This trip was only for 2 days, but it was so worth it. Larry (the host) is a great guy, friendly, chatty, and very helpful. The cabin is cozy and rustic & included a number of amenities. I brought my little dog, Molly, with me, and she enjoyed running around the wide open space. There were some horses on the property. The main reason for the trip was to take advantage of the nice, dark skies for telescopic views. As a backyard astronomer, I was impressed. Stars galore - my educated guess is Bortle 3 conditions, NELM about 6. Light pollution was only an issue within about 10-15 degrees of the horizon in all directions. Constellations easy to identify. Deep sky objects easy to find. Observed galaxies M51, M101, M81, M82, M61; globular M13; ring nebula M57; Orion Nebula; Crab Nebula; carbon star R-Leporis; open clusters M35, M37, and M44, and more. Temps fell from mid-upper 40's near sunset through 30's to mid-upper 20's by sunrise. Dew points about 20F. Discerning galaxy structure not easy, perhaps due to mediocre seeing (jet stream nearby) and/or higher moisture content. With steadier seeing/drier air, I have no doubt it would have been more than enough to view H II regions in M33 and M101. Used an Orion 12" f/5 truss-tube dob. And yes, you can set up the scope right on the elevated outside deck, attached to the cabin, with unobstructed views to the south and west; somewhat restricted to the east and north. And when the cold got to be too much, I simply stepped inside the warm cabin for a break! For those in the DC area, definitely consider this location. It is 85 miles from where I live in Alexandria. Spruce Knob is 170 miles from my house, and Cherry Springs, PA, is about 275 miles. The cabin location in Reva, VA, in Rappahanock County, has competitive skies with these other locations, and is also much closer to home. Hope to go again in June and September. It's a wonderful place to take a vacation and get away from it all. Thanks Larry!
