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Virginia: Claytor Lake
Just when you thought you may have possibly exhausted all traveling possibilities in the United States that include every National Park, reserve, and beach, up pops another gem like a jack in the box that reminds you that you ain't seen nothin' yet, in the words of Bachman Turner Overdrive. People can say what they wish about the United States, but one thing isn't in dispute: that it certainly ranks as one of the most beautiful countries in the world, not to mention one of the most multifaceted. Beach, mountains, desert, cities…it is remarkable what the U.S. can offer to even the most seasoned traveler.
Case in point: the state of Virginia. An overwhelming majority of government workers have a residence in Virginia, yet it's safe to say this is within the District, the greater metropolis of DC, places that include Arlington, Fairfax, Alexandria, etc. The state itself has so little in common with The District.
People will frequently take the Interstate 95 to get to the south (a royal pain), yet I discovered Highway 29 not long ago, a highway with scenes as picturesque as anywhere in the United States. People seem to forget Virginia has beautiful beaches and that unique access to the Chesapeake Bay, along with gorgeous mountainous forests in the south and west of the state.
And then there's Claytor Lake, my most recent discovery in Virginia. Here Liebi's family was supposed to meet for a week of swimming, hiking, boating, etc. The ride there is quite unique in itself, and we admire the mountains and deep gorges in the south of the state on our way there. I wonder if both the Union and Confederate troops traveled through here during the Civil War, and hope they at least enjoyed nature between some of the bloodiest battles ever fought in the U.S. Again, some of the bloodiest battles were fought in the some of the most beautiful places. Just ask people living in Vietnam, along the Normandy Coast, or Ireland.
I remember as a kid how I was a regular admirer of the Peanuts, whether this was the comic strip in the papers, in books, or the cartoons on TV. Besides being intrigued by Snoopy changing his dog house into a World War I fighter plane, I would also carry around a lucky blanket like Linus did or try and play the piano like Schroeder with the inclusive Beethoven bust. Nothing, though, piqued my interest as much as when they went camping. Claytor Lake over three and a half decades later is the personification of that camp, and we would do pretty much anything the Peanuts did, with the main difference that most of us are already adults.
Here we have a cabin close to our own dock, where we use two boats for cruising around, fishing, or simply anchoring and jumping off them in abandoned coves. There is a sealed off beach with sand that visitors can use that forbids boats or jet-skis, and a nearby playground we regularly use for the kids before sundown when we are ready to wrap up the day. There are various hiking trails that I use to various degrees, although for running, not hiking. My first run I use just to get some exercise back toward Highway 81, and the place is cooking, meaning it is about 100 degrees. It's an eight mile run by the time I'm done, and I discover two roadkills, a raccoon and maybe a six foot blacksnake. In the distance, I see several eagles swooping in and out of forests to catch prey.
The next few days, I take it easier on my joints and use the hiking trails to get my running miles in. It's a wonderful family vacation until Friday, July 13 (what should be an ominous date, but luckily isn't), and this is when I head to Boone, North Carolina.
This is the place a lot of people associate with the American pioneer and explorer, the home of Appalachian State University, and the Highland Games it will be hosting that weekend.
To me and 500 other runners, it will be the host of one of the country's most grueling marathons, the Grandfather Mountain Marathon, on the next day, Saturday the 14th.
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