Today’s mission was to get to our second Shenandoah Wayside, Big Meadows, for lunch. We got water on the trail and then headed to Skyline Drive for about a 10 mile hike. We passed some viewpoints, but the coolest stretch was the “big meadows” we found. It’s not what you normally imagine when you talk about Shenandoah, so I was glad to experience it.
Bewitched
We arrived at Big Meadows Wayside ahead of schedule and I think we may have been swept up in a vortex. We probably spent four hours inside, charging our devices, eating copious amounts of food, drinking smoothies, and hanging out. Tourists came and went, while hikers camped in a corner hut. At 4pm, we realized we had to leave or risk closing the place.
Take refuge
Another 5 mile road hike took us back to the trail and we spent the night at Rock Spring Hut. I settled back into the shelter and it wasn’t long before a downpour began. It only rained for about an hour and then the sun came out again. The no-see-ums must have been washed away, because they didn’t bother me tonight. I ate a burger I had bought at Wayside and went to bed early.
It’s funny to think that we can now take such long breaks in the middle of the day and still walk 16 miles. Shenandoah has been a lot of fun and a nice change of pace. It won’t last forever, so I think I might as well enjoy it while I can.
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