by Peggy Robin
It's been a few years since I've had the real full-on Fall Foliage Experience. In past years I have:
- done the Skyline Drive thing.
- stayed at a country inn in Vermont
- gone leaf-peeping in the Adirondacks
- gone leaf-peeping in the Catskills
- spent any number of fall weekends in Berkely Springs, West Virginia
- gone on day-hikes near DC to see fall foliage
All of these trips were great experiences and I'm glad to have done every one of them. That's not to say there isn't a downside: I'm thinking of that Skyline Drive jaunt on a peak weekend. Who likes being stuck in a miles-long traffic jam on a winding mountain road? That's one thing I will never do again!
The beauty, the brilliance, the natural wonder of the multi-colored leaves is something you need to see in real life...at least once. Repeat visits can still be thrilling. But I no longer feel I'm missing out if I don't make a special trip every single year.
In the last few years, a short drive along the GW Parkway has provided all I need in the way of autumn glory.
This year, I have decided to save on gas and stop contributing to carbon emissions by staying home and watching the leaves turn color in virtual reality. By that I mean Youtube:
That way, I'm not limited to what's in driving distance of DC.
Here's a one-hour fall foliage tour of New England:
Why be limited to North America? This leaf-peeping drive includes forests in Europe, too:
Want a short one? Here's a 4-minute flight by drone:
Still think it's best to see the leaves up close and personal? Here's a short video from the USDA Forest Service that not only has some lovely footage of fall foliage but also some tips and when to go and where to find peak colors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twNOResyOWU
-----------------
Still Life with Robin is posted on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays.
No comments:
Post a Comment