Sky Meadows

The Girl wanted to take advantage of a rare free weekend by going for a hike somewhere.  I never turn down a hike, so I wasn't particular about where we went.  She picked a park in Virginia, and I kept thinking it sounded familiar.  I was sure I'd been there; then I looked at my big wall map of the Appalachian Trail and found it between Shenandoah and Harpers Ferry.  Sky Meadows State Park.

We arrived early, took a look in the gift shop and visitors center (both new to me, since they weren't right on the trail), and hiked a short loop around the flatter section of the park.

Ice is fascinating.

 After lunch in the parking lot, we set out up a long hill through what looked like a pasture.  Every so often, we'd remember to turn around and soak in the view of the valley below, and the rapidly shrinking farmhouse next to the visitors center.  Near the top of the climb, things started to look familiar. I hadn't been on that section of trail, but something about the shape of the land, and the types of plants and trees looked right (even though the last time I'd seen them, they'd had leaves, and there wasn't any snow).

Looking back down at the park buildings.

 Then we turned a corner, and I saw my old friend.  We reacquainted ourselves, as one does, and The Girl and I got to hike along the AT again for maybe a mile or so before turning to a side trail back towards the parking lot.  I was a little turned around because we were hiking south, instead of north, so things that I remembered were visited in the opposite order, but it was still good to be back.

This was our best attempt at kicking snow into the sunlight. It never looked as cool on the camera as it did in person.

Originally, our plan for the day had been to finish with dinner at a place far from where we lived, but we weren't hungry until we got back home, so we just went somewhere we'd never been: Bilbo Baggins's Green Dragon Inn.  As you might guess, there was a lot of hobbit-related art, and the occasional tapestry.  The food was excellent.