“I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house.” -- Nathaniel Hawthorne
With Nathaniel Hawthorne, I completely agree. This past weekend was full of precious autumnal sunshine, and I took full advantage of it. Whenever I can escape the cares of life for a weekend, I head for the mountains. I enjoy the beauty, the peace, the quiet, the time to read and think and pray.
I wasn't able to rent a bike and ride down the Creeper Trail this time because every single shuttle service was full for Saturday and Sunday. This has never happened to me before; I'm not sure if I waited too late to call, or if they just can't rent the same number of bikes during this abnormal time. I was not to be deterred though. I headed straight through Damascus and on to Wytheville. I was determined to find a way to enjoy the lovely October days.
With the help of a really neat app, I found a place to hike in Wytheville that yielded a gorgeous view at the top. If you are someone who travels a great deal and loves to hike, I have the perfect app for you. It was recommended to me by my friends in San Diego when I went to California, and I have used it several times since then. It is called All Trails. You can plug in a place you are planning on going, or just search trails nearby. The app gives you directions to trails, the distance of each trail, rates the trails, and includes reviews from other hikers. Here's a glimpse at what All Trails picked up for me in Wytheville:
Obviously, I got a real workout. It felt so good to be outside, maskless, exercising, enjoying God's gorgeous creation. Even the drive back down the mountain, windows and sunroof open, made me smile. I made my way to my hotel, cleaned up, and got ready to go eat. On an impulse, I called the restaurant first and made a reservation. I was so glad that I did. They were extremely busy, and the hostess later told me that in the fall, they often have to ask people to wait up to an hour or even turn people completely away. Now you're wondering where I ate and if it was worth it. Yes!
I ate at Log House Restaurant. It is housed in a log cabin which was built in 1776. They use period furniture and decorations. There was even a fireplace near my table which was in use because of a nip in the air. The cuisine is American and delicious. One of the draws of the restaurant besides the ambiance and the yummy food is the outside area. There is a garden with a winding walkway which visitors are encouraged to visit. In the garden are doves and bunnies -- live ones! It was a lovely, interesting place to spend some time before my dinner. I also visited the adjoining gift shop and browsed around. If you are in the Wytheville area, I recommend this restaurant, but do call ahead. I have attached a link at the bottom of this page.
Steak, corn pudding, broccoli casserole
Kentucky Derby pie -- amazing!!!
After this, full and tired, I went back to my hotel and experienced Hallmark overload. (Note -- I have had no access to cable for almost 8 months, so this was allowed.) I spent the next day in and near Wytheville but will save that for another post.
Wytheville, Virginia