25 October 2021
Casandra and I seem to have an issue. I had no sooner left the hotel and headed out for Loft Mountain Campground when I passed a sign for the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park. I immediately turned around and headed for the drive. Loft Mountain is just off the drive and I knew it would lead me to the campground.
She constantly wanted me to turn around at every overlook until I cut the cord on her. Then it dawned on me I had programed it for the quickest route, not a scenic route. By her routing, it would take 3 hours and 6 minutes.
By traveling the Skyline, it took me 3 hours and 30 minutes and that was with stops. I’m sure she would have routed me through small towns with stop lights and stop signs every few feet.
It was well worth traveling the Skyline. The fall colors were not spectacular, just beautiful. The yellows of hickories and elms were especially brilliant and there were some stunning reds from maples. It looks like the Shenandoah will be at its peak for fall colors in a couple of weeks but what I saw was great.
I made the obligatory stop at Rocky Top overlook. Most who read my blog have seen the photo of Archie and me at Rocky Top. I must have been all of three years old – and in pajamas.
Loft Mountain is the largest campground in the Shenandoah. I pitched the tent and then drove to the campground store to see what it is like. Showers are open except from 1-3 every day for cleaning. I got lost in the maze of sites on my return and had to circle back to get to my already pitched tent.
While checking out the store, I saw a Benadryl anti-itch ointment. Lately, I’ve been waked at night with itching in my arm pits. I know – weird. I have numerous remedies for it on the dresser beside my bed. I packed one for the trip. I couldn’t find it. What I did have was some Preparation H ointment. Hemorrhoids are something I must have inherited from my Dad. He had them really bad. In his case, and mine, I think they are brought on by stress. I always pack some in case I need it. Since I could not find the anti-itch cream, I decided that Preparation H would work – since it is anti-itch also. It did. It’s the wonder cream. It even works for bags under the eyes – remember it is supposed to shrink hemorrhoids. It works. One time I looked in the mirror and I looked like a raccoon. It took just a few days of PrepH under the eyes and the raccoon look was gone. I’ve now added another use for it.
Rain is predicted tonight and tomorrow. I may or may not get some hiking in. The rain won’t bother me – my tent has weathered some pretty intense downpours and it stays dry. What I will not like doing is packing camp up two days from now in the rain. I hope it quits soon enough to break camp.
Stay tuned!
