Bears, Bridges and Buh Bye!

We woke to the sounds of silence, glad that our lantern held out for the night enjoying a cool breeze through the windows of the RV. Everyone was still feeling a little ill from the seafood buffet but it was worth it! Wolf was still talking about the lobster the next morning! Peaks of Otter on a Friday night is the ticket!

There’s signs all over the Virginia picnic grounds and campgrounds that it IS BEAR country and you need to watch what you do with your trash. As we pulled out of the campground, a bear ran in front of the RV! Max and I screamed together, then screamed again as it was followed by two cubs! Still sitting there in shock, we gasped as a third cub followed suit! Max, aka Nature Boy was so excited to see a “real bear in the wild!”

We drove into the town of Bedford for gas and a signal (see separate post, it’s that good) and got back on our way down the parkway! We stopped at Abbott Lake and took the trail around, enjoying listening to frogs sing ending up again at the Peaks of Otter Lodge! Max said it was a sign that we need to go in there for breakfast but I poo pooed that idea and we got back in the RV.

We stopped at the James River and enjoyed playing with the old timey toys of Appalachia. Wolf went to work on a nail puzzle while Max and I played with the Jacobs Ladder and other toys. Don’t you love it when someone tries to turn things into a teaching moment and the only one listening is Mom? The nice ranger and I had an in depth talk about how ingenious the mountain people were to come up with the Jacob’s Ladder and other toys to keep the children busy. When he tried to include the boys in our conversation both boys had that look of, “gee mister, we went to school for 9 months, we don’t want to learn ANYTHING this summer.” They couldn’t help but listen in.

As the mile markers ticked from 40 to 30 to 20, I asked at one Overlook if they wanted to stop for a picture, Max replied, “It looks like all the other oberlooks, mountains and mountains and mountains!” I guess in a way we were starting to get a little burnt out of all the “beautiful views!” I heard Wolf say to Max in the back, “If I hear one more time about how HARD the mountain people lived……” Made me want to take that Wii and shove it, well…..
We hit mile marker 0 and I felt exhilaration! We did it, another thing checked off of the bucket list! It felt good to finally see this accomplishment when I started out scared to death about pulling out of the parking lot! I climbed mountains, I took out construction cones, I cleaned up spills and we hit the goal we’d set. Now THAT is priceless.

Finally off the beaten path, we decided to stay in Natural Bridge, Virginia and finish up our trip with a trip to one of the seven wonders of the world! It is a wonder that we finished without killing each other so we splurged and signed up for the Monster Museum (tomorrow) the Natural Bridge and the Wax Museum. The Wax Museum for me was VERY creepy. All the mannequins in there had that serial rapist, killer, Hannibal Lecter, Jason look on their face and the real eyes staring out creeped me out. I walked through amazed that the boys weren’t creeped out at all, making sure that no one posed as a wax figure only to grab at us (more girlish scream than the June bug). The exhibit finished with the last supper complete with Jesus on the cross then the Resurrection.

Natural Bridge lived up to all it was billed, the natural rock bridge amazing as we walked under it! We followed a trail sweating our patooties off to a waterfall and back. George Washington carved his initials into the wall of the bridge and we didn’t find them until the way back when Wolfgang pointed them out. The boys loved the walk and said that this was the best day ever because they saw a bear, caught a caterpillar and found George Washington’s initials! Little things make them happy.

Finally, we started at a KOA campground and we’re ending at a KOA campground, though this spot is not as good as the first as we feel like we’re in the crooked house as the RV leans to the left. There’s a Christmas in July party and all the full timers have their RV’s decked in Christmas light while all I have to offer is one lunchable and a lantern. Oh well, we did find George Washtington’s initials. So when they start the karaoke and the first song is “I’m too sexy” it’s time for bed for our two little wonders in the world, Monster Museum awaits along with Foamhedge in the morning! Have you seen any of the natural wonders of the world?