Wandering through Time and Place

Exploring the world with Curtis and Peggy Mekemson
  • About This Blog
  • Bios
  • Chapter from The Bush Devil Ate Sam
  • Five Reasons to Travel
  • Tag: Shenandoah National Park

    • A Foggy Day in Shenandoah National Park… The 10,000-Mile Bike Trek

      Posted at 7:30 am by Curt Mekemson
      Sep 17th
      Regulations on the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive understandably recommend that bicyclists not travel on foggy days. The fog does present some good photo ops, however.

      Regulations on the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive understandably recommend that bicyclists not travel on foggy days. The fog does present some good photo ops, however.

       

      “Oh Shenandoah, I long to see you/Away you rolling River/Oh Shenandoah, I long to see you/Away, I’m bound away/Cross the wide Missouri.”

      There are songs that you hear as a child that bury themselves deep in your brain and are forever being replayed. Oh Shenandoah was one such song for me. It had a yearning that even my 9-year-old soul understood. I longed to see the Shenandoah River, and return to it— even though I had never been there.

      It isn’t surprising then that Shenandoah became my song of the day as I wrapped up my bike tour of the Blue Ridge Parkway and entered Skyline Drive and the Shenandoah National Park. I often sang on my bike. It helped wile away the hours. But this time I sang with the same longing I had felt as a fourth grader.

      Peggy and I woke up to a foggy morning on our last day of retracing my bike route along the Blue Ridge Parkway. I was glad I wasn't riding my bike.

      Visibility can be a real issue when the fog sets in for bicyclists as well as motorists.

      A pine tree stands out in the fog along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

      But fog has a way of shrouding everything in mystery.

      Skyline Drive provides the same beauty, lack of commercial traffic and slow speed limit as found on the Blue Ridge Parkway, without the severe ups and downs.

      Skyline Drive starts where the Blue Ridge Parkway ends when you are riding south to north. It provides the same beauty, lack of commercial traffic, and slow speed limit as found on the Parkway, without as many ups and downs.

      Dogwood in fog along Skyline Drive in Virginia.

      Distant vistas disappear in the fog. The traveller is left with views closer to the road…

      A tree of dogwood blooming along the Skyline Drive in Virginia.

      That bring their own beauty…

      Trees along the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park.

      With a different perspective.

      Pine needles provided an interesting pattern in the fog.

      The grey backdrop made these pine needles stand out.

      Not sure what these flowers were, but I found their green hue appealing.

      Fog or not, I always like close-ups. The yellow-green hue of these flowers, and their abundance, caught my attention.

      Tree lichens caught the attention of my camera.

      Lichens are always worth a closer look..

      Riding along the Skyline wasn’t enough for me, however. Oh Shenandoah was about the river and I had to see it! I reached US Highway 33 and made a snap decision. Instead of following Skyline Drive the rest of the way to Front Royal, Virginia, I would turn left and drop down into the Shenandoah Valley where I could sing to the river. And that is what I did. In Elkton, I picked up US 340 and followed it along the south fork of the Shenandoah River to Front Royal.

      A cow and her calf welcomed me to the Shenandoah Valley.

      Peggy and I followed the same route in our van as we retraced my route. A cow and her calf welcomed us to the Shenandoah Valley.

      Welcome sign to Shenandoah.

      As did this sign.

      As this pasture land demonstrates.

      Spring was bursting out all over!

      This old fireplace was all that remained of an earlier Shenandoah Valley home.

      This old fireplace was all that remained of an earlier Shenandoah Valley home. It isn’t unusual to find fireplaces standing alone, the one thing that wouldn’t burn when pioneers lost their homes to fires. This one would have gone with a large home.

      And yes, I did find the Shenandoah River with its mountain backdrop.

      And yes, I did find the Shenandoah River with its mountain backdrop.

      From Front Royal I biked on to Winchester where a billboard announced I was entering Patsy Cline’s hometown. I had another decision to make, this one more dramatic than my quick decision to check out the Shenandoah River. I had been bicycling for three months and I needed a break. A friend was supposed to meet me in two weeks in Maine and join me in bicycling through Nova Scotia. I could make it, just barely, maybe. But I would have to push hard through urban areas with urban traffic. Finally, I had developed a sore on my inner thigh in Mississippi and a sore on your inner thigh when you are bicycling is not a good thing. It would not go away.

      Old Town in Winchester Virginia has bee turned into a pleasant and attractive auto-free zone. Patsy Cline would recognize the buildings.

      Old Town in Winchester, Virginia has been turned into a pleasant and attractive auto-free zone. I think that Patsy Cline would like it..

      So I decided to become good friends with the Dog. I would take the Greyhound from Winchester up though Washington DC, New York City, Boston and New England to Bangor, Maine. It would drop the total distance of my trip to around 10,000 miles, but I could live with that— and I would have a two-week break.

      Next Blog: I make it to Maine and begin my exploration of Nova Scotia.

      Posted in Memoirs, National Parks, On the Road US, Outdoor Adventures | Tagged adventure travel, Bicycling through Virginia, photography, Shenandoah National Park, Shenandoah Valley, Skyline Drive, ten thousand Mile Bike Trek, travel, Winchester Virginia, writing
    • It’s National Park Week 2013… April 20-28

      Posted at 5:00 am by Curt Mekemson
      Apr 26th
      Bryce Canyon

      Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

      It’s National Park Week. One of my blogging friends reminded me. Somehow I lost track of time and became so wrapped up in the minutia of life that the week had arrived before I realized it was happening. Shame on me.

      The United States and many other nations around the world have done a magnificent job of setting aside national parks. We owe it to ourselves to go out and explore these treasures. And, we owe it to our great, great, great, great-grandchildren to protect these sites of rare natural beauty for future generations.

      It won’t be easy. There will always be people who believe financial gain outweighs any other consideration. Why save thousand-year-old redwood trees when they can be turned into highly profitable redwood decks?

      Redwood

      This 1500 year old redwood is located in Redwoods National Park on the northern coast of California.

      Several years ago, Peggy and I set a goal to visit all of America’s National Parks. With the exception of Kobuk Valley and Lake Clark in Alaska, we’ve succeeded. It has been an incredible journey. Our travels have taken us from Denali National Park in Alaska to the Dry Tortugas National Park off the Florida Keys.

      In addition to driving through and hiking in these parks, I have also backpacked in 13, biked through five, and kayaked or rafted in three. Once I even organized a winter ski trek into Denali National Park where we slept out in minus 30-degree weather and listened to wolves howl. That was a learning experience…

      Since I couldn’t escape to a national park this week, I did the next best thing; I went through photos of parks Peggy and I have taken. All I could think of was wow– what incredible beauty!

      Rocky National Park in Colorado.

      Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.

      Hawaii Volcanos National Park.

      An active volcano in Hawaii Volcanos National Park on the Island of Hawaii.

      Grand Tetons National Park in Wyoming.

      Grand Tetons National Park in Wyoming. A sign warned us to look out for an active grizzly bear.

      Arches National Park, Utah

      Arches National Park, Utah

      Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park, California

      Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park, California. I once woke up near here with a bear standing on top of me.

      Fall colors of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

      Fall colors of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.

      Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park.

      Sand dunes in Death Valley National Park.

      The green of Olympic National Park in Washington.

      The green of Olympic National Park in Washington.

      Lesser known National Parks such as Great Basin in Nevada also hold great charm and beauty. This photo features the van Peggy  and I travelled in for four years as we travelled around North America.

      Lesser known national parks such as Great Basin in Nevada also hold great charm and beauty. This photo features the van Peggy and I travelled in for four years as we wandered around North America.

      Spectacular scenery is only part of the national park story. Wildlife, birds, insects, reptiles, flowers and history add to the experience.

      Peggy and I found this beauty swimming through the water at Everglades National Park in Florida.

      Peggy and I found this beauty swimming through the water at Everglades National Park in Florida.

      And this striking Black Buzzard was another Everglades resident.

      And this striking Black Buzzard was another Everglades resident.

      We found this Luna Moth on the Natchez National Parkway.

      We found this Luna Moth on the Natchez Trace National Parkway.

      Brown Pelicans are a common visitor at Pt. Reyes National Seashore.

      Brown Pelicans are common visitors at Pt. Reyes National Seashore.

      Peggy and I are great fans of Native America rock art, much of which is protected in National Parks and at National Monuments. This man with his big hands and fat little dogs has always been one of my favorites.

      Peggy and I are great fans of Native America rock art, much of which is protected in national parks and at national monuments. We have several thousand photos from different sites. This one from Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado/Utah has always been a favorite because of the big hands and fat little dogs.

      It never hurts to complete a blog with a pretty flower. We found this Foxglove growing in Olympic National Park.

      It never hurts to complete a blog with a pretty flower, even if it goes on and on. (grin) We found this Foxglove growing in Olympic National Park.

      NEXT BLOG: I hope you have enjoyed my two diversions over the past week because of Earth Day and National Park Week. On Monday I will return to Europe and Rome’s historic Colosseum.

      Posted in National Parks | Tagged Arches National Park, Bryce National Park, Death Valley National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, Everglades National Park, Grand Tetons National Park, Great Basin National Park, Hawaii Volcanos National Park, National Park Week, Olympic National Park, Pt. Reyes national Sea Shore, Redwoods National Park, Rocky Mountains National Park, Shenandoah National Park, Yosemite National Park
    • Bush Devil Ate Sam

      The Bush Devil Ate Sam is an important record and a serious story, yet told easily, and with delightful humor. This is one of the most satisfying books I have ever read, because it entertained me thoroughly AND made me feel better informed. —Hilary Custance Green: British Author... Click on the image to learn more about my book, the Bush Devil Ate Sam, and find out where it can be ordered.

    • Special Thanks to Word Press for featuring my blog and to my readers and followers. You are all appreciated.

    • Top Posts & Pages

      • Charleston, Oregon and the Marine Life Center... A Delight
      • Ancient Petroglyphs in the Valley of Fire State Park… The Desert Series
      • Hawthorne, Nevada: A Small Town with Explosive Potential… Big Time
      • On Getting Lost in Black Rock City… My 11 Years of Burning Man
      • Georgia O’Keeffe, Mable Luhan and the Taos Pueblo… O’Keeffe Country: Part II
      • About This Blog
      • Cowboys, Aliens and Thuggees in the Alabama Hills … The Highway 395 Series
      • Painted Toe Nails and Other River Rules... Rafting the Grand Canyon
    • RSS Feed

      • RSS - Posts
      • RSS - Comments
    • Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

      Join 6,534 other followers

    • Thanks for stopping by.

      • 568,885 Visitors
    • Categories

      • At Home in Oregon
      • Burning Man
      • Essays
      • Genealogy
      • Memoirs
      • MisAdventures
      • Miscellaneous
      • National Parks
      • On the Road US
      • Outdoor Adventures
      • Peace Corps
      • Uncategorized
      • Wandering The World

Blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel