Sometimes, you just gotta camp. It might not be pushing any limits, but you know you need to be around a campfire, sleeping in a tent, and waking up smelling like smoke! With some hints of cooler weather this past weekend, Becca and I managed to squeeze in a Saturday night under the stars at the Cove campground after wrapping up a bunch of Saturday morning/afternoon errands.
The Cove is located in Gore, VA (12 miles west of Winchester) and is only 90 minutes away from home for us in Fairfax. Given we weren’t even hitting the road until ~5PM, we needed to go somewhere close! The Cove is a 3,000 acre property with 3 scenic lakes, and also has an extensive network of 4×4 trails (only open for sanctioned events) as well as a shooting range.
Becca and I arrived right at dusk and snagged a designated camping spot back in the woods. The place was pretty busy considering the beautiful weather and a Land Rover Event being hosted on the property. Even with the “crowds”, we had plenty of space and were able to let Huckleberry roam free. The night was filled with campfire talk, good food, and a little too much Fireball whiskey;)
We enjoyed a leisurely morning brewing coffee, burning our remaining firewood, and relaxing. We also wandered over to check out out some of the remaining Land Rovers, including one belonging to a fellow Vermont Overland Trophy Participant from 2013!
On the way home, we stopped by Winchester for lunch, and man did we stumble on a treat of a place! Bonnie Blue Southern Market and Bakery is a homely looking place right in Old Town, and the place completely blew Becca and I away with their super fresh, delicious, and beautiful southern food + desserts. It is now a mandatory stop for us if we’re in the area.
All in all, not too shabby for a last-second quick getaway!
Nice trip report!
I highly recommend Bonnie Blue’s shrimp & grits — so so so good!
Thanks, will check out Bonnie Blue when I head out to the BBRC Fall Crawl.