The Breaks

I apologize for my delinquency with this blog! This past weekend, I went camping with 100 or so Appalachia Service Project staffers at the Breaks Interstate Park ("Grand Canyon of the East") in Dickenson County, VA. The drive over was stunning and it was wonderful to see so many friends from last summer. Though this summer is absolutely what I need at this point in my life, I think I will be ready to go back to ASP staff, or perhaps ASP staff liason, next summer.

One of the best parts about the Breaks is the rope swing. Although I did not get to go swimming last year, I experienced this fantastic rope swing two years ago, as a volunteer in Dickinson County, VA. To get to the rope swing, you have to swim about 1/4 of a mile down the river. Then, you will come to a deep pool beneath a railroad trestle. The trestle is maybe 100 or 200 feet above the water, and a rope hangs down from it. You climb up a cliff at the side of the pool and when somebody throws the rope to you from the water, you grab onto it, swing out and jump! Although I swam this year, and jumped off the cliff a couple of times, the rope kept getting tangled and I didn't get a chance to jump off it. More incentive to be there next year, I guess!

One of the more interesting things I saw on my way was a Sacred Heart statue outside of an Old Free Will Baptist Church. Who would have thought?

P.S. The past two post titles are taken from signs nearby. Signs about the second coming/ quoting scripture are EVERYWHERE.