rootofnewt | 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.