One morning, I found a random link on Facebook that listed the "24 Best Hikes in Virginia". PRESTO! We had a new goal. How quickly can we do ALL of them?!? COULD we do all of them? We were eager to find out!
The first trip we made was to Dark Hollow Falls, a .9 mile trail that you can get to on the Skyline Drive. We had a great time, but it was HOT and STEEP and CROWDED, so we decided the next one should be a little more remote and peaceful. Fairy Stone State Park sounded like a perfect choice. I'm glad we decided to visit there!
The ride was long, but pleasant. Basically, hop onto 81 and go South. REALLY South. Then, pray for consistent GPS service or great map reading skills .. because this place is in the middle of NOWHERE. We set out early in the morning, and arrived at the park entrance in about 3.5 hours. There is a gift shop and a ranger booth at the main entrance. The ladies in the gift shop were fantastic. (Not only did they tell us the best place to hunt for fairy stones, but they also invited us to use 'their' bathroom instead of the public one near the beach. YAY for Southern hospitality!) After getting a lesson in what fairy stones look like 'in the wild', as opposed to after they have been polished for sale, we were given maps of the park, directions to the "Fairy Stone Pitstop", and a cheerful "Have a great time!" farewell.
The first trip we made was to Dark Hollow Falls, a .9 mile trail that you can get to on the Skyline Drive. We had a great time, but it was HOT and STEEP and CROWDED, so we decided the next one should be a little more remote and peaceful. Fairy Stone State Park sounded like a perfect choice. I'm glad we decided to visit there!
The ride was long, but pleasant. Basically, hop onto 81 and go South. REALLY South. Then, pray for consistent GPS service or great map reading skills .. because this place is in the middle of NOWHERE. We set out early in the morning, and arrived at the park entrance in about 3.5 hours. There is a gift shop and a ranger booth at the main entrance. The ladies in the gift shop were fantastic. (Not only did they tell us the best place to hunt for fairy stones, but they also invited us to use 'their' bathroom instead of the public one near the beach. YAY for Southern hospitality!) After getting a lesson in what fairy stones look like 'in the wild', as opposed to after they have been polished for sale, we were given maps of the park, directions to the "Fairy Stone Pitstop", and a cheerful "Have a great time!" farewell.
Hunting for Fairy Stones
The Legend of Fairy Stones is pretty fantastic. I read the story to Wes on the short drive between the gift shop and the fairy stone pit stop. When we got there, the location was behind a gas station. Hmm .. could that be the right place? We gave it a shot. There was a lot of dirt, and a path, and we wondered how in the world we would find little brown crosses. So we just got down and started looking. I found the first one. I'm pretty sure I squealed! I admit now, I was fully prepared to leave empty handed ... so finding a REAL fairy stone was THRILLING! In a few minutes, I found another one. Wes asked where I was looking. My reply was sincere. "Where the sunlight is peeking through the trees onto the ground. I'm pretty sure that is where the fairies would have left them.". (Sounds goofy ... but it was working, so I went with it!) Eventually we found about 8 stones. We left some for the folks who would visit after us. But I tucked a few to take home into the zippered pocket in my jacket and guarded them like treasure!
Fairy Stone State Park Beach
After our treasure hunt, we decided to visit the BEACH. There is a $4.00 per person fee to enter this section of the park. If you plan to stay all day, it's a bargain. The beach is large and clean. There is also a lovely park area that borders the sand, offering the shady comfort of enormous trees and soft, manicured grass. There were a lot of people there, but it didn't really seem crowded. The staff was friendly and relaxed. (There are park employees who wander throughout the area looking for the 'we paid' bracelets that you get at the entrance. Don't sneak in. Or, as in our case, if you park on the wrong end of the lot and mistakenly get to the beach using the wrong entrance .. make sure you go to the stone building and find the ticket booth before wandering unknowingly to the beach!)
There was a fun dock in the water with a water slide, a diving board, and a lot of laughing people. There is a convention center where people were scurrying around preparing for an outdoor wedding near the water. There were children making sand castles and giggling and splashing at the water's edge. Folks were playing volleyball, paddling around in kayaks, and enjoying a cool spot on a hot day. (There are 1 or 2 person kayaks, paddle boats, row boats, and canoes available to rent. I can't find a link to the fee schedule, but they were very reasonable!) There is a concession stand that basically doubles as a convenience store. You can buy ice cream, deet, sand castle toys, and a cheese steak at the same counter! (Bonus: It's AIR CONDITIONED in there!)
There was a fun dock in the water with a water slide, a diving board, and a lot of laughing people. There is a convention center where people were scurrying around preparing for an outdoor wedding near the water. There were children making sand castles and giggling and splashing at the water's edge. Folks were playing volleyball, paddling around in kayaks, and enjoying a cool spot on a hot day. (There are 1 or 2 person kayaks, paddle boats, row boats, and canoes available to rent. I can't find a link to the fee schedule, but they were very reasonable!) There is a concession stand that basically doubles as a convenience store. You can buy ice cream, deet, sand castle toys, and a cheese steak at the same counter! (Bonus: It's AIR CONDITIONED in there!)
The HIKE! (Lake Shore Trail)
After a little nap in the shade of the trees along the beach, we headed out for the hike. There are LOTS of trails, and several maps, but at the trail head there is no sign that says "YOU ARE HERE". It took a little bit to get our bearings. There are lots of trail signs too, but honestly, they were not as easy to figure out as some places that we have visited. (Translation: If you are new to hiking in the woods, take the trail map along at this park!) We were originally going to hike to the falls, but decided to take the Lake Shore trail instead. We found some amazing plants along the way. I'd never seen a Winterberry bloom before. It looked like a tiny orchid! The pics here don't do them justice. There were also little wild blueberries, miniature wild iris, and SO MANY varieties of ferns!
FLOYD, VA - a great little town!
After our hike, we were hungry and hot. We decided to drive to a nearby town, Floyd, for supper. I had heard about FloydFest before, and couldn't wait to see where the magic happens. This place is colorful, friendly, eclectic, and busy. There were all kind of shops with clothing, local art, food, and MUSIC! We stopped at a great shop on Main Street called Monkey Business, where I found an organic cotton dress! (One of the rare times I saw something in the window and just needed it!) While we were paying for the dress, I asked the shopkeeper where he would go for supper if he could go anywhere he wanted to in Floyd. He didn't hesitate to suggest Micky G's. He promised it was "the real deal Italian" food and that we wouldn't be disappointed. Wow, was he right?!?!
Mickey G's Italian Restaurant
It is rare that I find myself so relaxed and content that I have tears in my eyes. This evening was a rare event. When we arrived, there weren't a lot of people there. It seemed like a typical, small town place to eat.
The staff was friendly and adorable. The atmosphere was clean and uncluttered. We were offered the choice of dining inside or on the patio. I'm so thankful that we requested a table outside. I felt a little bit bad for the woman who had to tell us about the specials, because there were a LOT of them! Wes is typically a 'hamburger and fries' guy at a new restaurant, but that last special that she mentioned .. the "Seafood Medley" ... it sang to him. I couldn't decide between the Chicken Marsala or the Rigatoni ala Devin, so I asked our server to help me decide. She said, "Oh, the Devin is my favorite dish here!" That was all the help I needed!
We ate gorgeous fresh, locally grown salads and I sipped my cold white wine while we waited for our meals. Wes' dinner was stunning. Half a lobster, muscles, clams, scallops, shrimp and conch in a spicy red sauce over a bed of linguini. WOW! I ordered the Devin: Rigatoni in an Asiago cheese/cream sauce with porcini mushrooms and steamed, local, baby asparagus. WOW AGAIN! The first bite was so good, I actually cried a little. And then, when it was over and just had to surrender to the fact that I couldn't eat it all, I cried a little more because it was over.
As the evening went on, the parking lot filled with people visiting and standing in line, waiting for a table. There was a lot of laughter all around us. People seemed to be genuinely happy. At one point I said, "The only thing that would have made this more perfect would have been live music". Within minutes, a quite man with a fantastic beard and an acoustic guitar walked out the front door, strolled across the porch, settled in a chair on the edge of the patio, and began to play a song I had never heard before. But it sounded gentle and familiar and cozy and wonderful!
The staff was friendly and adorable. The atmosphere was clean and uncluttered. We were offered the choice of dining inside or on the patio. I'm so thankful that we requested a table outside. I felt a little bit bad for the woman who had to tell us about the specials, because there were a LOT of them! Wes is typically a 'hamburger and fries' guy at a new restaurant, but that last special that she mentioned .. the "Seafood Medley" ... it sang to him. I couldn't decide between the Chicken Marsala or the Rigatoni ala Devin, so I asked our server to help me decide. She said, "Oh, the Devin is my favorite dish here!" That was all the help I needed!
We ate gorgeous fresh, locally grown salads and I sipped my cold white wine while we waited for our meals. Wes' dinner was stunning. Half a lobster, muscles, clams, scallops, shrimp and conch in a spicy red sauce over a bed of linguini. WOW! I ordered the Devin: Rigatoni in an Asiago cheese/cream sauce with porcini mushrooms and steamed, local, baby asparagus. WOW AGAIN! The first bite was so good, I actually cried a little. And then, when it was over and just had to surrender to the fact that I couldn't eat it all, I cried a little more because it was over.
As the evening went on, the parking lot filled with people visiting and standing in line, waiting for a table. There was a lot of laughter all around us. People seemed to be genuinely happy. At one point I said, "The only thing that would have made this more perfect would have been live music". Within minutes, a quite man with a fantastic beard and an acoustic guitar walked out the front door, strolled across the porch, settled in a chair on the edge of the patio, and began to play a song I had never heard before. But it sounded gentle and familiar and cozy and wonderful!
We had ambitions of driving all the way home, but ended up spending the night in Salem. We were just too full and happy to deal with interstate traffic all the way back. The next day was full of even more adventure. From flea markets to fried chicken, we had a great trip home. If you're ever in that neck of the woods, Happy's Flea Market is a unique place to check out. Lots of outside vendors, lots on the inside too. We didn't find much there, but we DID find an Appalachian Trail pendant for Wes and I bought a new dress for $8.00.
When we stopped to ask if the "Dodge's Southern Style" chicken was as good as the billboard boasted, the manager whipped out two wings (one regular, one spicy) and invited to to decide for ourselves. YUM! Crispy, spicy, moist, tender. We ended up buying more, AND a couple of fried pies. (That yam pie was SO GOOD!)
When we stopped to ask if the "Dodge's Southern Style" chicken was as good as the billboard boasted, the manager whipped out two wings (one regular, one spicy) and invited to to decide for ourselves. YUM! Crispy, spicy, moist, tender. We ended up buying more, AND a couple of fried pies. (That yam pie was SO GOOD!)
It seems like there are a lot of great hiking trails in Southern Virginia. And, we didn't make it to the water falls at Fairy Stone, so we'll definitely return to this part of the state! We had a great time, and I have a feeling it was just the beginning of great adventures to be had in that neck of the woods.