Peggy and our daughter Tasha are off having a mother-daughter cruise on the Caribbean. Never being one to ‘stay home alone,’ I decided to drive 40 miles south of where we live and visit Shenandoah National Park via Skyline Drive. It runs along the top of the ridge paralleling the park. I’m doing this post in real time, so to speak. And it’s a quick one— It’s all about the color. I will do another one at some point that includes more information.
Peggy and I were going to spend a week (or two) in Shenandoah National Park in October. The Blue Ridge Mountains are well known for their fall colors. Unfortunately, life got in the way. I was worried that most of colorful leaves would be off of the trees when I made it in November. Fortunately. I was wrong.Most of my leaf peeping was done from along Skyline Drive. I caught the photos of this hill on backroads above the town of Luray, Va. where I was staying, however.It didn’t seem to be lacking in color.Some trees had already shed their leaves, but I felt they made a nice contrast. Plus I really liked the tree peaking out in front of them.Luray is conveniently located beneath the Thornton Gap entrance to Skyline Drive, a quick 15 minutes up Highway 211 E. I was sidetracked a half mile below the entrance by some trees that demanded I stop and admire them.How could I resist.My goal for the day was to drive south from Thornton Gap for 20 or so miles into what is considered the central section of Skyline Drive. There were lots of pulloffs. I stopped at each one. My first stop featured grass. Okay, I decided, it looked fall-ish to me.And this tree.I might have thought I’d arrived in the spring if it wasn’t for the tree up on top! Rock outcrops are frequent and add to the beauty.This blended view of colors is close to iconic when one thinks of Shenandoah in the fall.Close ups make the colors pop out.Yellows, reds, browns and oranges in varying shades dominate the landscape. Green was still hanging out here as well.One doesn’t have to have a telephoto, however. Plenty of color is right along the road.Take this, for example.A combination.“See me” this tree seemed to be saying.This milkweed as it was preparing to disperse its seeds.Some where, Monarch butterflies were cheering it on. “Make lots of babies!”This is here for a special reason: To recognize the work done by the Civilian Conservation Corps in building Skyline Drive in the 1930s during the Great Depression. Each of the stones here was hand cut by a CCC worker. As Peggy and I have wandered through state and national parks all over America we have come across their work time and time again. This innovative program created by Franklin Roosevelt gave work to thousands of young men who would have otherwise been unemployed. (Both Peggy’s dad and mine were part of CCC.) America still benefits from what the CCC accomplished.Distant vistas.The yellow at the bottom stood out. So I focused on it.And brought it up close.They are poplar tees. And tall. They tower over the other trees in Shenandoah NP.These rocks and trees were the only view I saw along the road that deserved to be rendered in black and white.A final distant view.And a wrap-up for the post with Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park. A note here: It’s not terribly smart to take a road shot when you are by yourself driving on a curvy road. Grin.
Another detour: Since I was staying in Luray, I decided to visit the Luray Caverns. How could I not: They are the largest, most visited caverns in the Eastern United States. Anyway, I plan to take you along with me on my next post. (There is even a ghost.)
