Hiking on George's Birthday 3/9/20

Beautiful Blackwater Falls State Park in West VA  (Bottom right is Blackwater Falls; You can see it flowing through the rugged canyon;  You can also see the Lodge where we stayed on the left side toward the top.  What a gorgeous place to 'get-away' from life for a few days!)

UPDATE:   Blogger has done something to my pictures.  I've lost almost all of the pictures on my last several Blog Posts... I hope you can get the pictures today.  I had trouble getting them in --and had to put them in ONE BY ONE.... I am not a happy person right now!!!  Why does Blogger do this to us?
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Dear Family and Friends,   I hope that everyone is still HEALTHY and staying SAFE through this COVID-19 pandemic..... George and I are fine ---and hanging in there waiting patiently (????) for this to be  OVER and GONE....

Today--I'll take you on a few hikes we took on our little trip to Blackwater Falls State Park in northeastern West Virginia the week of George's Birthday!!!!  I'm glad we were able to make this trip before the 'stay at home' order started...  Before his Birthday--I asked George what he wanted to do this year to celebrate.  He said that he wanted to see some waterfalls and to do some hiking... SO--the Blackwater Falls trip came into being,  and is now just a wonderful memory!!!!

On George's actual birthday (March 9)--- here are some of the things we did:
-Hiked on the Gentle Trail to get an overall view of Blackwater Falls
-Crossed the river (North Canyon Rim Road),  parked at the Trading Post,  and hiked down lots of steps to get an up-close-and-personal view of Blackwater Falls
-Hiked to the Pendleton Point Overlook for a view of Elakala Falls (on the other side of Blackwater Canyon)
-Walked around the Pendleton Lake
-Back across the river; now on the South Canyon Rim Road passing by the Lodge;  Stopped at an overlook showing another view of Elakala Falls
-Checked out the Cabins for Rent on the Southside Area  (We will rent a cabin the next time we come here.  The lodge rooms are MUCH too small for us.)
-Took a longer hike on the Balanced Rock Trail
-Took a nice hike on the Lindy Point Trail to the Overlook
-Hiked to the brink of the Elakala Falls from the lodge

I know this is WAY too much detail --but I do a lot of my Blog posts so that I can look back at previous posts to see what we've done.... March 9th this year was a FUN day for us --and I'm so glad we did SO much that day... BECAUSE---the next day,  it rained all day long (so no more hiking for us on that trip)...

I will do a separate Blog Post showing all of the waterfall pictures we took while there.  BUT--today's post will show you a few pictures from some of our walks/hikes.... Hope you enjoy!!!!

The ICY "Gentle" Trail which was defintely not very gentle on this day..... This is a neat trail for those who cannot do much hiking since it is flat and paved.  It's also good for someone in a wheelchair... You can see Blackwater Falls from this overlook.

While driving on the North Rim --we stopped at an overlook and could see the back of the Blackwater Falls LODGE ---where we were staying... Our room was on this back side..

A 'zoomed' picture taken from the Pendleton Point Overlook --of the Blackwater River --as it flows through the canyon.

Pendleton Lake is a neat little recreation area in Summer.   There is another waterfall off of Pendleton Lake --but not accessible.  

This is our hike on the Balanced Rock Trail... Gorgeous area --but EXTREMELY slippery in spots.  George took this picture of me on a little icy bridge...

Little friends spying us on the Balanced Rock Trail;  They probably laughed when George took a tumble on the ice...  Somehow,  I didn't fall --but it was close a few times!!!!  

BALANCED ROCK in the Blackwater Falls State Park, West VA --3/9/20

Pretty trail (except for the ice);  The Balanced Rock Trail would be great to see in the Summer when the Rhododendrons were blooming.

George at MY Favorite Trail of the day,  the hike to the Lindy Point Overlook;  This trail was not as slippery --most of the time! But--it's more popular than the Balanced Rock Trail ---hence a few more people around.

Look at this tree 'bench'---just made for me (along the Lindy Point Trail).... 

AH---we made it to the overlook!!!!!   Now you can see why this is my favorite trail/overlook..  SO SO SO gorgeous!!!!  You can see the Blackwater River below,  along with the train and some hiking trails.  This is virgin area ---and there's so much land around to explore!!!!! 

My Sweetie Birthday Boy on his 78th birthday ---at Lindy Point Overlook, 3/9/20!!!!

Amazing rock formations all around us... Our platform was built around these rocks.   Now you can see a hiking trail on the left side.   This would be an awesome place to be at SUNSET.

Not my picture --but wanted you to see what the mountains here look like in Summer.... This makes me want to come back SOON!!!!

A panorama showing more of the Rock Formations all around the overlook!

The two Lovebirds ---at the Lindy Point Overlook,  Blackwater Falls State Park,  3/9/20

WELL---did you enjoy seeing the pictures?  Does that make you want to take a little trip to Blackwater Falls?   IF you love nature --and being away from the crowds,  this may be the place for you.  We love it here,   so I'm sure we will be back again sometime.

Our biggest complaint was the lodge rooms... The rooms are very very small,  with barely enough room to turn around comfortably...      SO--the next time we go,  we'll rent a CABIN (which is only a few dollars more per night)--but has A LOT more room in it!!!!!

I will have one more post from this wonderful little trip... In that post,  I'll feature our waterfall pictures mostly...

Hope all of you are staying healthy through this Pandemic.   If you are like me,  you are SO READY to get things opened back up again,  seeing people go back to work,  and  all of us just being back to normal again (whatever normal is).....  In the meantime,  let's continue being patient --knowing that this too will pass!!!!!  We'll have many stories to tell to future generations about the COVID-19 CoronaVirus Pandemic and all of the ways it has affected our lives.

Have an awesome week---and remember to share some LOVE and HOPE and PEACE this week.
Hugs,

West Virginia or Bust!!!!! (3/7 and 3/8--2020)

"Country Roads---Take me Home..."

Since none of us can travel these days,  I want to take you on a "Virtual Ride" to West Virginia...  For George's special Birthday Trip this year,   we took a little trip to Blackwater Falls State Park in West Virginia (from March 7-12, 2020).   I am so glad we got to make this trip before the COVID-19 Corona Virus restrictions happened...  BUT--after reading about the few number of cases in West Virginia now,  I wonder why we just didn't stay there longer!!!!! ha

Hope you enjoy Day 1 and 2 of this little trip.... Get your cuppa,  sit back,  put on your seat belt --and come along with us to see what we saw those first two days!!!!

As we traveled through Virginia,  I took this picture of snow-capped Mt. Rogers  (near Marion, VA).

Cutie Pie Georgie----enjoying some Carrot Cake in our motel (Princeton, West VA) on our first night on the road. The Birthday Celebration BEGINS!!!!!

After leaving Princeton on Day 2,   we headed north, opting to take the 'backroads' through the mountains.   Taking the backroads takes a little longer --but OH --so worth it!

We just had to stop and check out this little Covered Bridge.  The name is the Indian Creek Covered Bridge and it was built in 1898.  This bridge is located in Monroe County, West VA.

George took this picture of me standing at the Indian Creek Covered Bridge.

While taking pictures at the Indian Creek Covered Bridge,  I spotted this little country church nearby!!!!

Beautiful OLD home we passed  (near Lewisburg I think);

Look at this beautiful home!!!!!   WOW!

Buckle up tight.... We're headed UP UP UP the mountains!!!!!  Higher and Higher we go!!!!   Guess what????  The female in the car was SO excited to see SNOW!!!!  If you are following us on a map,  we are on Highway 219,  near Snowshoe Mountain Ski Resort, elevation 4800 feet.

We stopped at a Dairy Queen at Elkins so that the Birthday Boy could enjoy his favorite,  a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard.... YUM...

WE MADE IT!!!!!   Welcome to Blackwater Falls State Park!!!!!  (This state park is located near Davis, West VA,  and is almost into the state of Maryland!!!!)

The day before his "official" birthday,  we checked into Blackwater Lodge for 3 nights.  

Of course,  we just HAD to take a short walk around the lodge area.   What a wonderful view of the canyon below.  Want to come and sit with me for awhile?   Our room for the week looked out over this awesome canyon.

The old lady SNOW LOVER just had to play in the left-over snow!!!!! ha ha

WELL---this completes Day 2!!!!!   Stay tuned to see what we did on Day 3 (George's Official 78th Birthday)...

Hope you enjoyed today's little trip... George and I both love West Virginia and have taken several trips throughout the state all through the years.   I'll bet this won't be the last one!!!!!

Have an awesome week ---and please do everything you need to do to stay HEALTHY --and Virus-Free....

Hugs,

Blackwater Falls State Park---West Virginia

George, the Birthday Boy,  enjoying Blackwater Falls,  3/9/20

Hello Blog Friends and Family,   We are home after a little trip to Blackwater Falls State Park,  West Virginia,  to celebrate George's Birthday...  It was a fun, relaxing trip ---and both of us were feeling good enough to do some hiking.  On his 'actual' birthday (3/9/20),   he was THRILLED to get up-close-and-personal with beautiful Blackwater Falls.   My Sweetie LOVES waterfalls --and loves taking all of the water pictures he can get!!!!  I loved sharing this with him on his birthday.

We only had 2 full days there --and unfortunately,  one of the two was a day of RAIN.  (I think it followed us from Tennessee... ha ha)...  BUT--we made the most of the one day we had to hike and search for waterfalls...

They had had about 6 inches of snow the day BEFORE we got there.  SO--luckily for us,  the roads were already fairly clear but there was a little snow still around for me (the snow-lover) to enjoy!!!!  The hardest part for us was hiking in the shady areas where there was quite a bit of ICE... I can walk in snow and mud --but struggle walking on pure ICE....  BUT--we made it!!!!

Some of the areas we hiked/walked to were Pendleton Point,  Pendleton Lake,  Gentle Trail --where we could see Blackwater Falls from above, Balanced Rock Trail (hardest one we did due to the ICE), Elakala Falls,  and Lindy Point.   All of these areas will be featured on other upcoming blog posts.

Today's post is mostly about the lodge and Blackwater Falls...   Hope you enjoy!!!!

On the road to the lodge;  You can see how much snow was still there (3/8/20)

Blackwater Falls State Park Lodge,  where we stayed for three nights  (3/8/20)

The lodge on a beautiful day,  3/9/20;  This was after our hike to the top of Elakala Falls.  

We first took the "Gentle Trail" (flat and paved but slippery) above the waterfall --just to see it from above.  If you look to the left of the falls,  you can see the platform which we walked down to get a close view. There are a couple of people standing there.

Once we finally made it to the bottom overlook,  I turned around and took a picture of the platform where we had just been (see picture above)....

OKAY---now we are beginning to head down those ICY steps. There were 214 steps to get to the bottom.  Going down is usually easy --but not this time with all of the ICE.... Miss Betsy was hanging onto the edge the entire way!!!! But I was determined to do it!!!!! ha

The first several steps down were 'trying' to clear (since the temperature was in the 40-50's on this day).  BUT--still treacherous for the 'faint of heart'!!!!

I had my boots on --but even that didn't prevent me from slipping some.  "Hang on, Betsy!!!"

Slow and Easy was my MOTTO!!!!!SO pretty though!

The farther down we went,  the more ICY it got.... That may look like snow --but it was NOT!!!!

I stopped and took a picture of the Icicles and snow along the side of the gorge.

We made it to the bottom!!!!  Yeah!!!  So totally amazing... Wish you could see/hear my videos showing the "power of the water"....  WOW!

At the bottom of Blackwater Falls,  there was an amazing RAINBOW.... Wish you could see my video of this also!!!!

George pulled out the tripod and took our picture together on his Birthday (3/9/20)

I'll close with this awesome picture that George took of Blackwater Falls.  I love it when he makes the water look so silky!!!!!  My man is just SO amazing!!!!

There's so much more to tell ---but as I said above,  that will come later!!!!  Going up and down those 214 steps was a challenge to us two OLD people --and I think we were the only older folks who ventured all of the way down!!!  BUT--it was SO SO SO worth it....

On the way home in the car,  I asked George what was the highlight to him.   He said it was getting down to the bottom of Blackwater Falls and taking pictures and videos there....  I totally agree with him.

I have been afraid  to travel much and hike much these past several months --after having several small (and short, luckily) A Fib attacks...   When my stinkin' heart starts beating hard and heavy,  I just have to stop everything and let it do its thing.  So far,   since my ablation last June,  I have been very healthy  (I'm on NO medication for my heart now except for my blood thinner) for the most part and these little attacks have been short ones (about 24 hours max).

Anyhow,  I tried to remain calm and not get anxious (even when hiking on the ice) ---and that seemed to work for me.  I made it through the trip (and since being home) without an attack!!!!!  One of my major triggers for my A Fib is anxiety---SO if I can do my deep breathing and relax as much as possible,  I seem to do better....  I'm so thankful for a great trip --not only for George,  but also for ME!!!!   Thanks be to God!  (Now --I'm ready to do another one!)

Prayers around the world for all of us --as we deal with Covid-19 (Corona Virus),  doing everything we can to stay healthy.   We always wash our hands and did that long before this virus.  Since elderly people (US) are most susceptible to this virus,   we need not to be 'stupid' with our choices and decisions. BUT-we need to do everything possible to stay as healthy as possible.  We definitely do not need to live in fear,  and over-react to the situation.    PRAYERS for you and your family!!!

Have an awesome week, my friends.  Stay HEALTHY!!!!!
Hugs,