Shenandoah NP or Home - Day 11

While it was a pleasant drive yesterday, the whole purpose of the day was to get within striking distance of the Shenandoah National Park. The plan was to get an early start on the day, get to the park by noon, cruise through most of the park hiking a short trail or two, and get most of the way to the other side of the park before picking a campground and settling in for the night. This would give me the opportunity to get in a long hike in the morning before heading for my first prolonged layover of the Road Trip.
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The plan was shot down after step two. I did get an early start. I did get to the park before noon. But at the entrance station, a large sign with each of the 5 campgrounds declared that they were all full. I queried the the park ranger at the station, and she confirmed they were all full. I said I just had a tent. All full. Really? Yes, really.

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This is new. I've never been to a NP where no camping was available. I didn't completely believe it. And I wasn't going to skip the park completely now that I was here. I headed in while contemplating putting Plan B into action.

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Shenandoah NP is centered around a 105 mile drive, Skyline Drive, that skirts across the tops of part of the Appalachian Mountains and closely follows part of the Appalachian Trail. On the Skyline there are frequent pullovers for panoramic views of the valley below as well as pullovers for many interesting hiking trails that either lead off from the drive or along the Appalachian Trail.

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I pulled off for all the scenic views, but skipped the two hikes that I had been considering. It was still overcast and a bit chilly, so I kept Plan B in play. The campgrounds are probably fuller than most any other time of the year because fall is the time to see this park. The park and the surrounding valleys are chocked full of trees going through the change of seasons and showing off their beautiful fall colors. Also, it is the people packed Northeast, and there aren't many more beautiful places to appreciate the season and its splendor. But when I came to the first campground and confirmed that it really was completely full Plan B was in action.

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Plan B was to head straight to Mom and Dad. So after just 40 miles of the 105, and at around 2PM, I found myself exiting the park and taking the fastest route Sake could find to get me home. It's a bit of a bummer not to have taken in this park the way it was supposed to be seen (hiking and camping), but not so much that it took away from sitting down at 6:30 to a home cooked steak dinner with my parents...the first familiar faces I've seen in a dozen days. It's great to be home with family!

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Over the next couple weeks, I will be reuniting. Reuniting with my parents, my Hoboken centered friends, and all 6 of the Connecticut M's. I doubt I'll have much desire to blog for a while, so check back in later when I undertake stage 2 of road trip 2.