Making A Mountain Out Of A Mole Hill

Posted by Susan Russo on November 9, 2014

Mole Hill

I never knew that The Old Dominion was once a hotbed of seismic activity. Yup, there were volcanoes in Virginia. Today we set out looking for lava in all the wrong places. Actually, they were the right places. The place was just west of Harrisonburg, VA. Rockingham County has some lovely rolling countryside and is an agricultural center that Don & I became very familiar with while our son, Eric, attended The Virginia Military Institute.
We arrived in Harrisonburg and Don was ready for lunch. When in a college town (Harrisonburg is the home of James Madison University) and you want good eats you ask a college kid where to go for grub. We were not let down by the 3 young coeds I encountered on the side of the road. We were lead to a parking lot of food trucks.

Grilled Cheese Mania

Lobsta Rollin food truck

BBQ food truck

Don dropped the “My wife does a food and travel blog” line and scored himself some free clam chowder. It was absolutely delicious. I had a “Rueben” sandwich that was baby bella mushrooms grilled on rye bread with muenster cheese, sauerkraut and thousand island dressing. Also very tasty and a tummy filler.

Car top dining rules (click the hyperlink for video)
However, Don said that the truck with the Mexican food was the outstanding winner. The amazing beef tacos were $1 each. Filling and frugal – just what we love. Thanks JMU girls, ya did good by us.

Where am I? (click the hyperlink for video)

We head west out of Harrisonburg and on to Mole Hill.

Approaching Mole Hill

Mole Hill is what’s known as a dyke, which is a conduit that shunted molten igneous rock up into a volcano. As far as volcanoes go, it’s pretty young at 45 million years. It’s made of dark, igneous rock and has crystals of a green mineral called Olivine in it. This is the last remaining vestige of volcano in Virginia. But wait, there is another Virginia landmark that offers more evidence of volcanic activity in VA! We set out to find it. However, Don has spotted an obscure sign for a museum that offers an “electric map” of Stonewall Jackson’s Valley Campaign. If you know my husband at all, you are aware that he has a passion for the “War of Northern Aggression” (his words). His ultimate Civil War hero is Stonewall. He has now requested that we stop at said museum.

Kid in a candy store (click the hyperlink for video)

The Rockingham County Heritage Center had some very nice exhibits of Folk Art native to the area. The “electric map” is a snore fest.

Cowboy

The folk art exhibit

Spinning & weaving exhibit

Uncle Sam wooden mailbox

Don in a chimney kiln

After this diversion, we headed on to our next destination on the Virginia Volcano Voyage: Natural Chimneys

Natural Chimneys

These amazing structures are the result of an intrusion of molten igneous rock that burst through the crust. This occurred about the same time Mole Hill developed and the chimneys are made of different layers of rock.

Another view of Natural Chimneys

A sweet bystander with her dog offered to take our picture.

Gosh, he’s cute!

Thoroughly satisfied that I have explored the vestiges of Virginia’s volcanic history, we head home. I can’t resist a few shots of really cool houses that I encounter on the way.