{"id":13247,"date":"2022-12-01T16:26:57","date_gmt":"2022-12-01T16:26:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/usnomadstudio.com\/usnomads\/blog\/?page_id=13247"},"modified":"2022-12-01T18:48:47","modified_gmt":"2022-12-01T18:48:47","slug":"notes-from-the-road-8-14-april-2022","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/usnomadstudio.com\/usnomads\/blog\/?page_id=13247","title":{"rendered":"Notes From the Road — 7-15 April 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"
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NOTES FROM THE ROAD<\/h2>\n
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NY: Long Island\u2026<\/h5>\n


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Relaxing by the Backyard Fire Pit\u2026<\/strong><\/h6>\n


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11 April 2022:<\/strong> Settling in back on Long Island with a mild spring day and a nice warm fire in the backyard fire pit — feels good to be home \u2026<\/p>\n

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VA to NY: Marathon Drive to Home\u2026<\/h5>\n


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The Drive North\u2026<\/strong><\/h6>\n


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10 April 2022:<\/strong> Woke up determined to make it home today, and got on the road focused and ready to just drive until I arrive, whatever time that may be. Traffic wasn’t too bad until I got near to New York City, where it slowed to a crawl as usual, as if to say “Welcome Home to NY.\u2026<\/p>\n

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VA: Shenandoah National Park\u2026<\/h5>\n


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Rainy day on Skyline Drive\u2026<\/strong><\/h6>\n


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9 April 2022:<\/strong> Decided to linger a bit despite the rainy weather, and took the “slow road” — that is Skyline Drive — through the Shenandoah National Park. The drive was easy and there was very little traffic (probably due to the weather), but lots of wildlife. Made quite a few photo stops along the way\u2026<\/p>\n

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TN to VA: Back in the East\u2026<\/h5>\n


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Long drive day eastbound\u2026<\/strong><\/h6>\n


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8 April 2022:<\/strong> Another marathon drive day crossing the state of Tennessee. Made it all the way to Abingdon Virginia, just across the border. The landscape and look of the town is the first clear sense that I am very definitely “back east” now. And the skies are dark and threatening\u2026<\/p>\n

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AR to TN: The Legend of Petit Jean \u2026<\/h5>\n


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Arkansas and the French Connection\u2026<\/strong><\/h6>\n


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7 April 2022:<\/strong> Learned a lot about the connection between France and Arkansas this morning while exploring Petit Jean State Park. I went there in search of ancient rock art in a cave, but found out much more about the French heritage of an area I knew little about before — only associating the French influence with Louisiana. Interesting discoveries here for sure \u2026<\/p>\n

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PREVIOUS NOTES FROM THE ROAD<\/a> ><\/a><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n
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THIS MONTH:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\nTrail Guiding for the California 4-Wheel Drive Association’s second annual Death Valley Experience<\/a> fundraiser event running March 30-April 2, 2022. Each day will feature a choice of runs to some famous, some infamous and some secretive points of interest within Death Valley National Park. The runs will depart from Furnace Creek and from Stovepipe Wells. Some of the points of interest we will visit during Death Valley Experience 2022 include Zabriskie Point (famous), Barker Ranch (infamous) and the Racetrack (learn the secret of the moving rocks). Other points of interest include Dante\u2019s View, 20 Mule Team Canyon, Artists\u2019 Drive, Chloride Cliffs, Aguereberry Point, Skidoo, Titus Canyon, and Darwin Falls. All of the trail runs are suitable for novice drivers and SUVs with high clearance and 4-wheel drive…
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COMING UP SOON:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\nUSnomads.org is very proud to be presenting a brand new kind of rally experience for 2022 — the Nomad Overland Virtual Adventure Rally<\/a> a ten week event that participants can do from anywhere within the continental U.S.A. Competitors design their own routes as part of the rally, then drive it in a points-based online competition that includes optional activity tasks, quests and weekly challenges. The rally will run from 6 June – 14 August and is open to any driver within the United States who has an off-road capable vehicle — stock or modified. Registration is now open and continues until 31 March or until the event is full, whichever comes first. For more information see the Rally website<\/a> or Register Now<\/a> \u2026

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ABOUT SKYLINE DRIVE<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Skyline Drive runs the length of the Shenandoah National Park. The paved road is\u00a0105 miles\u00a0long stretching north and south along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is the only public road through the Park. Driving it straight through without stops takes about three hours on a clear day. As you travel along Skyline Drive you will notice mileposts on the west side of the road that help visitors navigate the Park and locate areas of interest. There are 75 overlooks along the way as well as connections to all the major visitor centers, campgrounds, lodges, picnic areas and most trailheads. The central section of the drive, between Thornton Gap and Swift Run Gap, is a land of superlatives \u2013 highest park elevation, highest point on Skyline Drive, most land mass and arguably the best views, too…
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ABOUT PETIT JEAN<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Petit Jean Mountain<\/a> has a fascinating history, and the Legend that tells how the mountain received its name, begins in the 1700s with the story of a young French Nobleman, Chavet, who was going to explore a part of the Louisiana Territory. Chavet was engaged to be married to a beautiful young girl from Paris, Adrienne Dumont. When told of his plans, she asked that they be married right away so she could accompany him. Thinking of the hardship and danger on the journey, Chavet refused, telling her upon his return if the country was good and safe, they would be married and go to the New World. Adrienne was determined to go with him anyway and disguised herself, applying for a position as a cabin boy on Chavet’s ship. The girl was incredibly clever in her disguise, for it is said that not even Chavet recognized her. The sailors called her Petit Jean, which is French for Little John. They sailed across the ocean, ascended the Mississippi River to the Arkansas River, and arrived at the foot of this mountain. Some time later, Petit Jean became ill with with fever, convulsions, and delirium, and in the course of treatment her identity was discovered. The girl requested to be carried back to the mountaintop that she had spent her last days on, and be buried at a spot overlooking the river below. The Indians made a stretcher out of deerskins and bore her up the mountain. At sundown, she died. The low mound of earth found at the mountain overlook is said to be her grave…
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