Blue Ridge and Charlottesville VA

Blue Ridge Overlook

We're back from a week in western Virginia touring presidential homes and the Blue Ridge Skyline Drive. Great weather for the most part, and we seemed to mostly avoid the one big storm that blew through with high winds and heavy rains. We stayed in one of a variety of small cabins sprinkled across the wooded property at Shenandoah Crossing, an RCI resort in Gordonsville VA. There are horse pastures on the grounds with plenty of horses to ride, lots of family activities, a lake, a golf course, etc. It was very nice, though we were roaming around western VA most of the time. We visited Monticello (Jefferson), Montpelier (Madison), Michey Tavern, and Ash Lawn-Highland (Monroe), several vineyards for some tastings, and explored some Civil War Battle sites near Fredericksburg. We also went into Charlottesville to see the University of VA and the Rotunda and Academic Village designed by Jefferson. Fall was just beginning to set in so it wasn't until we were on our way home in PA that we saw some Fall colors.



Jefferson's Monticello




Fall Harvest ready to pick



Carter Mt Winery over Charlottesville

To tour these restored homes was instructive and you not only got a better sense of what life was like 200 years ago, but also developed an impression of the personalities of these men. Jefferson, for example, while brilliant in many ways, must have driven his employees, family, and slaves nuts with the constant make-overs he imposed on his property, always ready to try the next new thing. None of these Presidents died wealthy and in fact generally had to sell off their estates after they passed. It has only been through amazing detective and archeological work and some good luck, that recovery of many original artifacts and restorations to the 1800 period have been possible. It was also interesting to note the expanded acknowledgment and reconstruction of "enslaved" people. It used to be that no one would talk about slavery, but now it's part of the historical narrative.

Skyline Drive was beautiful with great views toward both east and west, but for hiking you needed to remember that you're already on the top. Almost all trails go down to various water falls and view points from which you then have to come back up. This is the same catch as at the Grand Canyon, where visitors plunge down the trails with great energy and then die a slow thirsty death trying to get back up! Nevertheless, the views are spectacular.

We walked through several battle sites and were able to follow along with the progression of the troop movements leading up to the battles. It was reconstructed and laid out very well for visitors, but chilling to visualize the horrific slaughters that were experienced. The soldiers lined up and marched toward cannon and musket, and as the front line fell a new line would move into the fusillade. Yikes.