Groceries, gas and a couple of errands (read as tech stop #1) and we were on our way at 11:30AM heading to the Shenandoah National Park and the Skyline Hwy. Great views like the one below we’re at every turn. We also met Mary-Rose and Micheal from Chicago, when we came out of a rest stop and caught them peering in our camper windows, which has become a regular occurrence. Everyone wants one!
A stop at the Luray Caverns only an hour and a half down the road was a bit like entering a 3rd dimension. Discovered in 1878 and made into a tourist attraction a mere 2 years later, you can well imagine how commercial it is now. The parking lot looked like a mini-Disney lot, with tons of shops and restaurants all around. Inside, the shop had every imaginable thing you could buy, all with the Luray Caverns logo on it (mugs, towels, shirts, diapers!!!), and even a stuffed squirrel. Sean wanted to buy it and glue it to the hood but cooler minds prevailed. That all being said, when the cavern tour started, you took the first 50 steps down into the first of the main openings and it was awesome. We both agreed that these were the most spectacular caves we had ever seen. And with the incredible views came the added bonus of a 1.4 mile walk underground. The stalactites and the stalagmites and the columns where the two connected were coloured by vivid whites, yellows, reds and even some green courtesy of algae. Some of the columns were over 50ft high and all had names associated with their various unique shapes. And there were some pools and ponds that were so still they reflected the ceiling perfectly. The picture below doesn’t quite do it justice.
We are glad we went as the initial impression would have scared away most sane people upon arriving in the parking lot.
As many of you know, this whole part of the US is a staunch bible belt. One of the gentlemen on the tour asked the guide how she knew the caverns were 700 million years old. She cited various scientific facts and references as to how the material was washed away leaving the caverns the way they are now. His response was to suggest it was Noah’s flood that likely cleared them out, and then he turned to his wife and said, “That explains it, it was Noah’s flood”.
It wasn’t until mid-afternoon that we were off to spend our first night of “camping” at Douthat State Park, known for the role its design played in developing the national park system. We celebrated our first night with champagne (surprise surprise) and a beautiful fire that Sean tended regularly. Then off to bed after s sumptuous spaghetti and Caesar salad supper. Yum yum!!