The Blackwater Canyon Railtrail is an extension of the 35-mile Allegheny Highlands Railtrail, connecting to it in Hendricks, WV, and running through the gorge to Thomas. The railtrail is about 3 hours from Washington DC, but it’s a destination trail and worth the drive or planning a stay in Canaan Valley. You really need to […]
Year: 2020
Only the Really Cool Trees Have Knees: Secrets of Battle Creek Cypress Swamp
Bald cypress trees are an ancient tree that once covered parts of Delaware, Maryland, DC, and Virginia. Cypress trees have been dredged from the Baltimore Inner Harbor, and stumps thought to be a hundred thousand years old have been found at the mouth of the Patapsco River. Logs tens of thousands of years old have […]
Point of Honor Mansion
A lovely old house — mansion, really — sits overlooking Winchester on one of its seven hills. Dating back to 1806, Point of Honor was built by Dr. George Cabell and he and his family lived there until 1826. Now a house museum, the house depicts the lifestyle enjoyed by Cabell and his contemporaries in […]
Add Hearing the Elk Bugle to Your Bucket List
Since I discovered it was a thing, it was on my bucket list: hearing the bull elk bugle during rutting season. I’d visited Clearfield County a couple times already and had seen a herd of elk cows and calves grazing in a meadow — and yes, that was an amazing thing, in and of itself. […]
Hiking the Buzzard Rock – Sawmill Trail Loop in Patapsco Valley State Park
Buzzards Rock and Sawmill Trail Loop is a 5 mile loop trail in the Patapsco Valley State Park that has multiple “pay-offs,” including a pretty view from Buzzards Rock, from which you can see the Patapsco River below; even from that distance you can hear the falls. There are some breath-taking inclines and declines, but […]
Sunset at Trap Pond State Park
There’s a meme floating around that states “The two best reasons for owning a kayak is sunrise and sunset.” Early morning and sunset are my favorite times to hit the water and Trap Pond, already one of the prettiest places for a paddle, is even lovelier when the shadows are long and the fading evening […]
History and Wonder at the Natural Bridge
I remember a photo of my grandmother posing, pretending to hold up a rock bridge in Virginia. My grandfather would often tell my grandmother to “pack for cold” or “pack for warm” depending on whatever destination he had in mind. And then they would set off for an adventure. He took my Nana all over […]
Kayaking the Nanjemoy
Nanjemoy Creek flows just over 13 miles in Charles County, MD to the Potomac River. It comprises a some open water ways, as well as thick, marshy grassland, providing an ideal habitat for a variety of water fowel and other birds. It is also an ideal habitat for kayakers. Nanjemoy — the town and the […]
Revisiting Brookside Gardens
We first visited Brookside Gardens Mothers Day weekend, a few years ago. Construction was just beginning on the series of reflection ponds, but there was much to see and enjoy. This year, we visited on Father’s Day morning. We went early, hoping to beat any crowds and wishing to go while it would still be […]
Kayaking Patapsco River
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we followed Maryland’s “stay at home” orders, only venturing out for necessities and exercise, such as hiking and kayaking, and then only in less popular areas. One of our adventures was a really pretty paddle on the Patapsco River, putting in just above the dam at Daniels and paddling upstream about […]
Patriotic Daytrip at the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House
In 1813, the United States was at war with Great Britain. The British Royal Navy, by then, completely controlled the Chesapeake Bay, and Baltimore was preparing for an attack. Major George Armistead, commander of Fort McHenry, wanted a flag so large that the British would have no difficulty seeing it from a great distance, so […]
Kayaking the Wicomico River
We headed to Whitehaven, an historic industrial town along the banks of the Wicomico River, for this paddling adventure. Lining the shores of the fairly placid river were mud flats and marshland, with numerous inlets and creeks to explore. The Wicomico River is a 24-mile-long tributary of the Chesapeake Bay on the eastern shore of […]
Green Is the Theme on the Old Main Line Hike in PVSP
Hiking along the Old Main Line in Patapsco Valley State Park is one of my favorite hikes, and I’ve visited repeatedly, but, it seems, always during the winter. This time we returned just as summer was setting in, and everything was green, green, green. It was lovely! As we walked along the Patapsco River, trees […]
Johnstown Flood — A Disaster Still Relevant Today
The Johnstown Flood Museum Johnstown PA was a bustling city in the late 1800s, nestled in the Laurel Mountains, with a population higher than it enjoys today. By 1860, the Cambria Iron Company of Johnstown was the leading steel producer in the United States, outproducing steel plants in Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Through the latter half […]
Two Lexington Hotels
Lexington VA, the home to the legendary Virginia Military Institute and the Washington and Lee University, has a lot to offer those seeking a getaway weekend. In addition to lots of Civil War history and historic sites, there are outdoor adventures to be had! Not far away is the Virginia Safari Park and the Natural […]