Yesterday, I noticed two insects caught in her web, disrupting the shape of the web by tangling themselves in the silky sticky threads. This morning those insects are gone and the web perfectly repaired. A few months ago, I was seeing snakes everywhere I went. This week, it's been spiders. Little yellow spiders, long-legged brown spiders, fat-bottomed beige spiders. Normally, if I were to spot one at home, I'd sweep the web into a dustpan and squish the spider in a kleenex, with a gruesome yet satisfying crunch. But I've adopted a live and let be policy for these arachnids the last few days. And I must say, as I've been noticing the geometric variations of each web I see glinting in the morning sun, I've developed a new appreciation for these eight-legged wonders. Spiders are fascinating creatures. Fascinating creatures that love to sink their fangs into me - my legs are covered in swollen bites - but fascinating nonetheless.
When I was seeing snakes, I took comfort in the symbology of them. Snakes are often seen as symbols of rebirth. It seems that the spider is my spirit guide for this trip, so I consulted the trusty website spiritanimal.info (what do I know?) on the significance of spiders. They say:
The spider is a remarkable figure of feminine energy and creativity in the spirit animal kingdom. Spiders are characterized by the skilled weaving of intricate webs and patience in awaiting their prey. By affinity with the spider spirit animal, you may have qualities of high receptivity and creativity. Having the spider as a power animal or totem helps you tune into life’s ebbs and flows and ingeniously weave every step of your destiny.
Here's to honing my spidey sense.
After leaving the treehouse, I set out for a scenic drive on Shenandoah's popular Skyline Drive. There are overlook turnouts every 1/3 mile or so, and each provides a stunning vista of the mountains and valley. I wanted to get a short hike in this morning, so I made my way to Jones Run Falls, a 3.4 mile in-and-out hike that leads to a lovely waterfall. The hike was densely wooded, and being early in the morning there were almost no other people on the trail, so I clapped my hands and sang to myself to make enough noise to potentially ward off any wildlife that might startle me.
Arriving at the falls, I had the place to myself, and sat reading and enjoyed a snack before turning around.
After the waterfall hike, it was time to head west toward my next stop. After a stretch of interstate driving, I turned north on the Midland Trail, and wound my way through the mountains and small towns of West Virginia. My iPod serendipitously lost battery power at this point, and I was able to get scratchy reception of a radio program called "The Blue Ridge Radio Hour", which was playing old time tunes like "Big Rock Candy Mountain" and "Sittin' On Top of the World", perfect accompaniment to my backcountry drive.
I have to say, while the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah is lovely, there's something "officially beautiful" and sanctioned about it, being that it is preserved in a national park setting. But there's something about West Virginia that is unexpected and wild and takes my breath away. I loved driving through tiny towns, seeing hillbilly kids riding their bikes, dogs in front yards, shuttered gas stations still advertising gas at $2.79 on their signs, all of this against the most beautiful backdrop. I couldn't help but bring to mind the John Denver lyrics, "Life is old there, older than the trees. Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze."
I arrived in Fayetteville, WV around 4pm and checked into my charming barn loft, and set right back out for another short hike.
My host recommended the Long Point trail, a moderate 3 mile in-and-out hike that leads to a rocky outcrop with an unbeatable view of the New River Gorge bridge.
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| Sunday selfie (that's a thing, right?) |
With over six miles of hiking logged for the day, I was ready to feast. Dirty Ernie's Rib Pit was my choice for the night. With a sense of glee I drove up to this roadside shack, and plunked myself down in a huge wooden booth.
Now, you might be surprised to learn that Dirty Ernie's is not exactly a gourmet establishment. This is the kind of place with wicker baskets of peanuts on each table, where you're expected to toss the shells on the floor. There's wood paneling inside, and college jerseys hanging from the ceiling, and dollar bills stapled to the walls, signed by adoring patrons. I ordered a half rack of baby back ribs which came slathered in sauce, along with sides of mac and cheese and baked beans. I washed it all down with a Long Point Lager, brewed right here in Fayetteville and named after the trail I'd just been on, and it was the perfect match. The playlist was on some random shuffle which surfaced Bette Midler's From a Distance followed by No Diggity. And I tell you, I was in heaven, West Virginia. I devoured those ribs and wouldn't change a thing.
And I left Dirty Ernie with a little something of myself.
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