Virginia

2/27/2024 07:08:00 PM

Virginia

Location: Front Royal & Virginia Beach
When: end of January
Miles traveled: 959
Price of gas: 2.59 to 3.05
Interest: Seashells
High points: Found a moat!!
Low point: Cockroaches and termites in camping cabin
One thing learned: It is illegal to sleep in car in VA, and this is enforced even at KOA campgrounds.
Temperature range: 38 to 72°

On my way to West Virginia, I stopped at Front Royal, Virginia to hike a small section of the Applachian Trail (AT). I hiked to Manassas Gap Shelter on a snowy January morning and came upon a group of friends taking a break from their own hike. They get together to hike every Wednesday, hiking different trails in the area. Their goal that day was 8 miles. My round trip was less than that. I won't say how far, because it's slightly embarrassing and not as far as I originally planned on hiking. But it was a nice hike, following the white trail blazers and not getting lost in the winter forest. Front Royal is also at one end of Shenandoah National Park, known for Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway, two scenic drives through the NP and mountains. Both roads were closed due to icy conditions, but the park was open for people to hike in if they wanted to. I did not have time to hike into the park. It was time to drive to West Virginia.

Manassas Gap Shelter log book

Whelk egg casing

After WV, I went to Virginia Beach to search for seashells. Virginia Beach is a horrible place to find seashells as it is a groomed beach. Sandbridge Beach is a little better, with many Jackknife clam shells, angel wings, & mermaid purses. Grandview Nature Preserve, north of Norfolk, is the best place of the three beaches. Being a nature preserve (it is set aside for migrating birds) and harder to get to (no designated parking, requires walking a distance, & no bathrooms), means the wrack line is intact, seaweed & shells are abundant, and birds float on the surf. While I was there, I found two Whelk egg casings, sometimes called Mermaid's necklace. Each compartment can hold 20 to 100 eggs. One casing still had eggs inside, so I tossed it back to the sea in hope they might survive and keep on growing. There were also many jingle shells, oyster, Jackknife clam, and some angel wing shells on the beach.

Fort Monroe has a moat! There was no drawbridge, but a moat with water in it is cool enough! The fort gained the nickname "Freedom's fortress" during the Civil War. Early in the war, three enslaved men escaped to Fort Monroe seeking freedom with the Union Army. The General of the fort decided the men would be retained as "contraband of war" and not returned to slavery as the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 required. This action helped thousands of enslaved people who came to the fort throughout the Civil War seeking refuge.

Other cool things in Virginia Beach area include:

bridge-tunnels, bridges that turn into under water tunnels so ships can pass overhead.
First Landing Beach State Park, in April 1607 three ships from London arrive and land before traveling upriver looking for a suitable place to start a colony.
ViBe Creative District, with many murals and art galleries.
Cape Henry Lighthouse, where I took the spiral staircase to the top and fulfill my desire to climb a lighthouse!
After multiple days of warm and sunny 70 degree weather, I now feel very cold in 50 degrees. So much for a warm 20 degrees in West Virginia :P

In Virginia, I did not have as grand a time finding seashells as I hoped I would. But I did find seashells and other cool things I was not looking for. January is a good time to visit Virginia Beach and avoid summer crowds. Having visited Virginia Beach for a week though, once was enough. Any future visits to VA will be to a different location, exploring someplace new.