After a very long day, we finally made it to the Super 8 motel in Daleville, Virginia. There is really nothing to do there, but it made for a quick ride to our next stop – the Natural Bridge. I’ll first give you a brief history of the Bridge. It was first discovered by Monacan Indians but was eventually discovered by Thomas Jefferson, who purchased the Bridge, as well as 157 acres around it, in 1774. It is said that George Washington surveyed the Bridge, as his initials are carved in the side. Given its location, it was most definitely traversed by Civil War soldiers. It holds a ton of historical significance, and therefore it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
To get there, you pretty much have to drive through vast stretches of wide open fields. It’s quite beautiful, but there is nothing to see or do for miles. I always just assumed that type of landscape was seen out in the flyover states. Boy, was I wrong. We actually drove over the top of the Bridge on US Route 11 to get there. I don’t know why, but that just baffles me. The Bridge is so old, yet remains extremely sturdy.
When we finally got settled in the park, the 215-foot Natural Bridge is actually pretty close to the entrance. It’s a huge limestone gorge that was carved out by the Cedar Creek. Even though I knew this going in, nothing could have prepared me for the beauty I would see. The walkways were designed in such a way that you turn a corner, and all of a sudden, there it is, the amazing landmark. The Bridge has been included in several “Seven Natural Wonders of the World” lists, and it is easy to see why. I was honestly left speechless, which really does not happen often; I talk a lot. I still am speechless. I can’t think of anything to describe the amazing spectacle.
After staring at the Bridge for a solid half hour or so, we headed deeper into the park. We continued to follow the Cedar Creek trail, that leads to a replica Monacan Indian Village. Here we learned a little about the Indians and watched how they would have lived over 300 hundred years ago. We learned about shelter construction, hide tanning, rope weaving, tool-making, gardening, harvesting, preparing meals, making baskets, etc… It was pretty neat. It reminded me of a place we’d go for a school trip back in middle school. Very educational, but not necessarily adventurous or riveting.
After the village, we continued along the trail and stumbled upon the saltpeter cavern. The contents of the cave served as a valuable resource for ammunition during the War of 1812 and the American Civil War. Gunpowder was made from the nitrates found in the saltpeter cave. The cave itself is now closed, but you can still get close to it and take a peek inside. After a couple of photos here, we continued onto Lace Falls. It was very pretty, but its 30-foot cascade paled in comparison to yeterday’s 100-foot waterfall.
After our nice stroll through the Natural Bridge State Park, we headed over to the caverns down the road. I had never been that far underground, so I was pretty excited. The man had warned us that it was going to be chilly down there, but I ignored him, as I was sweating profusely, and frankly quite tired of this southern heat. I wish I hadn’t ignored him. It was quite a shock going from 93 degrees and humid to 57ish degrees and damp. Once down there, our tour guide was excited and fun. He told us the cool story of the two young boys that were paid to explore the caverns. He explained the different terms they use, including “cave bacon”. He even shared various quirks and shapes that he sees in the rock formations down there. I definitely enjoyed his company down there. He made it fun looking at rocks.
After the cavern, we were famished. Our next, and last stop of the day was the Pink Cadillac Diner. It’s a spunky spot. I had a huge 50’s and 60’s phase when I was about 10 years old (in the year 2000, yay, Y2K!). I loved the classics. I grew up with Elvis, and “Build Me Up Buttercup” was just so damn catchy! So, needless to say, I felt right at home in this place. The wait was pretty long, but there are only 3 places to eat in Natural Bridge, so we waited. Thankfully, the service was pretty quick. We each ordered a burger, and our food was out in about 10 minutes. I must say, though, that the venue and service was a 10, but the food was only about a 5. It was ok, but nothing special. I wish I had tried a milkshake. Maybe that would have been a better pick to thoroughly judge the food there.
#LovesToTravel 