In the spirit of gratitude, I decided to take advantage of the Thanksgiving season by embarking on a road trip around my own state, appreciating its spectacular array of parks. Virginia State Parks have won various accolades and awards for customer service, overall quality, and just being darn good nature places.

*Round of applause*

I started on the Appalachian Trail (AT), checking off a hike that had been on my to-do list for way too long: McAfee Knob. This is the most photographed place on the AT and a simply gorgeous natural site to spend a couple hours.

The November weather varied by… I don’t know, a couple thirty degrees? I did the coat-on-coat-off dance about fifteen times on the way to the summit. On the east side, the rising sun heated my body like a hot pocket. When the trail took me to the west, I lost the sun and was hit with fall-frigid-wind that made me duck my head and just lean into it. I found it entertaining, and was glad that I had my winter jacket, rather than opting for the t-shirt/shorts combo like most fellow hikers.

Next up was Hungry Mother State Park. You’ll recall that, a few years ago, I commented on the absurdity of the name during my hurtle south on I-81. Since then, I have gained quite an admiration for this beautiful place that has an intriguing history and a current beauty in all its complexity.

I couldn’t get a tent-only site, so I opted for hookups and shamelessly dragged a heater into my tent. In 30 degree weather, I craved comfort rather than ruggedness.

It worked, and I delightfully snoozed throughout the entire night. I greeted the morning with a bird-watching hike along the lake. Phenomenal.

Thank you, Virginia, for having so many cool wild places. Here’s to three more days’ worth to come! *cheers*