After a couple of rainy weeks with gray, dreary skies, the weekend of May 7-8, 2016 was warm and beautiful in Virginia! On Saturday we made more progress on the travel trailer we’re renovating, and on Sunday we decided we were long overdue for a day trip adventure.
We decided to go to Bear Creek State Park. There are several ways to get there, and we opted to travel east on I-64, then south on VA Rt. 15. The drive took approximately an hour and a half.
After paying the $4 entrance fee, we drove through the campgrounds, looking for sites that appealed to us. We really liked sites #1 and #3 in Acorn Loop. Both are pull-thru sites, close to the bathhouse, with water and electric hook-ups.
Our next stop was the lake. A few people were out in canoes and paddle boats (which can be rented near the beach), but we enjoyed simply relaxing by the water for an hour or so.
It was so nice to just sit for a while!
While we plan on camping at Bear Creek Lake, we decided to drive around to the other side of the lake to check out the cabins. Very impressive! Some, like this one (#4) have water views. Yes, I could see myself in one of those rocking chairs, looking out over the water!
When we left the park, we took a variety of back roads, and we were delighted to see several fields full of buttercups!
There were wonders everywhere!
Our route home took us through the historic town of Scottsville on the James River. We enjoyed a late picnic lunch beside the river, while watching the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies “puddling” in the mud near the river bank.
We detoured to stop by two cemeteries where I paid my respects to my mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother, and a great-great grandmother. It seemed like an appropriate close to a beautiful, relaxing Mother’s Day.
Things took an unexpected twist, however, shortly after we got home. I walked out on my porch around 9:00 pm, and I was stunned to see a large BEAR in my back yard, tearing down my thistle feeders!! When it heard me, it ran across our small garden area, easily scaled the 4-foot fence, and disappeared into the woods. Whoa!!
After making a few phone calls to alert my neighbors (I live in a suburban neighborhood, not out in the middle of nowhere!), I was surprised when my security light came on again because the bear was dragging a bag out of my trash can! WAY too bold!
After chasing it off a second time, we went out the basement door, armed with two pots that we banged together to make a lot of noise. We retrieved the trash bag, and brought the trash can into the basement.
I’ve lived here since 2001, and this is a first…. I frequently have deer in the yard (along with raccoons), but a BEAR?! Uh, no….
Some time later, I realized that the Universe must be having a belly laugh at our expense: Yep, our Mother’s Day adventure was to Bear Creek Lake State Park! 😉