It seated 4 people including the pilot. It was a bit of an older plane, but started very well and it only took a couple of seconds to get her off the ground and into the air. Kenny, our pilot, was great! He was so nice and had all sorts of information about the area. We flew over the beautiful mountains and vallies of the Shenandoah area. It was so exciting to see everything from high up! Somehow it makes you feel humbled about the life you live, realizing how small you are in comparision to the world. Kenny pointed out the waterfalls (White Oak Canyon in Shenandoah National Park) that would have been amazing, but they were only operating at 10% of what they normally are (the area is in need of rain).
After we toured for about 45 minutes, Kenny handed the wheel over to Steve to fly the airplane. Ahhh! He did a great job and we got some funny footage of it on our video camera. Just as we started to circle the runway, Kenny took the wheel and we landed smooth and perfect. Here is a picture of us with Kenny after we landed:
The people at Page Valley Aviation are so funny! We talked to all of them for quite a bit afterward. They all tried to convince us why buying a plane would be a great idea and showed us maps of small airports all over Virginia, Maryland, and NJ. All in all, it was a wonderful time!
We stopped at Subway for some lunch, washed the car (there was still some smears from the "Just Married" paint) and walked along the Luray Hawksbill Greenway. This walkway was built along the Hawksbill Creek for recreation and relaxation. It was pretty, but Steve and I were dressed in jeans since we were going horseback riding later in the day, so it was a little too warm.
Speaking of horseback riding, that's where we were headed next!!! I've gone horseback riding about 3 times in my life (this would be my 4th). I really enjoy it and it's something that
I want to keep doing every once in a while in life. Steve pointed out that if the world came to an end and we didn't have any cars, I would be able to survive and travel on horseback.
He wasn't all that exicted about going, but went because it was something I enjoyed-what a trooper!
The farm takes a group of about 10 people at a time with two tour guides, one at the front and one at the back. We had the hour and a half tour and as soon as we were paired with our horses, it was time to go. My horse, Outlaw, was HUGE. I didn't have any trouble getting up because they had a stool to step on, but once I was up, it was certainly a little intimidating. Outlaw seemed really gentle and steady, but a few minutes in, he was spooked by something and whinnied and jumped. I hung on, but was a little more alert from then on.
It was good to have Steve behind me, riding a horse named Carbon Copy. I wonder why they named him that...? I heard him from time to time talking to his horse, convincing him to keep going and not stop for some leaves. Outlaw had a constant itch on his right side and once my leg got caught in his teeth as he was trying to itch it. He didn't bite hard, but I was definately a little annoyed and watched for that head-turning that tells me he's going in for that itch again.
The trail we took through the mountains was winding and rocky. The horses had, of course, been on this trail before, but they seemed to have a hard time finding their footing in several places and it took a lot to lean into your horse and hang on with your knees. The guides didn't want us to allow the horses to eat any shrubbery, but they were naughty and tried to anyway. Oh, and Outlaw had gas-BAD! Boy oh boy- he was letting it loose all the time-and loudly! I kept apologizing for him and then finally ignored it. A horse has gotta do what its gotta do.
On our way back, Outlaw tried to eat some leaves from a tree as we were going down a particularly steep trail and he got a testy. My leg got caught between him and the tree branch. I had to yank his head away and kick his sides forcefully until he moved, but my leg was pretty sore. The people behind me were like, "Ouch, that's gotta hurt!" I didn't want to be the sissy and admit it, but it did. Outlaw got spooked again as were were nearing the stables by another horse. He reared again, and by that time, I had had fun, but was ready to be done.
I think Steve felt the same way by the time we got back. We loved being outside with the horses, but that many horses in close proximity, with that kind of trail was hard on them and since we didn't know their personalities or tendencies, it was hard on us.
We made it into town and ran to Walmart to grab some groceries for tomorrow because we're going boating! Once home, Steve grilled chicken and we ate a nice dinner on the porch. Here is a picture:
We set the alarm for 4:30, so it was off to bed for us at 10:30. Although tomorrow will come really fast, we are both so excited to be on the water.
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