Coming Back Home

Wait, it's not what you think. I am not heading back to Arizona. Rather, I have come to the state of Virginia, into which my paternal ancestors first emigrated back in the mid-1600s. Of course, at that time, Virginia was the first colony of what would become the United States. I've been fascinated with my paternal family history for many decades and on this trip, I've learned even more about them.

My 7th Great-Grandfather, William Ball, who was born in England in ~1632, emigrated to the colony of Virginia in ~1649 as an indentured servant on a ship captained by John Fleet, settling in Christ Church Parish, Middlesex, County. After the typical time of 5 years working off his indenture, he was granted a land certificate on October 24, 1653.

I have yet to visit Christ Church Parish, but it's on my list of places to see in Virginia in the future. But, I have been staying in an area that is very close to the great migration route, known as the Wilderness Road, where my ancestors traveled. It gives me goose bumps when I think about it. After leaving Virginia in the late 1770s, they settled in Kentucky and lived there for several generations.

I've been spending my time in Virginia in and around the town of Wytheville (pronounced With-vill), which is a small close-knit community, at an elevation of 2,400' in the Blue Ridge mountains. The Stony Fork forest service campground is only 8 miles from town, situated at the base of Big Walker mountain.

My own slice of the Jefferson National Forest - Site 45 in Stony Fork Campground

Stony Fork campground has its own resident Beaver that Steve, the camp host, refers to as the campground mascot.

Stony Fork creek that winds its way through the campground

As luck would have it, I found not one, but two four-leaf clovers in the campground. They are definitely getting easier to spot. Here's the second one I found. I've decided to no longer pick them and to leave them be for others to see.

The Big Walker lookout tower that has been managed by the same family for many, many years is located near the top of a lovely twisty, turning scenic byway, just a few miles from camp.

Big Walker Lookout and Store

View looking Northwest across the road from the lookout

In all, I spent two weeks at Stony Fork, just savoring the cooler, less humid climate. I ventured up north to West Virginia to check that state off my list (only 10 to go now) and stopped in the community of Bluefield.

My next camp takes me to the Cumberland Gap, which is home to some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen, as well as lots of national history.