Hauntings and History: On the Road to Virginia

“The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.”

~Winston Churchill

We took it nice and easy this morning, so that the kids could enjoy this campground’s playground and Halloween decorations. This campground was less busy than the others. We felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. That made  it even more spooky with all the Halloween decorations.  

This area has so much history. Ron wanted to go drive down some of the old country roads and see the Delaware River.  I am so glad we got a chance to drive down these roads in the daylight.  Seeing the overgrown roads and the old homes built on the wayside made me feel like we should be in a horse-drawn carriage instead of our truck and RV.  The drive through the Delaware Water Gap National Forest was breathtaking.

The Delaware Water Gap is a water gap on the border of the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania where the Delaware River cuts through the Appalachian Mountains.  Ron loves the rich history of this area. It was a key location during the American Revolutionary War, especially with George Washington’s famous crossing.  The river was serene and beautiful.  The lush vegetation along the shores, still water, and sounds of life around the river created a tranquil moment.  Looking out I couldn’t imagine all the battles that happened along its shores. Before Europeans arrived at the Delaware River Watershed, the area was home to the Lenape tribes. I wish I could catch a glimpse of what life was like here before they were forced to move west.  

Part of my science degree included botany, and I love to teach the kids about the different tree species we are seeing and the ecosystem. At home, Ariel and Wyatt enjoy playing with the Douglas fir cones we have in our backyard. Here, they’ve discovered acorns.  We are starting to accumulate a lot of “special” acorns that the kids find. Hickory, maple, oak and birch trees fill these forests, creating a different smell than the forests back home. On our hikes we are enjoying how much easier it is to walk through this forest than the coastal rainforests.

I’m a fan of the easy walks but not the ticks I’ve heard they have here. Thankfully the kids haven’t heard about the ticks yet, so their hikes are still carefree. We’re all enjoying falling asleep to the sounds of the crickets and katydids. And Maggie has become more obsessed with the chipmunks with each passing day.

We drove through 4 states today: Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia.  As we drove through these states Ron, who loves Americana, was talking to us about the area’s stories. Along our journey today we discovered Valerie Hill Vineyard and Winery. Built on an old estate steeped in history, a Federal style brick manor house dating back to 1807 serves as a focal point. The home (Valerie Hill) was built by Revolutionary War Captain Peter Rust. After learning from experience that not all parking lots are RV friendly, we called ahead to make sure we would “fit”. They directed us to their back parking lot.  After a few pull forwards and backing up we were able to turn the truck and RV around so that we could be set up for when we were finished our tasting.  

The moment we walked up to the old house you could sense a different energy.  I’ve watched enough ghost hunter shows to suspect this old home could be haunted. Still, it was beautiful. And Josh, the GM, who poured our wine, was fantastic.  He prepared our tasting for us and told us we were free to walk around the house and explore.  

We could explore all two floors except the attic area.  They’d restored the home so well that it felt original. It was beautiful. However, we learned there has been some paranormal activity here. The owners of the winery claim the house teems with ghosts including a Civil War Soldier, a well-dressed woman, and a boy condemned to spend his life in the attic. Perhaps that is why it’s off limits.  

Josh even told us about a few strange things that have happened to him while serving wine in the house. Doors become locked and pictures move and he says he can just feel that he’s not serving wine alone. The wine was wonderful and our quick wine tasting turned into over an hour of chatting with Josh, enjoying the charcuterie board he prepared for us, and sipping wine.  If you are ever in this area we highly recommend this winery.  Our experience at this winery was top notch.  

We loaded up our cases of wine (can’t wait to fill our new wine cellar) and headed to our KOA just outside Shenandoah NP. The kids automatically loved this campground for its Halloween decorations. I have never camped this close to Halloween before, and I am loving the festive spirit. The last couple days of travel have caught up with us so it was straight to bed after we set up. I am excited to see Shenandoah NP tomorrow and fell asleep to John Denver’s “Country Road” playing on a loop in my head.