Virginia state park trail maps almost always include the quote, “Virginia State Parks are a tonic for the mind, body and spirit.” That quote has always resonated with me when I’ve read it while hiking or exploring. Being back in a state park after so many private campgrounds does feel like a tonic; there’s something way more natural and relaxing about the vibe. After my epic solo hike (it was a lot of uphill climbing), I got back to camp in time to help the kids get showered and send Phineas off to play some Friday Night Magic.

While Phineas did his Magic thing, Jake, Penelope and I ate at a ramen restaurant (delicious) and explored the pedestrian mall area of downtown Ithaca. We’ll definitely need to go back when more of the little shops are open. A major highlight for Penelope was petting and playing with someone’s miniature dachshund puppy! After a few hours we picked up a very happy Phineas; he was so glad to have gotten the chance to play magic.

Quick backtrack in time… yesterday on the drive from Lake Placid to Ithaca we stopped to tour Howe Caverns, a huge underground cave similar to Luray in Virginia. The cave tour was great, but the really spectacular part was the boat ride. After walking a half mile or so through the cave viewing various formations, you board a boat to float down the underground river for the last quarter mile before turning around. It was such a unique experience to float down a dark cave river 15 stories below the earth’s surface. The boat had no motor; our guide propelled it by pushing off along the cavern walls. I seem to be slowing down on my picture taking. I had trouble finding enough pictures for this post!