Got up very early and did some telework before leaving the hotel (0645). It was a bright, sunny day! I used I-81 all the way through Harrisburg and had a bunch of work calls (ran from 0815 to 1145) on the way. It was Election Day and I saw lots of Trump support (big trucks with signs near road and on overpasses, airplane towing banners, flag waving fans, yard signs) in central Pennsylvania. At one point, I got off I-81 and went in search of breakfast - this turned out to be lots of wasted time. Eventually got food at Burger King in Shippensburg, PA (0840) and then got back on I-81. Put some gas in the tank (hoping for cheaper prices to the south) at Sheetz in Williamsport, MD (0920). A bit later, stopped at rest area (just after entering Virginia) so I could take notes during one of the meetings. Continued driving again just after noon. Since Brenna was still at school I decided to take a break near Woodstock to visit one of the State Park units that I'd passed many times in my travels. After a bit of driving on back roads (including single lane bridges) to the east of town, I located one of the newer parks in the system: Seven Bends. I first parked at the Bass Bight area (off Hollingsworth Road), arriving at a (relatively deserted) trailhead there at around 1215. Used REI receipt for free entry and then spent some time walking along a branch of the Shenandoah River - there were a series of trails but they all had a lot of mud. So I decided to backtrack to where I'd crossed the river. I parked again and walked around along the river (near the entrance to a winery). It was very peaceful and the weather was nice. I discovered a rickety suspension bridge while I was walking - because there weren't any signs that indicated that the bridge couldn't be used normally, I started across it (to try to reach the other side of the river). About 15 steps onto the bridge, though, I turned back due to the unsettling swaying motion. I learned later (from the internet) that this bridge (and others like it in the area) was added so residents and visitors can escape the rising waters if there is ever a flood (yikes). After getting in a bunch of steps in this area, I headed back towards town in search of one of the other park units (Lupton Unit). There were a lot more people there, accessing a major set of trails, so I avoided them by parking close to the entrance. From there, I walked around in some fields and near historic looking buildings. Like at the Bass Bight area, the weather was very nice and I enjoyed exploring the pretty views of the river there. Got back on the road (1300), feeling refreshed! Used back roads to reach I-81 and continued south to Harrisonburg, arriving just before 1400. I checked into the Econolodge and then teleworked in my room for almost two hours. Made several calls with Brenna to set up meeting (she was student teaching at her school). I ended up picking up Brenna at 1545 and we drove (via US-33) to Shenandoah National Park. We decided to take a short drive on Skyline Drive (to the south) so we could find some overlooks and short trail walks. This scenic drive yielded good results: we stopped a few times for photos (and to look at the "ice waterfalls"). After enjoying the views at at Bacon Hollow Overlook, we decided to backtrack to Smith Roach Gap, where we parked and walked on a backwoods trail on Hightop Mountain. Headed back to my car after reaching the park boundary (around two miles of walking). We then walked for a short section of AT. Brenna got some good pictures of the sun setting and commented on how much she enjoyed the hike. She added (and I agreed) that being outside was a great way to reduce the stress of Election Day. After that, we drove north to the park exit and headed west on US-33. We stopped for dinner at Romano's Italian Bistro in the little town of McGaheysville (on US-33) and enjoyed a delicious meal (starting at 1745). Our conversation was great - it seemed like forever since I'd been able to visit with Brenna! We'd avoided results of the election for most of the day but then news started to trickle in. Because she had some homework, I took Brenna back to her house at around 1900. I gave her some mail (and other items) I'd brought from New Hampshire and then went back to the hotel (1945). I teleworked for a couple of more hours and, throughout the evening, checked the internet for information about the Election. Brenna and I called and texted in the late evening about plans for breakfast the following morning. I ended up staying awake until 2330 and then went to bed.
