Big Two-Sided Mountain

We went to Waynesboro for the weekend, and as we headed home on Sunday across the flat land in Virginia between Harrisonburg and the mountains, the sun began to creep out after three days of rain. The golden glow through the trees was beautiful. The long alley through the GW National Forest is more dramatic than tedious under these conditions.

By the time we began to climb the serpentine road, the sun was full out, and the ride up was glorious. The rock walls were studded with purple asters among the red and yellow shrubs and grasses. Yet as we neared the top, we saw a drift of mist out over the gulf and bang, when we topped the mountain, we were in the thick peasoup fog that continued all the way down the West Virginia side. We could see nothing but the yellow line, which thankfully is all you need.

It was pleasant to think of the surprise awaiting the cars that were laboring upward in the fog. If in fact the tunnel through the ridge that we longingly joke about existed, we would all have missed (mist) this now-you-see-it, now-you-don't experience.