This doesn't look like Virginia.

That's what I told myself at every bend of the New River this past June. I was on another photo shoot with Sam Dean in Pembroke. This time we were shooting for two days and camping overnight on the river- my first time in a tent since my long-forgotten Girl Scout days. I was ready to pee in the woods. I was ready to get my shoes wet (not with pee). I was ready for the sweat and too much sun. I was ready to not sleep at all. I wasn't ready for the train that would roll through the neighboring meadow at 5 am on day two. It's a hell of a wake-up call, but it got the camp stirring.

​Before I get ahead of myself...

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." -Dr. Seuss

This quote was running through my head both days of the adventure. Here I am. Going. Learning. Camping. Castle Rock (above middle) had been on my radar for a few years, and my attempts to research the formation were relatively fruitless. There wasn't much to learn via Google, so I was super excited to be experiencing it in person.

The rock tower lies on one of the five oldest rivers in the world as it flows through the little town of Pembroke, population 1,128. It's here that Tangent Outfitters provides full service outfitting for fishing, kayaking, canoeing, rafting and mountain biking. They'll even be your guides. With southern charm and accents to boot!

Several portions of the river near Pembroke were lined with cliffs like the one you see above. The river was silent and the morning fog made their unveiling surreal. The moment above is one of my favorites. We were on a jungle safari in Virginia, minus the flesh-eating fish and bugs as big as your hand.

Below are some behind-the-scenes moments. On the left, Sam shoots slo-mo video of the models on day one. I can't tell you how nervous the bend in that jib arm made me. Do you see the camera held up by a string over the water? Shout out to Parkway Brewing Co's Get Bent Mountain IPA in the middle. And on the left, Ron The Bike Guy improvises with a reflector on Whose Line Is It Anyway.

The adventure came and went, 12 million photos were snapped, no one drowned (for the most part), and we all got sun. ​If I were Dr. Seuss I'd make up an awesome ending with mountains and water and paddles and rhyme it with "fun." Instead:

"You're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way!"

​With the shifting weather last week, I found myself making a last minute drive up to Boyce, Virginia to photograph the ginkgo grove on the Blandy Experimental Farm. An impending rainstorm was on the move, threatening to huff and puff all the leaves off the trees. The Farm is a grounds for University level ecological research in the Shenandoah Valley and home of the State Arboretum of Virginia. They also have hands-on programs for K-12 students along with workshops, lectures, camps and tours. I have a lot of respect for places like this.

Their grove of ginkgos is particularly significant not only because it’s one of the largest collections outside the tree’s native habitat of China, but because the grove is a happy result of a science experiment and love of knowledge. In 1929, Dr. Orland E. White, the farm’s first director, began collecting seeds from a single 'mother tree' on the grounds of the University of Virginia. After the seeds germinated, he planted over 600 to determine the sex ratio of said mother tree. 301 trees survived and the ratio was proved to be very nearly 1:1, just as Dr. White had hypothesized. He did not live to see the experiment completed, but the grove lives on today, turning a magnificent gold every fall and dropping its leaves to carpet the floor below. What an amazing memorial, right?

I was warned ahead of time that the smell would be awful (some variant of dog droppings) and to wear appropriate attire. However, I experienced no such scent during my visit. Whether it was the cool air, the slight breeze or Mother Nature’s sweet mercy, I’m not sure. Nb4, I didn't have a cold. I didn't get much of a sunset, but the leaves lit up every frame as bright as any sinking sun.

There was a family running around with a photographer and several other couples leisurely enjoying the display. Newly weds in full attire asked to take a photo in front of the Virginia is For Lovers truck I happened to be navigating. Circumstances, happenstances, being in the right place at the right time; I find joy and appreciation in these moments. Sometimes I feel like the Grinch whose heart grows a size every time I recognize how amazing life is. Then I realize my chest should have exploded some time ago, and I'm glad that's not how it works!

​Most of the leaves have found their resting place for the year, but I’d recommending adding the ginkgo grove to your bucket list for next year. Take a family portrait. Shoot your engagement photos. Road trip with friends. Have a picnic and roll in the leaves like a kid again (while minding the fallen fruit). Don’t let this experience go unchecked.

Natural Bridge, Virginia is, in my opinion, the ideal weekend road trip destination if you’re within a few hours driving distance. My visit this summer wasn’t my first, but was just as exciting (and focused on photography).
 
You’re probably familiar with the stunning 215 foot-tall rock formation that was carved out by Cedar Creek over a period of time unfathomable to us mortals. It’s the natural highlight of the region: once a sacred site of the Native American Monacan tribe, surveyed by George Washington in 1750, a major tourism attraction for Europeans during the 18th and 19th centuries who wanted to see the 'New World' and has been included in several “Seven Natural Wonders of the Worlds” lists. In summation, you should see it for yourself. Folks have been raving about it for hundreds of years!

As if seeing the archway during the day wasn’t magnificent enough, they also have a nocturnal light show. Fair warning, the audio accompaniment depicting the seven days of Creation as described in Genesis is dull as a dishwasher. The visuals are well worth the wait, however. Find you favorite album or playlist and don those earbuds. Enjoy the stars.

I bet you didn’t know Virginia is home to over 4,000 caves. This statistic blew my mind when I first heard. Most of them are not worth mentioning, but there IS one in Natural Bridge with some jaw-dropping formations and an original name to boot: The Caverns at Natural Bridge. (Not to be confused with the Natural Bridge Caverns in San Antonio.) It’s a great escape from the summer heat at a stable 54 degrees Fahrenheit and is a great sequel or prequel to your Natural Bridge geological lesson.

Slightly less geological, but still in the same realm is Mark Cline’s Foamhenge. This is a full size scale replica of Stonehenge made entirely of foam. It’s a heck of a roadside attraction even if it hasn’t stood up to Stonehenge's test of time. This is a MUST stop, even if it's only for a few minutes. And say "hello" to Merlin for me.

Additional suggestions: Grab dinner in nearby Lexington at The Red Hen (a farm-to-table daily menu that won’t disappoint) then catch one of the walking ghost tours. Stay the night at House Mountain Inn (below) and hike to their overlook on Big House Mountain with a bottle of wine. Or scramble up the Devil's Marbelyard. Bonus points: visit in autumn.