Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Virginia Creeper Trail

It was everything I hoped it would be and more. I don't know how to write about it. I don't know how to give justice to what I felt biking down the mountain. It was easy, not any work at all coasting downhill. Everything around me was perfect. I was pulling Lydia and Hale in a trailer and enjoyed hearing them chit chat with each other and with me. I enjoyed the silence when Hale fell asleep and I thought Lydia was sleeping too (turns out she was just being contemplative). I liked to listen in on Scott and Josh's conversation as they shared a tag-a-long bike. My mouth wouldn't stop smiling. My heart literally swelled. My bum was killing me by the end, but it was worth it. I was torn between wanting to go fast to feel the wind and exhilaration and wanting to go slow so I wouldn't miss a thing. I wanted to stop all the time and just sit and look and take in every detail of the beauty that was surrounding me from every single direction. I want to find a cool looking map of the trail to frame for our house. I want to go back. I want to go again with just our kids. I want to go again with more families. I want to go back with just me and Scott and go all the way to Abington (he reports the Damascus-to-Abington leg is full of an entirely different type of beauty). I want to go back in the fall. I want to go in the spring. I want to go the whole sixty-eight miles uphill and down someday.
At one point Lydia was forced to use a port-a-potty. This was not a good experience. It was however quickly remedied with the purchase of an ice cream bar. Which was great until this remedy melted chocolate all over her shirt as she ate it in the trailer. She laughed and laughed when she got out and had a good look at herself, especially the stick which had stuck to her shirt.
We stopped once to wade in the creek. Scott caught a crawdad (not pictured, it was gross).

10 comments:

Sharlene, Mom, Grammy said...

I don't know where to begin to comment. What a fantatic post! The pictures tell the story as well as your narrative. I'm blown away by your ambition -- "the whole sixty-eight miles uphill and down someday." Wow! I am going in the fall for the down-hill 17 miles-- when Aunt Kathy visits---maybe we should take Afton with us since she missed out this time. :)

I'm still lol over the pix of Lydia with her ice cream bar/porta potty incident. So sad, cute and funny all at the same time

nbarnes2 said...

how fun! maybe we'll go since some day. i don't have a bike though. or anything for the kids.

The Fishers said...

I've wanted to do it before, but your post makes me REALLY want to do it!!!

julie said...

Awesome pix you photog!

lisa said...

Hmm, Trey said going up and down the mountain was not as hard as he thought...the biggest hurdle I see is the sore rear end!

Lori said...

Natalie, don't worry -- you can rent everything you need there.

Unknown said...

When you decide to go back with other families, keep us in mind. It sounds heavenly and I have always wanted to go.

cally said...

I've been waiting for this post.

I love it. LOVE it.


sigh.

Jeanne said...

I love all of your pictures. Do you take your camera with you all the time? You always seem to have such great pictures of your family just "doing".

(and you look so skinny!!)

Laura said...

After this pregnancy is done, I say we go from top to bottom...all the way. Damascus to Abbington is pretty! We haven't done the other leg of it. Then, we'll get our legs (and lungs for me) trained and do the full 68 miles! (We'll have to get sitters for that one. No way I'm putting the kids through that torture...us too for that matter.) Let's do it!!