@ClassicMom98 pictures of DC reminded me of a few pictures from before Covid.
View from the Speakers balcony
The opposite view as @ClassicMom98
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According to our US Capital tour guide, this is the plaque of some random guy in the National Statuary Hall.
And it’s my very favorite quote from that visit!
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A camera just doesn’t do it justice, but our trip from Charlotte(ish), NC to Blacksburg, VA today along I77/I81 was absolutely stunning in many places. A few areas were significantly past peak, but most were at it or just a shade under/over and the sun made it all stand out beautifully.
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The scenery shots are beautiful. Keep them coming!
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Perhaps only Creeklanders get caught wandering… we were supposed to arrive home today, being just 4 1/2 hours away via the quickest route. That was actually Plan B having modified Plan A because nature’s beauty gives us our dopamine rushes and we’ll admit an addiction we don’t plan to try to ditch. So we have (Part I):
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Part III:
And countless other stunning views, etc, to explain why we are now on Plan C and only 1 1/2 hours closer to home via the quickest way. 
On the Blue Ridge Parkway, the area from Roanoke to Peaks of Otter is still awesome - or at least was today. We met a couple from Switzerland who was also enjoying it - they’ve been traveling all over the US. North of Peaks of Otter it’s still nice in the lower elevations - most of them are at peak, but the higher elevations are a bit past peak. It’s still awesome looking out over the valleys and getting some small hikes in, esp when it was in the upper 60s today.
Tomorrow morning we have to decide if we are finally actually going home, or going to prowl around on Skyline Drive along the way. We haven’t decided yet.
I feel really, really fortunate that our schedules can change on a whim most of the time. These dopamine rushes of feeling pure pleasure are awesome to experience.
(And no, this certainly isn’t our first experience here, esp since we went to college at Virginia Tech, but it has been a handful of years since we’ve been here and that wasn’t when the leaves were changing.)
For good measure - a pic from yesterday of a couple of “old” Hokies:
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Breathtaking fall photos!!
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I only wish a camera could catch them the way the eyes can. I have an older cell phone (if it’s not broke, why replace it?), so my pics likely aren’t as good as the newer models can take either.
But it’s been a fun trip.
We’re opting for a middle choice return home - skipping the Interstate and Skyline and taking 340 up the valley. The trees have been prettier at lower levels and it will actually get us home sometime during daylight hours today.
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Love that place! Enjoy.
Outside the window on my side of the bed this morning…
Backyard yesterday afternoon…
Creekland, we are hiking along the C&O today (Thurs) since H has the day off. We drive along 340 for a bit to get there. Skyline was peaking above 3000 feet two weeks ago. You’re right that the leaves will be more colorful at lower elevations.
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It was a gorgeous trip. The small WV part was totally done with leaves, but back in MD and here in PA it’s still pretty. We didn’t stop to take pics though. Today I’m catching up on all sorts of things from laundry to mail to getting a Covid booster. No pics with any of that either!
Maybe I’ll get one of Rezzi later (he’s the bay colt) - time will tell.
Forever thankful that we live in such close proximity to the ocean. I walked the dogs down there for our “Happy Hour” walk yesterday.
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Oh, my goodness! Is it not a practice there to de-beard the palm trees?
It’s a nature preserve on tribal lands. Those are “stately skirted palms”. Indian Canyons – Indian Canyons and Palm Canyon
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Where I used to live we called them “scorpion farms”. 
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Interesting! Here in Florida, a lot of debearding occurs. I thought it was helpful to the tree. Only the dead ones (not green) should be cut. Maybe it depends on the variety and location. Or maybe it’s a hurricane thing.
No hurricane issues in Palm Springs! We do keep our Mediterranean Fan Palm trimmed.
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