Rain and shine - a lovely one week immersion in the mountains of West Virginia.
We stayed at a lovely Air B&B as home base at Snowshoe Ski resort. Julie and I joined friends Jim and Nancy for a leisurely exploration of the sites and scenery of West Virginia's Pocahontas county.
Yellow Swallowtail
Female Swallowtail
Pink Mountain Laurel
"Rain, Rain, Rain, go away"
Rain and full foliage kept us away from the birds but I was able to find this Red-eyed Vireo
American Goldfinch
We had a fun evening chasing this Killdeer and her chick
Beautiful Indigo Bunting
\
Fascinating day at the Green Bank Radio Astronomy Observatory
This is a view of the largest such telescope in the world at the time it was made. The history of Radio astronomy was explained on our tour and exposed us to all those big questions in life about existence and the universe. When visiting the area you experience the Quiet Zone...no interference allowed like cell phones , microwaves, radios, etc.
A visit to the area must include a trip on the Cass Steam railroad. The 100+ year old railroad offers a four hour excursion with lunch up the mountain to hear about the logging industry in West Virginia
The rain subsided long enough to spend a day driving on the beautiful Highland Scenic Highway, one of the National Scenic Byways. The leisurely drive allowed for numerous stops on overlooks and further hunts for Birds and Butterflies.
Beaver Lodge off the Highland Highway
What fun to travel with our friends Nancy and Jim, who so generously share their experience as
amertuer Naturalists
