We decided to try camphosting in Virginia. The application process took longer than we expected, but after a few months of jumping through all the hoops of the process, we were finally approved as camphosts. We checked out the opportunities and signed up for the month of April at Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield, VA.

Pocahontas is Virginia’s largest state park with more than 3,000 acres of forest, lakes, and recreational areas. During the summer months, the park has a pool complex, concerts, weddings, and other events. In April, camping, hiking, and mountain biking are the main activities for guests.

There are two camping loops, each with about 65 campsites and an assortment of yurts and small cabins. Camp Hosts are primarily cleaners, along with being customer service reps and extra eyes and ears for the park. We were responsible for taking care of sites 66 through 129 and six small cabins, five days a week. Park Host volunteers covered our days off.

In exchange for volunteering, Camp Hosts are provided with a free camping spot and a number of bonus points to use at other parks. Any commitment of this sort comes with joys and challenges.

Watching spring arrive in Virginia is absolutely lovely. Dogwoods and redbuds in bloom greeted us upon our arrival. The dogwoods always remind me of white lace stretched through the forest. A graceful beginning to the season.

As the dogwood blossoms faded and fell, other trees began to sprout their tiny chartreuse leaves. In just a few short weeks, we watched the forest go from bare to fully dressed for summer.

Of course, blooming trees give off pollen, which presented an ongoing challenge. Everything was covered with sticky green pollen. Lots of pollen. Locals were saying that this was a champion year for pollen. (Lucky us!) Oh, well. Into each life, a little pollen must fall.

And speaking of things falling, camphosting is a rain or shine activity. We were a bit surprised by so much cold, rainy weather early in April. We were back in winter jackets and gloves to ride around in our open golf cart, but it warmed up as the month went along.

We worked with a terrific team of volunteers and staff. For us, this is one of the greatest benefits of volunteering. Traveling as we do, there aren’t a lot of opportunities to meaningfully connect to like-minded folks. We really enjoyed our team at Pocahontas. Here, we got together for a pizza party for Sheri’s birthday. From left: Park Ranger Twila, Sheri, Deb, Sally, Karen, John, George, and Fennigan the Frisbee Maniac.

Lots of volunteers work in a park this size: carpenters, firewood cutters, gardeners, and retail hosts, among others. One team monitors the many bluebird houses. One of the houses has a “bluebird cam,” with a display monitor in the laundromat complex. These photos were taken ten days apart.

Lewis Gintner Botanical Garden
On one of our days off, we met up with our friends Cindy and Bill at the Lewis Gintner Botanical Garden in Richmond. We first met this dynamic duo when we volunteered for Habitat for Humanity in Florida. With luck and determination, we’ve managed to have our traveling paths intersect occasionally since then. It’s always fun to see them, and the time always seems too short.

We chatted and caught up while we walked the gardens, which really are wonderful.

This truly is a spectacular garden. Beautifully landscaped with a wide variety of specimen trees and plants, lovingly maintained by staff and volunteers. What a big dose of spring for winter-weary visitors!

We weren’t able to visit the conservatory, which is undergoing a massive construction project. Something to see another time!

We had a delicious lunch in the garden’s cafe, strolled a bit more, and reluctantly bid our friends farewell …till next time. Lewis Gintner Botanical Garden

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
We saw a billboard promoting a special exhibition at VMFA and decided to visit.
Frida: Beyond the Myth, is an intimate look into the art and life of Frida Kahlo.

The exhibit features more than 60 works, including numerous self-portraits and rare photos and videos. This exhibition is only scheduled to appear in two American museums: VMFA and the Dallas Museum of Art. We found it to be especially insightful and well-worth the visit. This was a good article of explanation: Frida: Beyond the Myth

The VMFA is more than a museum; it’s a community hub for Richmond and the Commonwealth. Indoor and outdoor spaces welcome visitors.

Most of the museum is free. There’s a modest fee for special exhibits. While we were there, we saw folks relaxing, shopping, dining, picnicing, and enjoying indoor and outdoor art. A great model for public spaces.

Petersburg National Battlefield and Petersburg, VA
Two local folks, who frequently visit Pocahontas State Park, suggested that we visit Petersburg. So, on our last day in the area, we drove to Petersburg. We visited the battlefield, and then historic Petersburg.

The Petersburg Battlefield is a National Park that tells the story of the 9.5 month Civil War siege of Petersburg from June of 1864 to April of 1865. Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee both recognized Richmond’s vital importance in winning the war, and that the key to taking Richmond would be through Petersburg. During this longest siege of the Civil War, both sides endured incredible hardship. 70,000 lives were lost.

Cut off from supplies and resources, Lee’s forces left Richmond and Petersburg and evacuated to Appomattox County, planning to regroup. However, the strength of the Union forces was underestimated, and ultimately Grant surrendered at Appomattox a few days later. It’s a complex story, and in our visit, we realized we’d only scratched the surface of this piece of history. The visitor center shop was filled with books about the strategies of this period of the war, Grant, Lee, Lincoln, and other key personages. To read more about Petersburg see the National Park Service Petersburg Site

We went into nearby historic Petersburg and walked the Old District. It’s obvious that the city is striving to preserve its history. We saw quite a few older buildings that had been transformed into apartments or modern businesses. The octagonal city market, which has been rebuilt several times, stands at the center of town, and is now a restaurant.

At the South Side Depot, we saw a contractor repointing brick.

The ruins of Peter Jones trading station date from 1675.

Shops line the old streets, where new businesses occupy restored historic buildings. This is a living, breathing city that’s worth visiting.

On our way out of town, we saw fields of cotton, likely where battles were fought, so long ago.

And so, April has passed. We completed a successful month of volunteering and we have moved along. We’re spending a few days relaxing and exploring eastern Virginia, before going further. This area is drenched in history. So much to see and learn!

Our summer travel plans are in the works. Stay tuned for more tales of our travels!