Life Adventures

One positive of the summer, Logan is still with us! While I have pondered how or if what we are doing matters for Logan, I am reminded of this one miracle that defies scientific explanation.  There was an occasion the last week of August when Logan looked very weak. I looked into his eyes and the life wasn't there.  I thought he was telling me that he's done.  He was also starting to swell a bit, measurements were up about an inch at the waist and the ribs.  I figured it was total shut-down.  Naturally I called Patti right away.  She recommended a specific remedy we hadn't used before.  I didn't ask any questions about it.  The next day,  his measurements were still up and I was deflated that the remedy hadn't worked, although he did appear less weak.  Patti had asked me to update her so I gave a call.  I told her that there wasn't anything positive to report in the measurement and that only his energy see...

It's been a tough year - we've had a lot on our plate.  Thus, we haven't taken many vacations.  Originally for this weekend, I had a trip to Va Beach planned, but a few weeks ago I bailed on it.  Getting away just didn't seem feasible.  Then, as the weather started to turn to be more beautiful then it has in a while - cooler temps, low humidity, no rain - I got the itch to go do something.  We decided to keep it simple and stay close to home.  There was space at Pocahontas State Park and it gave us opportunity to hike, bike, and try out our new inflatable Coleman kayak.  We reserved campsite # 71.  It is a pull  through, paved site.  This particular site is extremely level.  Not all of them in this new section are.  I do agree with the blog post review of this campground that the 40 foot sites are big enough for big rigs as well.  But, if I can get 71 in the future, I'll stick with that.  blogpost review on Pocaho...

The renovation- has been a long time coming.  We’ve lived here 12 years and have always wanted to make the property around the house look better.  The backyard drops off a few feet from the house, making expansion of the yard difficult. The pool was there when we bought the house and a cheap wooden fence served as a border but overtime the fence became overgrown with trees.  Most neighbors brought in truckloads of dirt to level the back yards but ours is such a drop that not only was it an expensive option, also an impractical one.  So I envisioned an alternative, an overlook/treehouse deck.  This allowed us to extend out to have some yard/green area and incorporate some amazing planting arrangements.  It was the first time I had truly designed something for the house.  I did, however, have to work with a landscape architect (Four Winds Design) to help me bring my complex vision to reality - e.g., spec the details of the decking, fe...

It started off a little frustrating as we had asked for site 23 way back when making reservations.  I called to confirm before we arrived - something was nagging at me.  They had moved us to another site - one way too short for our rig.  We ended up getting site 10 instead, which was fine in size, but definitely not as good as site 23 or the couple sites beside it.  It appeared they were holding those sites for people staying longer. We returned to Shenandoah River State Park and in fact have booked a site there for our return in Dec and also both March and May next year.  The overlook was easier to experience without all the rain.  We also go lucky for Logan that weather was mild for this time of year - this particular morning it was in the low 60s. What really amazed us is that for years we've been coming here and going to Jim Barnett park near Winchester to walk the dogs in between runs.  When we had extra time, we'd rush to Sky Meadow State P...

Our first trip up to this area of PA. Immediately we noticed that people were very friendly.  We stayed at the Yogi Bear campground at ShangriLa.  It was a nice campground, plenty of walking area and really close to the agility trial site (about 1 mile away).  We stayed in site 114 and it was really easy to get in and out of.  It is a site close to the new waterpark they are building.  The campground is very family oriented with a lot of activities.  Our whole reason for going up there was to run in the agility trial, but we did manage to get away to a nearby park - Shikellamy State Park -  Marina Section.  There is also the overlook section, but the marina section was easier with the stroller.  From the reviews, the overlook section is preferred. The park has a nice walking/running/biking asphalt biking trail along the river.  There is a view of the overlook section as well as the iron bridge. 

High Bridge is reported to be among the longest recreational bridges in the U.S.  It sits 125 feet above the Appomattox river and is .455 miles long.  The view from the bridge is amazing.  Today was a temperate 75 degrees so the breeze on top of the bridge produced a subtle chill.  In cooler weather I’d definitely bring a jacket. The trail is relatively flat and easy to push a stroller along so it was perfect for Logan. The best place to access the trail to see the bridge is Camp Paradise Rd.  You should use the address 1681 Aspen Hill Rd, Rice VA.  The bridge is only .3 miles from the lot.  We, however, received flawed information and got on the trail in Farmville on Main Street.  On a day where we have more time, that would have been fine because there were many quaint shops and restaurants to explore.  One restaurant we passed was on the water. Maybe next time. 

The Winchester area has always been one we've struggled to enjoy as a destination.  It's a great venue for agility, but the lodging has been lackluster.  Normally we stay at Candy Hill with the RV, but we don't enjoy it.  The campground is an easy-in, easy-out, right off the interstate. That is the only positive.  Forget about late check-out - they nickel and dime you for every minute.  Once we left 15 minutes late, but didn't worry about it until a young kid started chasing our RV on foot to retrieve the $2.00 owed for being late.   As far as the campground amenities and aesthetics, there isn't much to speak of. This trip, we decided to try somewhere different - Skyline Ranch Resort.  It was a significant improvement in primarily location.  The views of the skyline are breathtaking.  We stayed in site 132 (the row 130-132 is easy to get set up and rather level, but there isn't any shade).  There is another row on the other si...