The Baalands: Virginia

Showing posts with label Virginia. Show all posts

Saturday, September 06, 2025

Grand Canyon of the South

August 16, 2025 -- The "Breaks" is a state park shared by Virginia and Kentucky. It is called the "Grand Canyon of the South." The official name is Breaks Interstate Park. Ty and I visited there after the Coalfield Sheep Association Sale in Clintwood, Virginia.

Breaks Interstate Park

Mill Rock Point Overlook

Most of the park's overlooks could be reached via relatively short downhill hikes. It was a beautiful day, but hot and sticky, so I left Ty in the car (with the air conditioner on) a few times. We did one longer hike, through the woods and down towards a lake. It wasn't very scenic. I thought I could get him in the water, but I couldn't, not until the next day.

Spectacular overlook

The Towers

The Breaks is one of the deepest, most scenic gorges in the eastern US. The name is derived from the break in Pine Mountain created by the Russell Fork of the Big Sandy River as it carved a 1000-foot deep gorge on its way to join the Ohio River.

My hiking buddy

Rock Outcrop

Virginia Love Sign

We stayed in Bluefield (WV) for the night, adjacent to a cemetery. The tombstones looked like sheep grazing in the dark. There was a big field where I could walk Ty. He was alerted to noises in the hotel's dumpster. I was told the next morning that is was the "resident" bear. We shared the motel with horse buyers. I had breakfast with one in the morning.

Tuesday, November 01, 2022

Great Falls, Virginia Side

October 25, 2022 -- There are two sides of Great Falls Park: Virginia and Maryland. I took Mom to the Virginia side of Great Falls. The Virginia side of Great Falls is officially Great Falls Park. While not designated as a national park, it is managed by the National Park Service. The Virginia side is better suited to Mom since it has several extensive overlooks that are wheel chair accessible

At Great Falls, the Potomac River builds up speed and force as it falls over a series of steep, jagged rocks and flows through the narrow Mather Gorge. The National Park Service protected the land in 1960. Great Falls is the iconic symbol of the Potomac River.

Just me

Just Mom

Sunday, October 01, 2017

George Washington's Mt. Vernon

September 16, 2017 -- Mt. Vernon was the plantation home of George Washington, our first president. Robin, Sally, and I visited one beautiful fall day in 2017. I had visited once before but I was very young. I'm told I got a Mt. Vernon hat that I refused to remove during dental surgery.

Our first president

Me @ Mt. Vernon

Mansion @ Mt. Vernon, c. 1734

At its peak, Mount Vernon was a 7,600 to 8,000-acre estate, while the mansion itself grew to nearly 11,000 square feet. The original 2,100-acre estate was expanded by Washington through land purchases, and the house was enlarged from a small farmhouse to a two-and-a-half-story mansion with 21 rooms.

President of the US, 1789-1797

Expansion, c. 1758 and 1774

The soldier

Sisters

View from the river

Bowling Green

We went on the "slave" tour. Like most plantation owners of his time, George Washington owned slaves, up to 500 men, women, and children at one time; 371 at the time of his death. His views on slavery seemed to moderate with time. He privately opposed slavery and freed all his slaves upon his death. Washington believed that bitter debates about slavery would tear the country apart; he was right.

Female slave quarters

George Washington died December 14, 1799 at Mt. Vernon from a severe throat infection. He wished to be buried at Mt. Vernon. Martha died in 1802. In 1831 (per his will), their remains were transferred to a new tomb, along with the remains of other family members. We visited the tomb.

New Tomb: final resting place of George and Martha