It’s a sunny, warm August morning in the Shenandoah Valley with hot summer temps on tap through the weekend. Local public school children returned to classes this week in a new school schedule for Augusta County, Staunton, and Waynesboro that begins earlier and ends by Memorial Day.
Some Friday morning thoughts….
Watching the skies: Did you see the Perseid meteor showers last night, the most prolific in 20 years? No, we didn’t either, but we all have another chance tonight for the most prolific showers in this annual event. We didn’t have artificial light issues here in the Shenandoah Valley and the skies were clear but the moon was bright enough to dim the stars. With competition from the Olympics, the meteors lost out in our attention span. Maybe we’ll check back tonight….
Watch out for the bears: If you’re heading to the Blue Ridge Mountains, keep an eye out for the black bears. Last weekend’s activity centered around the Humpback Rock picnic area along the Blue Ridge Parkway (MP 5-9) after a bear broke into a vehicle parked at Dripping Rock overlook which is a connector to the Appalachian Trail. Other reports of active bear activity caused authorities to close the Humpback Rock picnic area with trail warnings. See more here. Enjoy the mountains but stay safe out there.
Staunton area activities: If you’re heading to the central Shenandoah Valley, be sure to check out my 40 Things To Do In and Around Staunton for tips on historic areas, restaurants, hotels, and more.