On our first day we drove from Maine (Seth and Andy) and NH (they picked me up at home in Gilford), down to the northern end of the Skyline Drive in Front Royal, Virginia. The weather was terrible on our way down so we stayed in a cabin to avoid getting wet in our tents. We met up with John, Seth's friend from Bates, who had already been riding in North Carolina and Virginia for a week.
Our little cabin in Front Royal, VA
We stayed here two nights before heading east over the mountains.
Inside our cute little cabin
Day 1: Biking in VA on the Skyline Drive. Sunny, warm weather and green popping up and out everywhere....who wouldn't be happy?
Seth climbing a traverse up Skyline Drive
John, myself, and Andy on Skyline
Seth likes the view. And the sun.
View from the first Welcome Center on Skyline Drive
Skyline views
Looking out over beautiful farmland in north-western Virginia
Smiles during a stop on our way back down to our cabin in Front Royal
2 hours 30 minutes climbing up / 15 minutes riding it all back down
Day 2: Riding from our cabin in Front Royal through the farmlands that lie up against the mountains that Skyline Drive sits on. In the afternoon I drove part of Skyline Drive while Andy and Seth followed behind on their bikes.
Riding through more farmland and fields....all turning green
Seth and Andy in farm country
Heading back out to cabin to pack up and head out.
The road to the cabin campground went through a cow pasture with this old chimney in it. Kind of neat.
The view of the cow pasture opposite the chimney.
Driving on Skyline Drive in the afternoon took me through this tunnel. Seth and Andy rode their bikes through it!
I stopped for a short hike that took me out to a series of neat waterfalls.
We spent our third night camping east of the Skyline Drive mountains. This was our campsite.
Day 3: Biking in farm and vineyard country north of Charlottesville, VA. Lots and lots of green pasture and cattle.
Keswick Vineyards - we stopped to taste wine and get a closer look at the grapevines.
Seth and Andy checking out the view
Seth saying hi to a cow along the way
We had lunch/dinner in Charlottesville after our ride and found a pizza joint that made the biggest pizzas I have ever seen. The three of us barely finished it! After eating we drove to Richmond, VA and spent the night in Pocahontas State Park, camping.
Day 4: We drove down the Outer Banks, NC. We didn't like the wind or heavy/fast traffic so we played on the beach all afternoon.
Wildlife on the Outer Banks.
Sunrise over the Outer Banks sand dunes.
Day 5: We drove up to Gettysburg, PA and rode around the battlefield tour routes for the afternoon. We spent that night in Gettysburg at a campground.
Riding along perfect roads with slow traffic and beautiful views while stopping to learn about the Battle of Gettysburg at many of the 3,000+ monuments we passed.
Battlefields
Canons along the tree line where the Confederate soldiers waited before Pickett's Charge on the final day of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Seth and Andy's bikes leaning on a canon
View from the fire tower over the fields surrounding Gettysburg.
Seth and I standing on Little Round Top
Seth and Andy on Little Round Top: "Do we have to stand together?"
Seth and Andy standing with the 20th Maine monument in the woods on Little Round Top where Col. Joshua Chamberlain led his Maine men in defending an important high ground on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Seth goofing around in the sun
The only NH monument I found
View from the spot where the Union soldiers fought off Pickett's Charge on the final day of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Day 6: Rain. I took in more of Gettysburg on foot while Andy and Seth biked in the rain. After their bike we drove up to Scranton, PA and spent the night warm and dry in a hotel.
Day 7: More rain so we drove home to New England.
Since then I've been home helping out on the farm and enjoying what sun comes our way.
Magnolia tree in bloom at my Grandmother's house
Sunny view from the top of the hill that we live on. If you click on this photo to enlarge it, you'll be able to see a snowy Mount Washington in the distance at the center of the photo just about the right end of the house.
Hopefully the weather here will continue to be nice, sunny and warm. I head back up to Maine soon and I know spring be slightly behind up there!
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