Driving through the Clouds

On my way from Stafford Virginia to Harrisonburg, I arranged my journey so that I could drive the Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park. The Drive is laid out so that it snakes and winds around the peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains overlooking the Shenandoah Valley. At about 3500 feet (1150 meters), the drive provides spectacular views of the valleys below and occasionally, the clouds are low enough to literally drive through them.

After having gotten remarkably lost leaving Stafford, Virginia, by the back roads, and of course being a man I was loathe to stop and ask for directions, I eventually made it over to 522 highway, also known as the Zachary Taylor Highway. Leaving Culpepper travelling north on 522, the drive was delightful. Rambling hills, tree-lined byways, pretty farms and villages made for a very enjoyable ride. Passing through such towns as Scrabble and Woodville – hopping metropoli they are not – I reveled in the “middle-of-nowhere” feeling that rarely exists in Holland.

Upon arriving in Sperryville, there were only two more miles to go before arriving at the entrance of the Shenandoah National Park. Shenandoah, what a wonderful, beautiful, mellifluous word, and the park certainly encompasses the natural wonders conjured up by its magical name. Travelling south on the Skyline Drive, the road wound and turned and curved up and down and around the peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The speed limit is 35 miles per hour and for good reason. There are many blind curves and vehicles stopped regularly as the drivers and passengers availed themselves of the magnificent panoramas which were presented repeatedly along the route. There were shear drop-offs and rambling hills that rolled away down the sides of the mountains and all were covered in a verdant green splendor of antediluvian trees.

Farther down the Skyline Drive as it rose into some of the taller mountains, the clouds acted as sentries and further enforced the need for the 35 mph speed limit. Thick, wet mists hung in the dales of the higher peaks and although there was no rain while I drove, the clouds licked the windshield and left behind a thick layer of dew necessitating the windshield wipers to leap into action. The temperature was noticeably cooler and my need for airconditioning evaporated. Descending from the realm of the clouds, my automobile touched down on a dryer runway and the splendid vistas again stretched into the distance.

I was a bit reticent as I approached the exit from the Skyline Drive onto 33 Highway which would lead me into Harrisonburg, my final destination. The mere 40 miles of the Skyline Drive which I drove simply whetted my desire for more of its natural majesty. The Drive stretches 105 miles from Front Royal in the north to Rockfish Gap in the south. Along the Drive there are dozens of places to stop for hikes back into the woods and many of the trails lead toward spectacular waterfalls and hidden groves and gorges. If you ever have the opportunity, make sure you take some time to experience some of the footpaths while driving the Skyline Drive.