Last Tuesday morning I had intended on sleeping in at the campsite and then getting back on the road right after breakfast. That is until i found out Greenbrier has a lake. Though it is man-made, the 42 acre lake is picturesque with hills and forest surrounding it.
Much of the shoreline is sandy beach and there are wading and swimming lanes corded-off. Being the middle of the day on a Tuesday there weren't many people at the beach; it was pretty much me and 3 moms with toddlers. The water was still warmish and it was great to swim in the lap lanes without worrying about running into anyone. But being an ocean person i will admit that it was weird having no waves. And everything being brown instead of blue. And being able to see the bottom. And swimming with fish. Most of the shallows were filled with fingerlings of what looked like bass, but there were several foot-long trout cavorting about. (
though they never help still long enough to be in the picture)
As a chick with a degree in marine science i was astounded to see something that looked like a wee little jellyfish swimming about. I wish i'd taken a picture, but i saw it coming in from swimming in the deeper water so i didn't have my camera with me. I was pretty sure that there were such things as freshwater jellyfish, but i'd never seen one - until now. I did some research and
this is the little guy i saw.
After swimming it was reading on the beach. I'm not sure there is any place better to read than a nearly deserted sunny, warm (
but not hot) beach next to mountain lake. Unless of course you don't properly reapply your sunscreen after swimming and you have freakishly fair skin. sigh... Yep, i didn't feel it until hours later, but i fried some choice bits. The back of my right shoulder and tricep and the back on my left calf were red like crabs out of a steam pot while the rest of me was still really white. Not only did it hurt, but i looked like a checkerboard. [
i did try to take a picture that night, but the flash in the mirror washed out just how red my skin was. Plus it was a picture of my butt in a bathing suit - i deleted for the good of everyone!]
Despite the sunburn it was a great way to spend most of the day. I broke camp and was back on the road by late afternoon.
Much of the shoreline is sandy beach and there are wading and swimming lanes corded-off. Being the middle of the day on a Tuesday there weren't many people at the beach; it was pretty much me and 3 moms with toddlers. The water was still warmish and it was great to swim in the lap lanes without worrying about running into anyone. But being an ocean person i will admit that it was weird having no waves. And everything being brown instead of blue. And being able to see the bottom. And swimming with fish. Most of the shallows were filled with fingerlings of what looked like bass, but there were several foot-long trout cavorting about. (though they never help still long enough to be in the picture)
As a chick with a degree in marine science i was astounded to see something that looked like a wee little jellyfish swimming about. I wish i'd taken a picture, but i saw it coming in from swimming in the deeper water so i didn't have my camera with me. I was pretty sure that there were such things as freshwater jellyfish, but i'd never seen one - until now. I did some research and this is the little guy i saw.
After swimming it was reading on the beach. I'm not sure there is any place better to read than a nearly deserted sunny, warm (but not hot) beach next to mountain lake. Unless of course you don't properly reapply your sunscreen after swimming and you have freakishly fair skin. sigh... Yep, i didn't feel it until hours later, but i fried some choice bits. The back of my right shoulder and tricep and the back on my left calf were red like crabs out of a steam pot while the rest of me was still really white. Not only did it hurt, but i looked like a checkerboard. [i did try to take a picture that night, but the flash in the mirror washed out just how red my skin was. Plus it was a picture of my butt in a bathing suit - i deleted for the good of everyone!]
Despite the sunburn it was a great way to spend most of the day. I broke camp and was back on the road by late afternoon.
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