Second Summer Road Trip: First Stop, Damascus, VA

We took a second massive summer road trip starting at the end of July. We spent the first couple of days on our own and then met up with Chris, Annmarie and the nephews for a week of travels in the National Parks.

Our first stop on this trip was Damascus, Virginia, right on the Tennessee border. Damascus is known as "the friendliest city on the Appalachian Trail" and is a popular through-city for AT hikers. Damascus is also home to a section of the Virginia Creeper Trail (which runs along the AT in sections), which was our goal. Because it is a small town in southern Virginia, everything was inexpensive and we opted to book a pretty room overlooking the mill dam (at the Old Mill Inn of Damascus):

View from our room

View from our deck, looking towards the mountains

The ducks really like to drink from the water just as it goes over the dam

These little ducklings attempted to get in and got swept up in the rapids. I caught this picture just before their mother went squawking frantically after them (they were all ok)

In the evening, we decided to walk around town and then have dinner at our hotel:

Lots of trail-themed murals

This is a section of the Creeper Trail which we did not bike. It is an old train trestle over a stream.

The ducks were back at dinner (which we ate on the deck)

In the morning, we were surprised to find that our room included a homemade breakfast (fresh bundt cake and hot-from-the oven muffins, as well as quiche and other breakfast delicacies - it was really something). We took a table by the window and got to watch this heron hunt for fish:

After breakfast, we headed to the bike shop. Damascus has a number of shops that will shuttle you and your rental bikes to Mile 34 of the creeper trail, the start of the most popular section. You can then bike one-way - almost entirely downhill - back to mile 16, where Damascus is located. This section of the trail is beautiful:

Ready to go

First train station (the trail is a reclaimed Railroad right-of-way)

First of approximately 20 railroad trestles we crossed - you can just see Abby getting to the bridge at the end

Famous picture, Old Maude Bows to the Virginia Creeper. It was on display at this station

Here are Kevin and Benji at the same station, which has been preserved as it was

It was pouring for much of the route, and we got soaked, but it was still beautiful

Back at the bike shop. We were REALLY muddy by the end

Staff laughing at Benji (and offering to take a hose to him, which we eventually did)

We had unfortunately already checked out of the Inn, so we had to clean up and change as best we could in the bathrooms. Everyone was ready to get in the warm, dry car, so we skipped lunch and started making our way towards Nashville, our next destination.