Sandy's bike upon arrival in Virginia.... thanks UPS!
Bill ferried us and the bikes down to Galax, VA. Note Sandy's brand new Trek bike.
Starting out on the New River "Rails-to-Trails" in Galax. This is an old rail road line that has been converted to biking and hiking use.
A turtle suns itself (or lays eggs??!!) adjacent to the trail.
The first part of the trail follows Chestnut Creek which Sandy admires from one of the many train trestles.
We meet up with the New River where the trail crosses on one of the old train bridges.
Going through the second of two train tunnels near the Shot Tower.
An old Iron Forge on the detour route near Allisonia. A small section of the New River Trail is closed due to ownership disputes. Through riders must take a hilly 10 mile detour.
Our first good view of Claytor Lake. This lake is formed by a dam on the New River near Radford. This is near the Homestead Inn near Draper where we stayed the first night.
The apartment building where Mark's family used to live in Blacksburg. The first floor window on the far right is the one Mark fell out of.
Anniversary couple at The Oaks Bed and Breakfast in Christiansburg.
The Wood's Edge guest cottage near Fincastle.
Sandy and the Appalacian Mountains at Wood's Edge
A footbridge over the James River at Buchannan.
Mark admires Natural Bridge. Highway 11 crosses over top of this stone arch.
The Brierley Hill Bed and Breakfast near Lexington, VA. The hill getting up here was steeper than it looks!
Liberty Hall ruins near Lexington. This University building was burned during the Civil War.
Jackson's family grave site in Lexington.
The (now co-ed) dormitory at Virginia Military Institute.
We headed north on the Blue Ridge Parkway after staying overnight at the Steele's Tavern Manor. Here, Sandy is at one of the sunnier Parkway overlooks.
Mark admires the abundant Mountain Laurel.
Mark takes a few steps on the Appalachian Trail. He hiked on this section in the early 1970's.
After staying overnight near Afton at the Looking Glass House, we depart from the TransAmerica Trail route and head north on the Skyline Drive. Here, Sandy poses at an Appalachian Trail crossing in her rain gear.
Sandy on Skyline Drive.
Another beautiful Skyline Drive overlook.
Sandy Bottom overlook.... Mark's view for most of the trip!
Mark is enveloped in a huge oak grove near Lewis Mountain.
The deer are very tame on the Skyline Drive.
The rainy end of our trip at Big Meadows. Mark's dad picked us up and we rejoined our family at Luray.
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