Dream Vacation Was That and More

Wednesday I picked my husband up from five days of bicycling with 2000 other cyclists. We went to Monticello and loved the tour.

Thursday we got up at 4:15 AM for balloon ride but after an hour had to cancel due to heavy winds. We went back at Sunset and had success. I wondered what I was thinking while we held the balloon as the propane was going and it filled with air. We had to hold the balloon down and jump in over basket. Once we were up it was great. It was so smooth. The propane was hot. We went high and low over the Shennadoah Valley. We saw the Blue Ridge and the Apalacian Mountains. We could hear everything below. It was so peaceful. I purchased the balloon ride in 2007 when the first Neurologist said MS and used it as a something to focus on through the process of diagnosis with all the tests and six month waits.

After wards we had to drive Skyline Drive in the dark back to our campsite. It was like icerberg watch with the deer. We had eighteen in the road.

Friday we went horseback riding.  I was happy I still had all my riding skills. I even dismounted without the stirrup just swinging off. Then I took a nap. Deer were all over our campsite. There were thunderstorms in the Valley  that night and the lighting gave off a neat light show.

Saturday the weather was cool. We hiked to a series of waterfalls. My left leg shook a lot. I bought hiking poles. I used one and my husband the other. It kept me from falling or sliding. After lunch we hiked to these two sets of cliffs. The highest elevation of the mountains. We saw Pereguin Falcons. We also saw wild turkeys.  After dinner we hiked in Big Meadows. A place native Americans loved to hunt. We saw a bear and a skunk and more deer.

Alex

[Fluffysmom]

It sounds absolutely wonderful!  Well, maybe except for that tense drive back to the campsite!

I love being out in nature, thunderstorms, and seeing wildlife.  I just took in a picture for enlargement that I took on my trip to Florida; a pair of Ospreys feeding their little one in a nest alongside a road.

The hiking poles were a great idea; I hope you get a lot of use out of them.

The balloon ride must have been amazing.  Holding it down and jumping in would have made me question my sanity, but once up in the air, it would all just blend into one fantastic experience.

Many years ago a guy I was dating arranged for me to take a sunset flight in a small plane of a friend of his.  It was noisy, the windows weren't clear, but it was still amazing.  That was the first time I ever flew.

I can imagine how much better it would be with the silence, clear view, floating along.  I just might have to try that some day!   Maybe if I ever get a diagnosis.....

Thank you so much for sharing!

Kathy

[Lulu54]

Wow Alex,
The only thing I bought when waiting for my MS diagnosis was a double gin & tonic!! I should have been more creative and thought something larger! :-)  Your flight sounds wonderful - I've been aloft and it is the more surreal feeling to just float above like that.  

Your whole trip sounds wonderful - even dodging the deer at night.  I'm so happy it was everything you had hoped for plus more.

be well,
Lulu

[Ufrustrated2]

wonderful views there indeed! not far from my childhood stomping grounds actually. personally, i prefer to jump out of em. i whould say i used to due i've been a bit grounded for a few awhile now...still hoping...

i'm happy for you that you and your husband had a grand time! nice of you to share that.

btw, a kool kat in the pictue!

[essdipity]

The Blue Ridge and Shenandoah are indeed gorgeous! At Halloween time the colors are spectacular too. So glad you were able to do this and enjoy it to the max. I'm not a camping-out kind of person---my idea of roughing it is the Waldorf Astoria. But I do love to see nature in all its glory.

Thank you for describing your wonderful trip!

ess

[rendean]

Your trip sounds absolutely wonderful. I love the outdoors and have done quite a bit of camping in my younger days including several trips to the Blue Ridge Mountain area. It is gorgeous.

What a clever idea to treat yourself to a spectacular balloon ride as a reward for all the medical testing and waiting. It sounds like the flight was fantastic.

I'm so glad you had such a wonderful time! The weather sounds like it did it's part in cooperating  with your vacation plans. So happy you and your husband had great time! Thank you for sharing.

Hugs,
Ren