Permanent SAG: Abingdon, Virginia

June 27, 2020

White's Mill and Mercantile. It is 3.5 miles outside of Abingdon, Virginia, about a 45-minute drive from our campsite. The Independence Sparks loaned consort and I a book called, Off the Beaten Path. It lists out-of-the-way places to visit; attractions that are not so packed with tourists. White's Mill in Abingdon was featured in the book. The drive to Abingdon was beautiful, and we enjoyed seeing the old mill, which is still in use today. We were completely entertained by our conversation with the proprietor of the Mercantile.

The trailhead for the Virginia Creeper Trail begins in Abingdon and runs through Damascus, Virginia. We have not yet done the bike ride from the top of Whitetop Mountain to Damascus due to stormy weather.

Today is a very sunny day, but we've had three solid weeks of rain showers, and the forecast is for rain every day next week. The rain doesn't slow us down, we all have raingear -- including the mangy mongrels, but the novelty of a rainy day has worn off. A bike ride in the rain can be slippery, and is never pleasant; consort and I are holding out for a dry, sunny day.

With all the rain, the creek has been very high. Here's Bella watching the ducks, waiting for them to get closer. And there's D.O.G. checking out the rapids. He's sporting his new super-short haircut -- which we all love!!

We stopped by two additional places in Abingdon. The first was a cave just off Main Street where, allegedly, the wolves who attacked and killed Daniel Boone's dogs lived.

We also stopped at the local cemetery. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll know I am a taphophile, a person interested in cemeteries and gravestones. I love reading the epitaphs; they can be thought-provoking and give you a small glimpse into an individual's life. Each cemetery tells the story of a time, a place, and the people who lived and died there. We find it fascinating!