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Photo by Chris Dovi
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Photo courtesy Lexington & the Rockbridge Area Tourism
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Photo courtesy Lexington & the Rockbridge Area Tourism
It's not easy maneuvering a low-slung family station wagon between the canyon-like tire ruts and rain-filled gullies that pit this steep dirt road in scenic Rockbridge County. But the payoff at the crest is worth the risk to both wheel alignment and dental fillings. If the view of the valley below isn't enough, those who make it to the summit are in for more than a glimpse of nature's majesty. What awaits is a testament to human ingenuity. Behold Stonehenge … um, sort of.
The mysterious Anglo-European burial ground marked by 50-ton rock slabs in southern England, dating back to the late Mesolithic or early Neolithic era, has been magically reconstituted in the heart of Blue Ridge Bible Belt country. Only in styrofoam.
"You've heard of Foamhenge? That was me," declares Mark Cline, the proud architect of "magical somehows."
The grounds and office of Enchanted Castle Studios ( enchantedcastlestudios.com ), Cline's nearby gated compound on South Lee Highway, are littered with the corporeal clutter of his own overactive imagination. His walls and tables are strewn with sketches of fanciful beasts and snapshots of their maker made up — convincingly — as Hollywood royalty or rock stars. His studio yard is strewn with the giant heads, bodies and tails of countless prehistoric and post-apocalyptic beasts. A giant clown lays prone near a human heart the size of a VW Bug.
Foamhenge isn't the only twisted testament to old-fashioned entrepreneurial hucksterism on display here.
For more, just head to Natural Bridge (naturalbridgeva.com ) has all the info you desire on local attractions, dining and lodgings), a massive, natural stone arch that spans 90 feet across a 200-foot gorge. It was formed tens of thousands of years ago by the erosive action of water and wind. American Indian tribes considered the site sacred, and early English colonists agreed. By the time Thomas Jefferson found the place, he was so smitten that he bought the property from King George III. A young George Washington is reputed to have carved his initials high on the stone wall.
By the time of the Civil War, the site already had begun the transition to roadside tourist trap, with Union soldiers famously detouring to march over it.
Today, this world wonder — a registered National Historic Landmark — thrills visitors, despite being surrounded by a backcountry South of the Border infrastructure, replete with the story of Genesis narrated by the disembodied voice of God and set to a laser show. Natural Bridge's grounds are a confusing yet charming mishmash of distractions: a toy museum, the Indian village, the Natural Bridge Caverns and the famous wax museum, which features historical and Biblical tableaus.
The park's kitschy gift shop offers all manner of trinkets and baubles, as you'd expect. The Natural Bridge Hotel and Conference Center, an imposing Federal-style brick building, allows committed guests to stay for days to soak up the culture.
Meanwhile, Cline has created a constellation of cheesy attractions that orbit Natural Bridge. In fact, a few years ago, Cline entered into a full-blown partnership with the private operators of Natural Bridge; admission to many of his attractions is bundled in the ticket price for Natural Bridge.
Cline's Haunted Monster Museum and Dinosaur Kingdom are closed this year because of a major fire: it says to check back in 2013. But Foamhenge is open and free, with the admission price being only what it costs to repair your car's suspension.
Don't Miss
It's difficult to believe it's legal to drive around Virginia Safari Park (540-291-3205 or virginiasafaripark.com ), feeding wild animals from a bucket of pellets stuck out your car window. But that's exactly what thousands of visitors to this Natural Bridge attraction do each year. Camels, zebras, elk, ostriches, wildebeests and other exotic animals are used to the routine; your vehicle will literally creep along as the beasts amble up for food. Just make sure to hold the bucket outside the car, or Mr. Camel will make a big mess.
