The Skyline Drive over the Shenandoah Valley

   Day #11, I got up at 6:00 am to drive the Skyline Drive which is over a hundred miles long. There are several overlooks that have magnificent vistas.  The one pictured above is on the east side of the Blue Ridge Mts, early, just after sunrise when the mist is still laying in the valleys.   The tree to the left is what is left of a hickory tree.  The extra is a picture of the plaque which explains that humans brought a beetle with them with was not indigenous to the area.  The insect infested as many hickory's as they could find, and nearly killed every one.  Now, the forest rangers spray chemicals on the very few that were saved.  It is an example of unintended consequences of man walking the mountains.