Day 294: Harpers Ferry

 Twice a year, we plan a day of hiking and wine tasting with some friends.  It coincides with some Jewish holidays during which we have some days off, and it has become a bit of a tradition.  Today was one of those holiday outings - off to state number eleven (West Virginia!) for the baby.  Our destination was Harpers Ferry.  Filled with tons of history, this cute little town sits at the junction of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers.  It was the perfect fall day for a hike - nice and brisk, but not too cold.

Bridge over to the Virginius Island, on the hike down to the lower town. 

Fall colors! 

Playing and hanging out with Ruth. 

 The John Brown Fort - the building in which John Brown and some of his followers barricaded themselves in the final hours of the raid.

At the point where the two rivers meet

 Train tracks over the Potomac River

VERY steep steps up to St. Peters Roman Catholic Church and Jefferson Rock.  

I had about 25 pounds of baby on my back - it was quite the climb! 

 Pondering her snack, sitting on Jefferson Rock.

On October 25, 1783, Thomas Jefferson stood at this spot when he traveled around the state, research for his book Notes on the State of Virginia.  He found the view from the rock impressive and wrote that "this scene is worth a voyage across the Atlantic."

View of the lower town from the walk down, which was entirely easier than the hike up. 

Following our visit of Harpers Ferry, we drove to a nearby winery.  This is the second part of our tradition - hike, then wine tasting.  Josh found this adorable (and great!) little winery not far away in Virginia, and after a tasting, the owner was kind enough to let us eat our lunch in one of the upstairs rooms.  The wine was VERY tasty.   

Playing peek-a-boo from behind Daddy's chair during lunch. 

Apparently we had so much fun, the poor kiddo was pooped!