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Virginia Is For Haters is recommending a boycott of Virginia-based businesses, especially J. Crew, due to the recent HB 75, limiting the rights of non-heterosexual couples.

Now, I know I haven't written on this, while many people I know who live out of state are shocked and outraged. Well, I'm not surprised or shocked. I live in a state full of conservatives--many are of the scary sort. I know this. It's one reason I referred to Virginia as The Evil Dominion for years before I moved here. I live in a moderately liberal enclave. My delegates didn't vote for the bill and, for that, I'm quite thankful. I'm a little surprised that something representing such a huge government intrusion was actually passed--I know a lot of conservative Christians who really hate laws that limit *anything*, simply because they see it as big government. Apparently, they're so afraid of hot gay sex they'll stand for hateful acts by the Assembly.

This is a conservative state. This is what happens when people who believe religious law is not separate from civil law. I'm a bit surprised by the shock... after all, this state had some of the most vicious eugenics programs during the last century... not to mention the huge problems with desegregation. Hell, this state doesn't even have real strip clubs. When the Supreme Court ruled on the Texas sodomy case (Lawrence and Garner v Texas), some of our delegates tried to figure out a way to officially say, "No matter what the Supreme Court says, we still think sodomy laws are a good thing because sodomy (defined in VA as just about anything BUT married, heterosexual PiV sex) is a bad, bad thing."

I don't buy anything from J. Crew, anyhow. Heck, the fact that the CEO supports Kerry might be enough for me to go buy some socks there. Some folks have mentioned an AOL boycott--I don't use their products, either, save for a sporadic ICQ session. I don't pay for the use of ICQ, though I have friends who work at AOL and I'd rather they not lose their jobs due to sudden cuts. I'm not going to boycott Virginia businesses. I try to buy from local businesses whenever I can. Part of my beliefs center on supporting the local economy. That's not going to change.

I don't think a boycott of my state is in order. I think a huge influx of very visible queer culture is in order. I think the rest of the state should be dotted with rainbow flags the way Charlottesville is. I think "Hate is not a family value" bumperstickers should be plastered on cars in a guerilla campaign. I want to see queer families vacationing here with their kids, strolling down the boardwalk of VA Beach or taking in Civil and Revolutionary War Battlefield sites all over the state. Don't leave us in the dark. We need light more than anything right now.

Dark Hollow Falls, 1 may 04

About 1/3 of the way down the trail, it started pouring, so the camera stayed in our bag until the rain let up. We were near the bottom when the rain let up.

There were two fisherman near the base of the fall, fishing for brook trout. One was fishing in the midst of the lower cataract. You can't tell from the picture, but he's just hooked a small trout.

To the right of the falls, we found lots of flowers, including wild ginger, which I showed boy and the fisherman (they thought I was nuts). We also saw jack-in-the-pulpit. There were large flowered trillium all along the lower trail, too.

The more impressive waterfall was further up the trail. It wasn't raining then, so we stripped off our windbreakers.

I was wearing a Decent Exposures bra. They're all cotton. Wet cotton + big boobs = saggage. My hair is red! and long!!

There was a nice rock overhang further up the trail, with nice spots to sit and admire boy and the moss and the trees. Then boy told me to get my hair off my face because I looked like a hippie, so I moved a lock.

Up above the falls, a sign warns of danger. Boy is probably looking at a bug.

The soil in that area is very rocky and the forest is relatively young (this region of the blue ridge was once heavily settled). Some trees are now falling, revealing a knotwork of roots. There are a lot of spots along the trail where one can see large rocks encased in tree roots. They sometimes make nice places to sit.

After we returned to the car, we checked out the brochure about park openings and discovered the Lodge at Big Meadows was open. The lodge Tap Room was also open. We drove down there and found our way downstairs. The waitress ran around a lot to find out if I could eat anything (i had a soft pretzel). Boy had chili. He then nursed his gingerale and enjoyed the foggy mountain view. I discovered that the lodge has their own hard ciders in the fall, so I'll be going back there a LOT. ;) They also have a neat tree.

After we finished up, we wandered up to the BlackRock overlook--a short hike up to some rocks looking over the valley toward Massanutten. It was pouring and foggy, so we couldn't see much. There were long-stem roses scattered about, though, and a picture of a man with his motorcycle.

Boy dislikes wearing hats nearly as much as he hates being cold and wet. boots and rose petals... lichen... the rocks are fun to clamber on.

We drove home after that, taking Skyline Drive all the way to Afton. About halfway, frogs began committing ritual suicide by jumping under my tires. I was quite traumatized, but the spectre of St. Darwin assured me they were too stupid to survive.