Inevitably, a few more last foresty walks . . .

Dwight Peck's personal website

Spring 2024 in western Virginia

A photographic record of whatever leapt out at us

You may not find this terribly rewarding unless you're included here, so this is a good time for casual and random browsers to turn back before they get too caught up in the sweep and majesty of the proceedings and can't let go.

Inevitably, a few more last foresty walks . . .

. . . before heading out to the Great Midwest

Choupette was born to rule roosts, and . . .

. . . wouldn't have it any other way.

Even when nodding off briefly

Another roost to rule from, but . . .

. . . it gets tiresome.

(The red drape is meant to keep the late afternoon sunlight from the highest windows off the paintings.)

Staunton civic amenities

These town people do a very good job.

The next generation . . .

. . . have a mind of their own.

Back to Montgomery Hall
(the season's penultimate wobble through the jungle)

We're imprinting our favorite walking places on our memories before missing them terribly for the next 5½ months.

5 May already, and our winter jungle favorite is almost unrecognizable, again.

-- Let's try this way, for a change.
-- No.

Found art

It's hard to pin down why this profusion of green weirdness is so fascinating.
[Long-buried memories of Jon Hall's Ramar of the Jungle TV show?]

-- So let's try over this way, for a change.
-- No!!

The little liaison between the shorter Yulee Trail (red) and the Expressway (yellow)

Now we're off on the Expressway Trail (watch out for mountain bikes).

-- Don't wander off the path.
-- As if!

We persist. What else is there to do in here?

A big mess

We're going down instead of up the Fern Gully liaison this time . . .

. . . with, of course, a profusion of ferns.

And now back up the Scout Trail (blue) for home

That thing is so disgusting that it almost merits a closer look.
-- (No!)

Love Among the Ruins

It comes alive at midnight, twice a year. We won't be here.

Obviously a labor of love. (But why?)

Up the last hill ('Black Dog Mountain')

The pastoral panorama west of Staunton

Black Dog Mountain -- the summit!

And, at last, the carpark

We need to buy a famous Virginia Country Ham for Kristin's brother Eric in Wisconsin
(and bring it on a five day drive tucked into an ice chest).

Where better to go for that than the Meating Place out the Middlebrook Road

Spring's last foray to Lake Sherando

7 May 2024, the summer season is in full swing and we've paid our $4 daily entry fee.

'Full swing' is not precisely the same thing as saying there's a great crowd jostling for space on the beach.

Just the lakeside trail today, 10 minutes and we're already on the dam at the north end of the lake.

600 metres of calmness

Taking chances on the flood-damaged bridge, and . . .

. . . pleased to find that the walkway is presently above the surface. (Not as in January)

The North Fork Back Creek, on its long circuitous way to the Potomac

Up the west side of the Lakeside Trail (not really very close to the lakeside at this point)

Useful amenities; great trail maintenance

Disappointing trail maintenance

One of our party has got stuck in the hellish tangle.

We'll have a word with the ranger, if we can find one.

Back to the picnic areas (presently unoccupied; but just wait till school's out)

That's our favorite island in the lake, and in fact the only one.

Last sprint round the Montgomery Hall trails

Loping past the tepee on the Scout Trail, 19 May 2024

Wending our way up the Fern Gulley

Along the Expressway Trail, and finally . . .

. . . a dash up the shorter Yulee Trail, an hour well spent on a hot day in the cool woods

Some cats can be very demanding.

Others, however, are content with just quietly smelling the flowers.

A lecture on suitable feline etiquette perhaps

Staunton's Clock Tower and . . .

. . . the architect T J Collins' former offices, now a cigar-smokers' club

Our tiptoeing all round didn't work, we've been found out.

No cats or humans are going to be left behind -- we'll be off tomorrow morning at the crack of noon.

Next up: Road trip (1): Views of Gaylord, Michigan

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