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Day 35 Shenandoah National Park (Blue Ridge Drive)
VIEW FROM THE BLUE RIDGE
Today we drove the northernmost portion o the Blue Ridge Highway which is actually in the Shenandoah National Park. This section is about 110 miles in length and is in the Appalachian Range of mountains. This is one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. Can you imagine it when it was as big as the Rocky Mountains? (Which is a young range?) It was authorized in1927 and established in 1935 (by which President?) with the aid of the Civilian Conservation Corps formed during the Great Depression (CCC). (See below) It was established as “…a peaceful refuge for nearby urban populations.” It hosts about 1.5 million visitors each year. Today we did see many of them from all over the world.
Among other growing things there are 1,000 species of flowering plants in the park. This is more species than all of Europe. We did see the pink azaleas, and three other flowers including daisies, primrose and an unidentified one...
Among other growing things there are 1,000 species of flowering plants in the park. This is more species than all of Europe. We did see the pink azaleas, and three other flowers including daisies, primrose and an unidentified one...
DEER IN THE SHENANDOAH NAT. PK.
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The primary tree in the Park is the Black Locust but that was not always the case. Until the turn of the century (20th) the American chestnut was the dominant tree. In 1900 it accounted for 25% of all trees in the Park area. A small fungus was then brought to these shores called
endothia parasitica, and then began the demise of the American Chestnut. It was a good source of lumber for homes and food for animals. Today only a few remain and those are subject to the blight brought on by the fungus. Black Bear number 300-600 and are seen occasionally. There are many white tailed deer and we saw a number of them right by the side of the road and stopped for some wandering aimlessly in the road. We did notice what I thought were bark beetle investatiuons, but upon further investigation found that it is Hemlock wooly adelgid defoliating the evergreens (Hemlock). There is also the gypsy moth caterpillar working damage on oak trees. The butterflies were the eastern tiger swallowtail (yellow) and the spring azure.
The overlooks and parking areas are numerous along the Parkway, and as it was Sunday of the Holiday (Memorial Day) it was just busy. Ruth said not “really busy”. The road has hundreds of twists and turns and at maximum speed of 35 mph (law) it gives the visitors a chance to slow down and really soak in the beauty of being surrounded by nature. There are a few spots where there are “Meadows”, one being “Big Meadow” and this was formed by ancient lava flows that have long since eroded... This is unique up there on the ridge.
The Hoover’s (Herbert) had a summer “White House” on the ridge called, Rapidan Camp, which has been preserved. Inasmuch as settlers lived here for more than 300 years there are over 100 cemeteries in the Park and some crumbling walls, callers and barns.
John Lederer, a German physician, explored and documented this area in 1669; He encountered the Monacans and the Monahoac Indian who were peaceful and intelligent people who worshipped one god.”. Shortly after the Dutch and French fur traders came the Indians began to succumb to new diseases. Their demise led to some 67.000 people inhabiting this area until corporations and absentee landlords exploited the region and the fortunes of the people steadily declined. The chestnut blight was the crowning blow. Following a sever drought and a time of hog cholera, the population was half that number above.
The CC had 1,000 “boys” when it was in its prime in the Park, and when the work was done they dismantled all and returned the land to its “natural state”, including old settler’s artifacts and sites. The Skyline drive was completed in 1939 at a cost of 5 million dollars.
Trails and camping spots are a large part of the use of the park. Sunday the trails were busy and most of the paring lots for the camp sites (tents) were full. There are some Lodges for overnight and they were all full.
The trip of 100 + miles took us just about 4 hours with about a dozen stops including lunch.
We did find the campsite in Winchester VA and found that they had us down for the next night. UGH. We believe we did not make the error, but the point was, did they have any sites for us? Holiday weekend and all? Yes they did and “squeezed us in”. IT is a full campground but with many younger families there will be early bed times and lots of quiet.-
Tomorrow we move to the Maryland border and visit Kathy Simmons and family (daughter) . They live just in PA andf across from Maryland.
FACT: The locals pronounce Maryland as …‘Maer a land’…See ya soon.
endothia parasitica, and then began the demise of the American Chestnut. It was a good source of lumber for homes and food for animals. Today only a few remain and those are subject to the blight brought on by the fungus. Black Bear number 300-600 and are seen occasionally. There are many white tailed deer and we saw a number of them right by the side of the road and stopped for some wandering aimlessly in the road. We did notice what I thought were bark beetle investatiuons, but upon further investigation found that it is Hemlock wooly adelgid defoliating the evergreens (Hemlock). There is also the gypsy moth caterpillar working damage on oak trees. The butterflies were the eastern tiger swallowtail (yellow) and the spring azure.
The overlooks and parking areas are numerous along the Parkway, and as it was Sunday of the Holiday (Memorial Day) it was just busy. Ruth said not “really busy”. The road has hundreds of twists and turns and at maximum speed of 35 mph (law) it gives the visitors a chance to slow down and really soak in the beauty of being surrounded by nature. There are a few spots where there are “Meadows”, one being “Big Meadow” and this was formed by ancient lava flows that have long since eroded... This is unique up there on the ridge.
The Hoover’s (Herbert) had a summer “White House” on the ridge called, Rapidan Camp, which has been preserved. Inasmuch as settlers lived here for more than 300 years there are over 100 cemeteries in the Park and some crumbling walls, callers and barns.
John Lederer, a German physician, explored and documented this area in 1669; He encountered the Monacans and the Monahoac Indian who were peaceful and intelligent people who worshipped one god.”. Shortly after the Dutch and French fur traders came the Indians began to succumb to new diseases. Their demise led to some 67.000 people inhabiting this area until corporations and absentee landlords exploited the region and the fortunes of the people steadily declined. The chestnut blight was the crowning blow. Following a sever drought and a time of hog cholera, the population was half that number above.
The CC had 1,000 “boys” when it was in its prime in the Park, and when the work was done they dismantled all and returned the land to its “natural state”, including old settler’s artifacts and sites. The Skyline drive was completed in 1939 at a cost of 5 million dollars.
Trails and camping spots are a large part of the use of the park. Sunday the trails were busy and most of the paring lots for the camp sites (tents) were full. There are some Lodges for overnight and they were all full.
The trip of 100 + miles took us just about 4 hours with about a dozen stops including lunch.
We did find the campsite in Winchester VA and found that they had us down for the next night. UGH. We believe we did not make the error, but the point was, did they have any sites for us? Holiday weekend and all? Yes they did and “squeezed us in”. IT is a full campground but with many younger families there will be early bed times and lots of quiet.-
Tomorrow we move to the Maryland border and visit Kathy Simmons and family (daughter) . They live just in PA andf across from Maryland.
FACT: The locals pronounce Maryland as …‘Maer a land’…See ya soon.
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