5/13 Pipestem State Park, Pipestem, WV

After a week in Michigan and a week visiting grandkids in Ohio, I am back on the road again.  It was a long drive from Ohio to Pipestem, but I was looking forward to this campground.  However, I am discovering that it is harder to get satellite TV in eastern states than it was out west where there were no trees.  Dish uses two satellites, and I could only get one here.  If the trees had grown a couple more leaves, I would not have even had that one satellite!  Nice full-hookup sites, however.

This is a large park in the Shenandoah Mountains.  I went for a long bike ride today, and stopped first at the very small nature center where I found this cabin. 

The road is wide and pleasant, but pretty empty during the week here because it is early in the season.  Nice thing was that it was 87 degrees out today!  Haven't been that hot in a long time. I actually had to run my AC at night.

At the recreation area, there was a golf course, pool, tennis courts, and this amphitheater.

I think this is a jogging track, rather than a go-cart track.

There are two big lodges in the park.  The smaller one is closed, but is down by the river and accessible only by this gondola.  Only problem is that it was closed until Friday, so I was out of luck.

Nice view, in any case.

Down by the bigger lodge, these deer were looking at my from the picnic area.  At first I thought they would run away, but it turns out they walked closer to me.  Apparently, they are used to begging to goodies.  Bad deer!  Bad people feeding them!

This is the bigger lodge, which was open, but very empty.

Great view from the lodge balcony!