Natural Bridge Virginia

            

Looking for a place to stop along the planned route, I noticed Natural Bridge, which I had heard of, and Clem was able to secure a site for two nights, allowing us time to explore and relax a bit before the final leg to Tennessee.  

We caught up on some things this morning, then headed for Natural Bridge State Park, for the natural formation that gives the town its name.  Fascinating history, the formation was discovered on a survey expedition  by Thomas Jefferson's father and George Washington, and the land was purchased by Thomas Jefferson and owned by him until shortly before his death.  Billed as a tourist attraction, which is remains today, it wen through several hands and expansions until becoming state owned in 2016.

 A HUGE building, with quite a bit of empty space, for what was once a major tourist attraction.  When the bridge was first discovered, they actually lowered people down from the top in a cage that was devised for the purpose.


Recent years it has served community gatherings, but apparently even those have diminished.  This building was constructed in the early 50's.

Hotels were built for tourists to come and visit, and this is one of the originals. 

 Many people of not visited in its heyday.

A beautiful walk along a creek lead us to the formation and beyond, where there was an Indian settlement recreation, and then on to Lace Falls.  

Our first peak at the bridge

And from the other side.  Washington's initials are carved 20 feet up on the inside of the arch.  

The recreated Monacan Indian town, with costumed interpreters.  

Fur traders....."we're the white guys", they explained!

A common cooking area saved time for the women!  I had never seen this type of arrangement, but it is very clever!

 Further down the trail was the Saltpeter Cave, which Jefferson leased out....

Couldn't help looking in here and thinking of the boys who were recently stuck in the cave for  a month before they could be rescued! 

A very pretty walk all the way down to the falls, and the rock wall followed the entire trail.  Clem was curious about it, and learned at the visitor center that it was part of the CCC project in the 30's.  The holes along the bottom that we thought were for drainage when it rained, were actually there because the creek floods over the path, and the water needs a way out!  

A lovely little pavilion along the creek side was a great spot for lunch on our return.  Clem grumbled a bit along the trail, but persevered, and we made it the nearly 2 miles round trip.








We checked out Lyman's General Store, for which we had seen many advertisements, and found it to be not what was expected whatsoever!  Rather run down out front and in need of paint,  we hesitated to even go in.  But since we had driven to find it I figured we might as well, and it  was fun to look around at the hundreds of bottles of jams and sauces, as well as the old fashioned pickled vegetables, and lots of bagged candy.  I felt we had to make a purchase of some sort, as the woman was quite attentive to the few visitors and we were highly visible!

After a little rest back at the coach, we decided to try the Pink Cadillac for dinner.  We didn't expect a lot of the food, and that was pretty much the case, but the place was very fun, with parking for Elvis Fans only, and 50's decor and memorabilia.

Great old music playing.....tempting to hum along!

 Real milkshakes were the best part of the meal! 

We took an after dinner drive into the town of Lexington, only 12 miles away, and decided we should probably have had dinner there!  Very charming old  town with Virginia Military Institute the main attraction, brick buildings lining the downtown, and a level of civilization and services that explain how people can live here!  We were amazed to learn when we checked in at the KOA yesterday that the co owner Dad had relocated here from Michigan to fulfill his son's wishes to own a campground! Pretty remote, and one would have to love living in the countryside to move there.

 Stonewall Jackson's home is in Lexington, as is his grave.....but not his arm!  His arm has its own gravesite in Fredericksburg! I had to kind of talk Clem into this ride,  the stop had not been planned, and we didn't take any extra time to seek out the sights, but rather did a trip around town to get the feeling, then circled back.  Wish I had taken a few photos....maybe I can get some off the internet and insert later!

A nice, unplanned day for our break from the road.