it the
canoe launch after a while where we were surrounded by an event of some kind. We were all struck by the beautiful hammocks
hanging between many of the trees. They
appeared to have been custom made, as no two were alike in their decoration,
and they appeared to be crocheted. I’m
going to have to do some research to find out what culture such a tradition
might come from. I believe I think I heard them speaking Spanish, I can’t be sure, but Hispanic cultures will be where I
start to look for these items. We spent
a few minutes with our toes in the water, but then needed to determine where we
would be sleeping for the night, so the visit there was shorter that I would
have liked.
On day 2, we started at Mason Neck. Elias loved Mason Neck. At the visitors center we learned a lot about
Bald Eagles. Well, I should say that
there was a lot to be learned, but my little bird experts already knew much of
it. We spent some time on an Eagle quiz
that Elias and Alyra aced. We also
learned a bit about the prehistoric nature of the area and about archaeology and
related activities from the interactive exhibits. We spent a good amount
of time in a children’s activity room.
Alyra colored and studied the books, while Gwyna did the same. Elias spent his time in there studying and
identifying the specimens on display. He was making plans about which of these
animals he would make a MOC out of with his Lego’s.
When the girl child reached melt down point, we headed outdoors for the amazing views and in hopes of seeing a bald eagle. We didn’t manage to get a picture, but we were obliged when one decided to fish just a ways from where we were hanging out on the shoreline. Elias ruined another pair of shoes as he just couldn’t stop himself from walking straight into the river chasing frogs. He was having an absolutely grand time catching and studying the frogs, and the snail shells while the girls and I took time to relax on the bench. Elias even built a frog homestead for two of them. They only took up residence for a moment! Alyra spent some time with my camera, but she was tired and not really into it that day. Shortly after Elias came out of the water, we saw something moving through the water that from a distance could have been a large turtle head… but that wasn’t how it was moving. Up slither-swims a good old snake! He never left the water, but I suspect he was after the same thing as Elias: frogs, but for dinner. I thought it was a water moccasin. He swam with his head up and the rest of his body under the water. According to the Virginia Herpatalogical Society, water Moccasins aren't expected in that area, but I’m still pretty glad Elias was out of the water by the time the fella came swimming up!
We left Mason Neck and headed for Leesylvania State Park, where the kids
had a good bit of fun watching the boats a while and messing around in
the river again. I was disappointed that we didn’t get there in time to get my
sticker (I am collecting a sticker from each park for our souvenir), or see the
inside of the visitor’s center. We did get to observe an artifact from the
earlier activities of the area (see the picture). We also enjoyed a lovely covered walking
bridge over a pond where we observed frogs, and turtles and fish. We didn’t
stay long after the playground because I was spooked by a German Sheppard who
lunged, growling and barking, at Elias.
All he had done was walk past the animal. His owner had him tightly on a leash and
pulled him back quickly, like he knew he had a volatile animal, but just 5
minutes later allowed his child, who appeared to be about 10 or 11, take the
leash. I was too nervous about being
around the animal after that, and Elias was upset, so he didn’t want to do
anything else at the park. Alyra had
gotten her playground time, so we left.
Off to find another place to sleep.
On our final day of this trip, we stopped at Caledon. It was
a lovely trip to get there from Fredericksburg. The tree lined drive was a
peaceful and enchanting experience. We missed
another sticker here, and didn’t see the inside of the home because I failed to
check, and the house is only open Wednesday through Saturday. We were there on a Tuesday. We took a short hike through the woods next to
the house. There was an amazing tree in those woods. She was wide and tall, and I suspect very
old. Her trunk had split into three. Gwyna had a great time living up specimens for me to record with my camera. She's seen her siblings do this, and really loves to be involved!
After about 10 minutes, we paused at a pretty large tree that was absolutely
filled with butterflies. We took a
moment to meditate with the bugs and then hiked back out to the car. We needed more water than I had put in my
pack. It’s a little hard to carry enough for 4 people sometimes.
Leaving Caledon we headed east and took the back way to Westmoreland. The back way may have been the best way
between the two parks for time, I don’t know, but it was definitely the best
way for scenery. It was gorgeous. I felt like I
was in fairy tale on some parts of that road, a feeling that was only magnified
once I arrived at the park. It was the
kind of landscape I expect in the mountains. Hills and trees and beautiful
views of the water. The cliffs were truly
impressive.
When we arrived at the visitor’s center, we talked with the ranger a
while, then a gentleman came in with his finds from fossil beach. He had fossilized whale bones and a pretty
sizable sharks tooth. There was no
debate. We started the half hour hike down to the beach. The trail was a lovely walk down. Once we arrived at the shore, Elias went
straight in and so did Gwyna. She laid her body down flat in a small body of water
that ran between the river and the marsh and “swam.” She picked up rocks and giggled and put her
head in the water. It was so cute. Then I decided that it might not be the best
place to play. Snakes. We moved over near another family that was sifting for
sharks teeth. We really enjoyed their company. Alyra made instant friends with her daughter
and we talked about the environment and looking for things and she told me that
she was considering homeschooling one of her children, so I shared some
information about that with her. I
enjoyed talking to Anya, the mom, and to her children. Anya is from Russia and has blessed her children
with both languages. I’ve always wished
I knew another language well enough to make it part of my children’s daily
life. Anya’s daughter taught us to say “hi”
in Russian.
The kids and I found several things while sifting the beach
that could be special, but nothing I was sure was special. By the time we got back to the visitors
center area, though, the office was closed and we weren’t able to get
confirmation of our finds. I don’t know if that matters, though. The kids love the artifacts just because they
could be fossils. *(Note: it is normally illegal to take
anything out of a state park, but special permission has been given for public collection
of fossils at fossil beach).
After several attempts to leave, and children begging for 5
more minutes, we started hiking back up the path. When I say up, I mean that literally.
It was nowhere near my steepest hike ever, but the steepest in a long
time, made more difficult by a 25 pound kid on my back and a 25 pound backpack
on my front. I need to hike more and get
better at that!
Elias played ball
with Anya’s boys after we all hiked back at about the same time. I got her number and hope to see them again
when we are in their part of the state again.
She lives in Richmond, and we travel through there often enough that it
shouldn’t be too long.
I wanted to hit Belle Isle this trip too, but everyone was
too tired of the road, (We had preceded our state park adventured with a family
visit in Northern Virginia, and we were on day 5 of the road), so we headed home
after that.
No comments:
Post a Comment