June 18 - 24, 2013 Shenandoah National Park and Surrounds

We are in Luray, Virginia at a beautiful RV park on the Shenandoah River.   This is our base as we explore Shenandoah National Park; the northern end of the Blue Ridge Highway.

 

Ticks:   These little buggers are becoming a huge problem on the dogs.  I took the pugs for a long walk along the river and on my way checked out the park’s bathrooms.  Everything was gleaming, but it was also quite tick-ish, with the little monsters scuttling up the sides of the shower.   Not appealing.  Resigned to a “sailors’ shower”  in the camper, I took the dogs back and combed them for ticks.   I then prepared myself for my shower.   Peter burst through the bathroom door when I began screaming.  A tick had embedded itself in my hair… . . . . not my head hair, not my leg hair, not my underarm hair, not my facial hair (I’m through menopause, o.k.?)   Peter ran to get his special  tick-pulling, locking tweezers.  “Okay,” he ordered, “Go lie down on your back on the bed.”   Hmmm this was an invitation I’ve been waiting for, but not quite in these terms.   “Now lie still.” He’s never said this before under these conditions-----me, naked on the bed, him bending over by nether region.    One quick yank and it was over.  I scrambled off the bed and Peter hastened outside to dump the tick.  Okay, that was fast.

 

Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library:   I didn’t know a lot about Woodrow Wilson and what I did know came from the political comedy of the Capitol Steps, when during one of their “Spoonerism productions” the performer would say, “And then Woodrow Wilson won World War One.”   This always gets  a big laugh because all of the words start the same sound and flipping the first sound makes no difference.   As it turns out  President Wilson has some wonderful quotes of his own:

 

“A conservative is a man who sits and thinks------mostly sits.”

 

“The flag is the embodiment, not of sentiment, but of history.”

 

“No nation is fit to sit in judgment upon any other nation.”

 

“Life does not consist in thinking; it consists in acting.”

 

“If you want to make enemies, try to change something.”

 

“The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people.”

 

 

The fact that Wilson was a Presbyterian resonated with me.   He has some other rather scathing quotes about the other party; but these were the ones I liked.

 

 

 

 

 

Shenandoah National Park:  We ventured into the mountains to gather information from the Visitors Center.   Through a movie there we learned that the entire park was constructed by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps).  After the government moved the farmers out of the Shenandoah area, they began construction of the Park.   This was happening right around the depression and part of Roosevelt’s plan was to take a generation of young people who were in poverty and give them a chance to do something constructive as well as help out their families.    Shenandoah National Park was one of Roosevelt’s endeavors.  The young men came from families in the local area.    It was their job to build roadways, trails, contours, flood control channels and buildings.  The boys in the Corps ranged in age from 18 – 25.    They came from families on public assistance.   The boys were paid $30 per month---$25 of which went to their families.   In addition to learning building skills, the boys were instructed in the evenings in reading, writing and math.    This is the group that fell between WWI and WWII.  No wonder--- they did so well; they provided money to their parents and honed their basic skills.   They also learned the skill of working together. 

 

 

Hiking

 

            One of the primary goals was to hike in Shenandoah National Park.   Neither hike went well.   On our first hike up one of the mountains, I fell and scraped my right calf.  It wasn’t too bad so we     I’m glad we did.   Wonderful views at the top and a deer spotting that was great-----until the dogs barked.
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Our second hike took us up a trail to a lovely waterfall, then along  a stream, and finally up and out past another waterfall.  I was doing fine until I had to go pee-pee (we call urination by this name because it’s the one the pugs know).   By the time I’d told Peter, I had waited too long.  I threw my pack on the ground and scrambled up through the bushes to a fairly discreet spot.  As I crouched I could feel my arms and legs stinging and then itching.  I scratched furiously (not easy when you are 57 and trying to crouch, urinate and scratch all at once.   I finally managed to stand up (I’m a little stiff these days), scratched like crazy again and began carefully picking my way back down to the trail.   I was just crossing this little rock/boulder slide when I lost my balance.  My legs shot horizontally downhill, my bottom and lower back hit the rocks, I thumped and then bumped down toward Peter where I came to a stop.   As Peter rushed over to me I began honking like an ah-ooooo-ga horn, due to having had the wind knocked out of me.  All I remember is Peter saying, “Oh my God! Oh my God!” over and over.  Realizing he was starting to panic, I told. him I was okay and he pulled me to my feet.  He also found my glasses which were a mangled mess.   I knew I hadn’t broken anything and was mostly scrapes and bruises  so I insisted we finish the hike.   Peter bent my glasses back into shape and we were off.    It was a beautiful hike, and Walter and Jaxon had a tremendous time running in and out of the stream.   What you see below is my right buttocks.    That’s the whole buttocks and the whole bruise.   One of many from my left ring finger which is totally purple to the backs of my knees.  Thank goodness I brought an extra pair of glasses.