Daughter of the Stars - The Shenandoah

The rolling hills of the Piedmont soon gave way to the Appalachian range and the Shenandoah Valley. Its a beautiful valley that stretches for the length of Virginia in a Southwest to North East direction. Bordered by the Allegheny on the west side and the Blue Ridge on the east, the valley floor is a fertile basin punctuated by meandering rivers and tributaries of the Shenandoah River. 

All along the protecting and flanking ranges are small passes that one needs to drive over in order to get  in. We entered via Rockfish Gap near Waynesboro and pulled into Staunton (which is pronounced "Stanton") for the night. It's a cute little town nestled into some foot hills. Surprisingly it had the best restaurant of our trip. Zynodoa is located on the main strip and is pricy. However, well worth the price.

At night, the town shuts down and as we walked about after dinner, it was creepy. No humans as far as the eye could see. No movement, just a faint breeze and the only change was the streetlights alternating from green to red and back again for non-existent cars. It really was something akin to the Twilight Zone.

Luckily we only spent one night here. From Staunton we made our way North West. It is considered going "down the valley", which makes sense if you think of it in terms of following the river downstream. Halfway down the valley is the Massanutten Mountain, which divides the valley in two. In the civil war Jackson would use this mountain to screen his forces and then use it as a natural border to keep his enemies divided. There is one road that goes across this long mountain that comes from a town called New Market. We took this for some amazing hiking with an excellent vista along Storybook Trail.

There were 4 (some historians record 5) civil war campaigns in this valley. Federal and Confederate forces would clash in nearly every major town. The town of Winchester changed hands 72 times during the course of the war. This was our next destination. 

I wouldn't recommend this place. Its out of date and a bit too rustic. There is only one major strip and it seems like the remainder of the city is falling into disrepute. Its only major bonus is that it is a perfect jumping point to see a multitude of civil war battle sites, excellent hiking along the blue ridge panoramic drive, and an easy drive to Antietam and Harpers Ferry. 

I would say Harper's Ferry was my preferred hiking destination. The town itself is a bit of a tourist trap. However it does have some impressive sights including John Brown's famed fort where he attempted to lead a slave revolt in 1859.

From the center of the town, one can cross the Potomac River and climb up a steep hill to see the vista of city below. From the top of Maryland Heights, one can see the confluence of the Shenandoah River as it merges into the Potomac. The water literally change color as it does this.

Thus my pointers for the Shenandoah:

1) Check out some of the amazing hiking

2) Wineries here are outstanding

3) Stauton has some amazing restaurants

4) Harpers Ferry is a must

5) Don't recommend Winchester - not much here

6) BTW Joe's Steakhouse - which is rated number 1 per trip advisor - is not worth the cost.

I think for anyone interested in Civil War history, this is a must. Everywhere you look is a battlefield. In some cases like Winchester there are three fields here alone. Its a bit quaint and rustic, but I think thats also where the charm lies

Steep Ravine / Matt Davis Trail - Marin Co.

Ok the weather turned overcast and rainy - the type of weather that usually makes people feel depressed and grumpy. I love having a break from the bright and sunny every once in a while. Coming from the Midwest, I miss the thunderstorms and lighting. We packed up the gear (those of you who have seen that one episode of Portlandia will understand that last line the best - google " Portlandia Gear") and headed up through Mill Valley up to Panoramic Highway to the Pan Toll Ranger Station.

Its not that difficult once you've done it a few times, but for those of you who have not come to this location from Mill Valley - I'd recommend stopping and asking for directions. Bring some cash with you - the parking is $8 - but I'm sure that is about to go up.

When we got there, there was a bunch of people filling up the parking lot in a California style tailgate party - lots of wine and crackers and cheese etc. . .

We started down Steep Ravine trail and made it past the ladder to Stinson Beach - here we stopped and had some food and a beer at the Sand Dollar restaurant. Granted the food isn't exactly the best - but the beer was excellent and the people who work there are really sweet.

Making our way near the Stinson Beach Fire Dept, we made our way up past the community center to the start of the Matt Davis trail. Its difficult to find and you really need to keep your eyes open for the trail head.

Then the uphill switch backs begin as you ascend through a series of ecosystems to the open expanses above. This is actually one of my favorite hikes in the sunshine, but for the first time, I was doing it in a heavy fog / cloud bank. The clouds gave the forest an erie but ethereal glow. At times the moisture would accumulate under the trees and it would begin to rain on you - just under the tree.

The hike itself is about 5-6 hours depending on your speed (and how long you stop for beer). However, its definitely worth it in the rain or sunshine. 

Now its time to start planning our trip up to Portland, OR!

Hiking In Marin County

Wanted to relate one of our favorite hikes. For us its about a 6 hour total trip, but one can break this down into smaller segments especially if you start in down town Mill Valley. In the end there is beer!

We started from home walking down along the water to Miller Avenue which took us past Joe's Taco Lounge & Salsaria - its a cute place for a breakfast burrito, but as long as you are not looking for more than "quaffable" its totally do-able. As usual Maria was disappointed with the Mexican cuisine. I personally found the decor amazing - never seen that many plastic saints lined up in a row.
We then made our way up past Miller St. We were in luck as the cherry trees along the way were in bloom. You need to make your way up past the Depot Bookstore and Cafe - which is a great place for coffee and checking out the latest newspapers before turning left on Throckmorton Ave. and making our way up past Old Mill Park to Cascade St. Here you take another left and cross a small bridge before making it up to the beginning of the Dipsea Stairs.

The stairs begin in what looks like someone's parking lot but going up the ramp you begin the actual steps. For those who are new, this will at first feel like your are invading someone's privacy. Don't worry - just tell them I sent you.
All together there are about 675 steps to get to the top. You meander your way past people's homes. Do your best to avert your eyes from stalking into someone's kitchen. By the time you get to the top you will be a bit winded. We actually saw some die hard enthusiasts go up and down multiple times. At the top you need to continue along the road and then go up Walsh drive to the very back of a posh sub-division. Again avoid the feeling of trespassing. And try to suppress the urge to steal someone's mailbox. Eventually you will make your way to the crest of the mountain range - Panoramic Highway.
From here you will need to cross the road and continue along to get to the beginning of Dipsea Trail. The view from here is outstanding. On a good day you can see to the ocean. The trail immediately divides into the Sun Trail. Take the Sun Trail to the right and continue along the winding small dirt road. It hugs the hills and traces its way back and forth over small wooden bridges. I'd recommend having a hat and shades, as the name implies - there is a lot of sun.

From here it is a simple 20-30 minute walk - depending on how stellar of a hiker you are to get to the Tourist Club.

From out of nowhere you come across this beautiful multi-story house that has various large porches and looks like a doll house from Bavaria. BRING CASH! - Or resign yourself to drooling as others around you down German beer from the spigot. Pack a lunch and blanket to sit on as most tables are taken. They have a policy that only groups of 7 or less are allowed unless you are a club member (open 1-5PM except the weekend of the 2nd Sunday of each month). Otherwise enjoy yourself and let me know what you think.

http://www.touristclubsf.org/

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