Day 4: Harpers Ferry, WV to Lexington, VA (212 miles)
Monday, 17 October 2005
Last updated 20 Oct 2005

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1. With Debbi & breakfast

2. Walking trail to ...

3. ... Jefferson Rock ...

4. ... which I climbed up ...

5. ... illegally!

6. Shenandoah & Potomac rivers

7. Bridge to Maryland Heights

8. Railroad Tunnel

9. Though-provoking words ...

10. ... on posters ...

11. ... at John Brown museum.

12. Scenery ...

13. ...

14. ...

15. ...

16. ...

17. ...

18. ...

Debbi of the Angler's Inn (see Day 3) happily awoke 1/2 hour earlier to [1] give me breakfast earlier than the normal time. Walked around the historic district in Harpers Ferry in the morning. It's a very small town, and there are nice views of the [2] Shenandoah River from [3] Jefferson Rock, which I [4] climbed up, [5] illegally as it turns out. Harpers Ferry is at the [6] confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah river, and you can cross the [7] railroad and pedestrian bridge (yes, on separate tracks ...) into [8] Maryland Heights.

An important Civil War battle was fought in Harpers Ferry and Maryland Heights and many buildings in the historic center and dedicated to museums and exhibits on the U.S. Civil War. I don't think I realized the extent of the carnage and destruction in the Civil War until I read about and then saw some of these museums and sites. The John Brown museum had some especially interesting exhibits and the words on some of the displays were striking when viewed in the present-day context. Here are three samples:

bullet[9] "1854: The Republican Party is created to oppose the further spread of slavery."
bullet[10] "1860: Abraham Lincoln Elected. The Republicans capture the White House as the Democrats split over the slavery issue."
bullet[11] "Intolerance in a 'Free' Society: While America the nation proudly championed the values established in its Declaration of Independence, America's citizens often failed to practice, promote or protect those values." (And now?)

On to Virginia, to Skyline Drive, within Shenandoah National Park, a [12-18] beautiful drive on the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It continues into the Blue Ridge Parkway, all the way through North Carolina. I got as far as Lexington, VA.

Lexington, Virginia, is a small, cute and rather sleepy little town than contains the Washington and Lee University and the VMI (Virginia Military Institute). At the suggestion of one of the workers at an ice-cream shop in town, I walked into VMI's Preston Library and used their open computer stations to access my e-mail. Quite legal, actually, since they have an unusually open-door policy (unencrypted WiFi too if you prefer) to the public. And all the cadets call you "sir"; after a while I started to feel like I actually outranked them!

Dinner in Lexington was at the excellent Southern Inn Restaurant (37 S. Main Street, 540-463-3612). A casual place with two dining areas (one adjacent to a bar). The "soup of the day" was a Fish Stew, and was absolutely delicious. Everything in the restaurant is made fresh, with fresh seafood and other ingredients and it showed. I got three of the fish stews (after sending the first one back to be reheated, of course) and that made a very good (and inexpensive) meal. Tried and enjoyed more Virginia wine, too.

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