I spent a number of years living in Northern Virginia, at a time when my kids were growing up and I was able to take them on many trips to the mountains for hiking and camping. Two of my kids still live there. Here are some of the highlights of trips I've made there.

Great Falls, 1980

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 5/17/1980 Posted: 8/4/2025		Page Views: 152
Hashtags: #Hiking #GreatFalls #Virginia
A day trip to Great Falls with our friends Mike and Dick.
Estimated reading time: 2 minute(s) (247 words)

In May of 1980, our family set out to visit a local scenic spot known as Great Falls. Accompanying us were our friends and my former roommates, Mike Mundell and Richard (Dick) Keminck. This felt like stepping into a rugged slice of untouched wilderness just beyond the hum of Washington, D.C. This is where the Potomac River thunders through the narrow Mather Gorge, its frothy white rapids crashing over jagged rocks with a force that echoes through the humid air.

Foggy Day on Skyline Drive with Davey

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 6/7/1980 Posted: 8/3/2025		Page Views: 249
Hashtags: #Hiking #ShenandoahNationalPark #Virginia #SkylineDrive
Hiking Skyline Drive offers a breathtaking journey along Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, even in the fog.
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s) (224 words)

In June of 1980, our family set out for a misty adventure along Skyline Drive, winding through the heart of Virginia's Shenandoah National Park. Accompanying us was Davey, a buddy with whom I worked, and who was waiting to bring his wife and kid up from wherever it is he came from. The morning fog hung low over the Blue Ridge Mountains, softening the landscape into a dreamlike blur as we parked the van and doled out canteens. With each step into the damp woods, the hush of the fog wrapped around us, turning familiar trails into mysterious paths and making the day feel like a quiet escape into another world.

Mary's Rock

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 5/12/1984 Posted: 12/7/2025		Page Views: 2,009
Hashtags: #Hiking #ShenandoahMountains #Virginia #MarysRock
A visit to a Virginia high country landmark.
Estimated reading time: 2 minute(s) (442 words)

Mary's Rock is a favorite hiking spot in the Shenandoah National Park. Its popularity is partly because it's a fairly easy hike, partly because it offers a spectacular view from its summit, but mostly, I think, because it's so easy to get to. The trail head begins at the parking lot of the concession right at the entrance to the park, where US 211 crosses the Skyline Drive.

Picture Day at Skyline Drive

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 9/8/1984 Posted: 12/9/2025		Page Views: 412
Hashtags: #SkylineDrive
Photos of myself, Mary and the kids with beautiful natural backdrops.
Estimated reading time: 2 minute(s) (369 words)

In 1984, Skyline Drive felt like a ribbon of freedom winding through the misty ridges of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, where families packed station wagons with coolers and cameras to capture the sweeping overlooks. The road carried a sense of timeless Americana—children leaning against wooden guardrails, parents unfolding maps, and the hazy horizon stretching endlessly behind them. Those family photos taken along its curves became more than snapshots; they were keepsakes of a simpler era, when the journey itself was as treasured as the destination.

Shenandoah Hiking

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 9/15/1984 Posted: 12/9/2025		Page Views: 200
Hashtags: #SkylineDrive #ShenandoahNationalPark #WhiteMarkedTussockCaterpillar
Taking the kids to a photo op in the mountains of Virginia.
Estimated reading time: 2 minute(s) (440 words)

It took about 2 hours to drive to the Shenandoah Mountains from our place in Reston. But if we didn't have anything else planned for a weekend, and the weather was nice, we'd pile into the station wagon and tool on up there. Leaving in the morning, we might have lunch in Front Royal or Sperrytown, wander around for a few hours, then grab some dinner on the way home, arriving in time to watch Diff'rent Strokes on TV.

Yes, Santa Claus, There Is A Virginia

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 11/15/2008 1:30:00 PM		Page Views: 3,290
Hashtags: #Humor #FreeFlights #UnitedAirlines #BestWestern #DullesAirport #Virginia
My ex-wife and I make a cross-country visit together to our children in Virginia.
Estimated reading time: 10 minute(s) (2346 words)

Some months ago, my daughter, Karen, was accepted for training as a flight attendant for regional airline, Colgan Air. She passed at the top of her class and is now, indeed, a flight attendant. And, as you may know, this has a direct application to me: I can now make flights for (almost) free, as can Karen's mother, Mary.