Day 4, Tuesday

Luray Caverns is the largest caverns in the east.  Carlsbad Caverns is bigger but Luray is quite  impressive (see photo attached-that’s right, photos on blog by popular demand).  One and a quarter mile path took us about 75 minutes - a very enjoyable walk and temp in the 60's so short sleeves for me, sweatshirt for Rosemary.  After a brief drive through the town of Luray (10 minutes tops and that’s for a roundtrip) headed to Front Royal (only 26 miles north) at the north end of the Shenandoah Valley and checked into North Fork Resort Campground and a space on the north fork of the Shenandoah River.  Car ride through Front Royal and trip to Rappahannock Cellars for a wine tasting.  Virginia wines are surprisingly good.  Bought 2 bottles of a Chardonnay/Viognier blend which I rate a 5 (of 5).  Back to campsite and grilled up some cod for which Rosemary made a special sauce which went well with our new wine.  A very relaxing day with not much driving until, Rosemary decided to do a load of laundry about 9:30 pm.  At about 11 pm, the washer was still going yet it was only a light load.  Turns out the washer will not drain when the grey water tank is full which it was.  I let some water out since we were hooked up and the washer finished.  Ran dryer for a little then hung clothes up on our clothes hanging tree.  A really useful device that folds up small yet can handle a full load.  Sleep came as soon as head hit pillow.  Rosemary couldn’t sleep and up all night (a female thing I guess).

Day 5, Wednesday

Morning came and since showers last night were without soft water, time to regenerate softener.  With one exception, it was a piece of cake since I had done it before, it was daylight and I wasn’t in my pj’s walking on ice water as last time.  The exception was finding the 2 lbs. of salt to add. I moved it from the usual place since we needed the extra pantry space to load up for 10 weeks.  I opened every cabinet inside, then every compartment outside and still no salt. Then Rosemary suggested under the bed and magically there it was.  After recharge, a trip to the Skyline Caverns (see photo).  We got our own personal tour guide as we hit a time when no one else happened to be there.  The caverns were much more rustic and cave-like than Luray.  Temp much colder (54 degrees) also so sweatshirt for me about half way through the hour and half tour.  Caverns featured underground rivers including a waterfall of about 40 feet into parts unknown.  They do not know the source nor the end of the rivers.  A unique feature found only in three US caverns and discovered first at Skyline is called anthodites, a calcite crystal formation that looks like white sea urchins hanging from the ceiling (see photo).  Afternoon was a trip to Shenandoah National Park and the Skyline Drive which starts at Front Royal and eventually turns into the Blue Ridge Parkway about 100 miles south.  We stopped at Compton Gap at mile marker 10.4.  The park ranger said this was a good place to hike and only 1.2 miles (2.4 roundtrip) to a view from Compton’s Peak of the Shenandoah Valley.  We figured 1.2 miles was like a short 15 minute walk around our block back home.  The first mile of the route was along the Appalachian Trail then a right turn for .2 mile.  We gained 850 feet in elevation along a rocky, buggy, poison ivy strewn “path” having to step over fallen trees on the way while avoiding anything green since we were warned it was tick season.  We finally arrived in 30 minutes.  The view was breath-taking  (possibly due to the hike up).  Drank some water, took some pics (see photo) and after 10 minutes headed down, only 25 minutes this time.  Dinner at Osteria Italian Restaurant, only our second meal out this trip.  Owner has a noticeable Italian accent.  I had the nightly special, mussels in a spicy red broth, delicious.  Cannoli was the best I ever had and I have had a few as my baby bump evidences.