What they don’t tell you about blogs is that they don’t write themselves, apparently. I’ve been on the road about a month now and this is the first time I’m attempting to string some sentences together to tell you some stories.
Monday February 19 was the day I left. I didn’t break a bottle of champagne on the side of the van or anything, honestly the van would probably break before the bottle. However I did have small group to wish me Bon Voyage. After packing up all my boxes full of clothes, hiking gear and most importantly food, it was time to pass out a few hugs and hit the road. The trip started off with a raucous 5 hour drive down to Audubon, New Jersey. The things I now know about Audubon, NJ are as follows:
- There is a Walmart there
- It's pretty close to Philadelphia
I spent the night in the parking lot of the aforementioned Walmart (which would very quickly become a theme for the first few weeks of this venture) and learned the second fact about 20 minutes into my drive on the second day as the interstate took me right past Century Link Field which (I was made very well aware) the Philadelphia Eagles call home.
That first night in the parking lot was fairly uneventful. I had a bite to eat and got ready for my first sleep in the van. After putting up the cloths that would block the windows and drawing the curtain which leads to the front of the van (the command deck) I retired to my quarters. I was actually pleasantly surprised by how cozy it was, considering I was basically sleeping in an enclosed metal bucket, one that’s nearly as old and slightly more rusty than I am. It reminded me of Harry Potter’s cupboard under the stairs, only y’know…comfortable, not just small and dark.
I did a bit of research (and by ‘research’ I mean I messed around on my phone before bed) and found that Shenandoah National Park was 3-3.5 hours away.
The next day, after hopping over a couple states and recapturing the decidedly ‘southern’ feeling that happens when you head across Virginia’s border from Maryland. Perhaps your far enough below the Mason-Dixon Line that you just know that, as a Northerner you’re in foreign territory. Or maybe it’s the sudden influx of Waffle Houses and Bojangles.
Now if you haven’t been to Shenandoah National Park you’ve made a grave mistake. Unless, that is, you hate winding roads that wriggle for miles over mountains and even at points, through parts of them. If you also hate reaching the top of a mountain and your eyes being met with the never-ending green of Virginia’s valleys and farm land. Well best stay away from Shenandoah. Or alternatively: go in February, like did.
While it was still beautiful in a raw and barren kind of way , it was definitely a far cry from the brilliant green summer days I had experienced in past visits. The naked branches of the winter trees turned amber when the sun began to descend, which made for a very pleasant drive. It was the first time on my trip that I had an opportunity to start taking some pictures so I was content.
As the sun snuck below the horizon I left the park and cruised down a long winding road out of the woods and into a small town outside the park. It was there I’d be spending the night in the parking lot of a 24-hour Walmart (told you this would be a theme). While there I would also learn that for some young Virginians, Walmart parking lots are a perfect hangout spot. An ideal place to yell and rev your engines till at least midnight, on a Tuesday night nonetheless. These antics combined with my first thoughts of “What the hell am I doing made for a bit of a rough night.
My brain has a knack for concocting swirling negative storm clouds. Thoughts that can make me feel like I have a weight on my chest, that can access my Endocrine system and make me have negative responses both physically and emotionally. It’s a real talent. Luckily having dealt with this joker of a brain for years I was able to use some tried and true techniques to get back on track. A chat with my sister, a bit of writing in my journal with mood appropriate music in the background, and a hike the next day all helped to reset my outlook.
First Trail Outting; Mary's Rock Shenandoah NP
I think part of the problem was not having a sense of purpose in what I was/am doing. My original plan on the first drive south was to eventually visit a friend in Raleigh. That remained the case for the first three days, until while chatting with my Mum about picking up my sister for her Spring Break I realized that it would be best for me to head west, and not just because saying “I’m going to make my west” sounded cool. I did a bit of planning and saw that I could start checking some of the Highpoints (highest natural point in each state e.g. Mt. Washington in New Hampshire) in the deep south while creeping towards Phoenix and picking up Alex (my sister).
On my third evening I had another nice golden hour/sunset drive this time along the Blue Ridge Parkway which runs 469 miles between Virginia and North Carolina. It’s exceedingly scenic, the roads cruise over tree studded hills and mountains, as well as through open farmlands and fields. I only did a small portion before I found myself in the dark, still driving and hoping for an eventual turn off. Turns out once you enter the Parkway you can be trapped on it for quite a while, which is a fun game to play when you have a Van with a broken gas gauge. When I did eventually find a turn off I was well away from reception. A sign let me know that left would take me to a Virginian town I’d never heard of, while right would take me to a different Virginian town I’d never heard of. I went right, it was closer. It was on this random state route that I would learn that I enjoy single lane highways when I’m that guy who’s going slow because his vehicle weights as much a crash of Rhinoceroses (that is both the official group name of Rhinos and the plural version of the word, these useless facts brought to you by Google). Eventually, with the help of a pleasant gas station clerk, I’d find my way back to slightly bigger Virginian town that I was somewhat familiar with.
Dusk Looms on the Parkway; Blue Ridge Parkway, VA
I still plan on returning to Shenandoah and the Blue Ridge Parkway on this trip. I believe North Carolina’s highpoint, Mount Mitchell is off the Parkway, so I’ll absolutely be rolling through there. Whether you are trotting up the various mountain trails or soaking in the views as your car cuts through the ridges and roads you will find there is a lot of allure in the Blue Ridge Mountains. If you don’t believe me wait until dusk, when as the sun bids the sky adieu, the mountains in the distance roll across the land as waves of blue. If you’re like me, you’ll at least have a lot less questions about where the name “Blue Ridge” comes from.
I’ll end this first segment here, stayed tuned next time as I learn the pitfalls of owning a two decade old van.
Blue Ridge Mountains, Over Near Tennessee