Virginia Highlands Camping Trip 2013

A couple of weekends back I headed to Virginia for the annual camping trip that my buddy Daryl from Cincinnati puts together every year. I've made it to all but 3 of them since 2004. We camp at a small semi-primitive campground in the Jefferson National Forest between Independence and Wytheville. Due to limited time off available I kept it short and camped two nights; I left Columbia around noon on Saturday after hosting a yard sale and arrived at around 5:00 and then had similar travel times on my ride home on Monday. I rode my Honda NC700X, and it performed very well on the interstate, on the twisty roads in the area, and on the 4-mile dirt road leading to the campground.





Some pretty flower blooms that we usually don't see this time of year at the campground. I guess the lengthier spring has allowed them to bloom a bit longer this year.





Daryl cutting up and making coffee. His camp coffee always hits the spot!


Daryl's wife Sheila and their grandson Wyatt; he's a cool little dude.




Odd-looking lizard that paid us a visit. Does anyone know what type it is?


Daryl tending to breakfast duty. Scrambled eggs and goetta, a really good sausage-like food popular in Cincinnati.


Sheila checking on the eggs.


Breakfast is served! Yum!


This is their friend Robin that came with them this year. She's an avid blues fan, and I learned a great deal about that genre of music from her on this trip.


Daryl and I hiked to the top of Comers Rock, where we were treated with this spectacular view.






Daryl and Lexie cutting up.




Frisbee incoming!


Another fantastic breakfast! No goetta, but some of Sheila's excellent potatoes!