Last day

Driving south from Winchester we took small country roads in a hope to find the real Virginia.
We stopped by an enormous flea market with so many cool oddities and though I was unsuccessful bargaining down an old viewfinder camera I confess mostly I just enjoyed the southern accent.
Eventually after some driving through little towns, creeks and wineries we arrived to the Rappahannock river and to historic Fredericksburg on its banks.
Near by is Ferry Farm where George Washington spent his boyhood years. (you didn’t think it would be a day without GW, did you?)
And now I’m getting ready to go back.
To go back from home to L.A.

old war

Valley Forge was profoundly beautiful today with its deep skies, the scent of rain in the air and the anticipated arrival of fall colors and I would probably stay forever.
On the way back to Virginia we stopped by Gettysburg where the sun was setting over these bloody battlefields.
We also drove through Harrisburg which sits on the Susquehanna river but that’s nothing to brag about.

And now all I can say is that its sooooo good to be back in Virginia.

A day in Philadelphia

We drove from Virginia into West Virginia, then through Maryland, along the Amish Country of Pennsylvania and into Philadelphia.
It was pretty cool to find myself in a big city after a few days of countryside, small towns, rivers, waterfalls and hiking in the mountains.
So I took street photos like there’s no tomorrow.
And tonight? Tonight I’m sleeping in Valley Forge where George Washington and his army camped over the winter of 1777–1778.
And if by any chance you’re under the impression I’m on some follow-the-George Washington-trail, I think you might be on to something.

Great slow day

A slow day. We hiked along the Potomac (or the Patowmac as George Washington would say ).
The lovely hike took place along the river at Great Falls which is where the Potomac is shared between Maryland and Virginia.

Bestday

I think more than anything I was mostly looking forward to this day.
we rented bikes at Biken’Roll in Alexandria VA in the morning, and took the Mount Vernon trail which is a 9 mile stretch of a gorgeous trail to Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington.
This time again, I chose not to stand in line with everybody else for a stupid visit inside the home.
instead I walked around the grounds, went down to the pier on the Potomac and tried to stay quiet, as the signs demanded, by GW’s tomb.
Riding back to Alexandria in the evening was a ride against the wind and I just couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact the sun insists to set somewhere over the hills instead of into the ocean. weird.

It was the best and most beautiful bike ride I’ve ever done.
I can’t see how anything is going to top today, the bestday.