The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-10-23
A PERlLOUS
SUMNER OUTING
4 Richmonder's Visit to Black Rock
Interestingly Told.
NO GAME BUT MANY MOSQUITOES
An Almost Impossible Journey Over a
Rough Mounfain--Cofd, Sparkling
Water at High Altitude -
Quaint Summer Resort.

Ao,Nt q, moro than two Richmonders
bcssdes myself have ever heard OF sack
Rock so an account of my recent uip
there NAV at least have tho merit Oh
noveI,v For several summers past
dear. good friend and have been IN the
habit OF meeting In Harrisonpurg va
and spending our vacation tose'her'
amusing ourselves In the meanwnhe WIN
bunting principally squirrels. Last year,
-o,oA was most abundant. II was no
uncommon thing for us 20 get up at three
or four O'Clock In the morning, drive by
fhe beautiful moonlight for some ten or
twelve miles over one Of the magnificent
turnplkes which leads from Harrisonburg
and return IA few hours with from
twenty 20 thirty squirrel. But this year
everything is different. for these inter-
esfinr little rodents are very migratory
in their habits. frequently moving en-
,na,se for consider able distances. so That
where Mt one time they may have been
most abundant the next season they may
be az scarce as the proverbiali men
teeth" This f. certainly an off year
with them for we had hunted high and
low. far and vile with no success. so
one dey my friend said. lets 20 TO
Black Rock" At this suggestion i felt
n slokly smile creep over my counten-
ance for once before ne had inveighed
me into a trip 20 this place. IL happened
IN this wise with our wives we started
10 drive from Ilarrisonburg 10 n point
soune sixteen or seventeen miles distant
intending to dine there, and drive back
in the afternoon. And just here remem-
Der that when within mile of our des-
fination. while driving along country
road through an old field. / saw sign
hoard marked "123d street AT right
angles TO this was another board marked
/ thought II a,
5oke. but no. | was informed that they
marked the lines OF the proposed streets
Of a proposed boom town. They never
rot beyond the proposition. Enough
ground had been laid off IN streets TO
duplicate New York, Richmond or any
other OF our large cities. After all, 1t
was a ioke-a huge joke-a very sad joke
for some people. The signs make good
landmarks though--the farmer can tell
his hands 10 go TO Twenty-ffth street
and Pennsylvania Avenue and begin cut
ting down corn.
TROUBLE AHEAD.
But have missed my road. We reach
ed our destination. had dinner. when
my friend suggested that instead OF re-
turning home. we should go on TO Black
Rock, spend the night and return the
next day AS he alone knew anything
of the place, we did not know what no
was getting us into. ~ N'Nf N'i'N 'Al
we started At first everything was live
". But presently we began TO climb the
mountain and then our troubles began.
The road was so steep. the horses could
only toll along AZ walk, the carriage
bounced and bumped over innumerable
rocks. at times the road was so narrow
II would have been impossible TO pass
an approaching vehicle. towering sleeps
on one side, deep ravines on the other.
h., clio nf a n
night approached. and some uncertainty
ms 10 the road and one can readily ina
CINE how extremely uncomfortable were
our feelings Darkness had quite over
taken us when we found ourselves at the
foot Of a hill so terribly steep, that but
for our desperation and the sight or
twfnkiing lights at the top which we were
told was our destination, we would hard
" have dared to climb. But we got
there and as we pulled up our well-nigh
exhausted horses in front of the hotel.
thought II was the gloorniest place l
had ever seen. The ladies were positively
I'll with fatigue and compelled 10 retire
TO their rooms at once and the next
morning impored that we would shake
the dust OF the place from our feet as
speedily as possible so bright and early
we left, silently registering n vow that
II a Merciful Providence would forgive
zion for us TO be forgiven a similar Of
fensA
What wonder. then. that ] looked with
dubious approval upon my friends pro-
position to repeat the trip. But upon
enquiry, We were informed that an ex-
cellent road had been built to the place
and that the management this season
was good, and squirrels we must have
so the trip was made. And sure enough
we found an excellent, well-macadamiz-
cd road, all the way up and one so nice
ly graded that the horses trotted along
at a good gait all the way. and after a
pleasant drive of a few hours we reached
our destination where We were cordially
welcomed by the genial proprietor, Mr.
Harris. who during all OF our short stay
vas unremitting in his attention TO our
somfort His table was well supplied
with excellent fare-plain. but substan-
tial, without any "frills' bat an abund-
ance OF chicken. vegetables. nice rich
milk and everything nicely cooked and
served.
AN ELEVATED RETREAT.
Black Rock Springs are about twenty
Ave miles from Harrisonburg. The place
II not particularly well known. doubtless
due to the past inaccessibility owing 10
the wretched mountain road which form