Sherry Felix – port4u

End of day one in the Shenandoah’s. There are so many overlooks with gorgeous views. We stayed for 3 days in one of the old rustic cabins at the Skyland Hotel in the Park. There was only a trickled of water in the shower and it was off the grid. The Wi-Fi was out the whole week. The food at their “fancy” restaurant was awful. The best thing was the scenery.

The Blue Ridge Mountains get their distinctive blue appearance from a blue haze…
Vegetation and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs):
The trees in the Blue Ridge Mountains release fine mists of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. Trees release a hydrocarbon called isoprene as a way to protect themselves from excess heat. When isoprene is released into the atmosphere, it interacts with other molecules, creating the characteristic haze that gives the Blue Ridge Mountains their bluish hue.
Scattering of Blue Light:
The VOCs released by trees, including isoprene, react with natural ozone molecules already present in the air. These reactions lead to the formation of new particles, which scatter blue light waves from the sun. As a result, when you look at the distant Blue Ridge Mountains on a clear day, they appear covered in a “soft dreamy blue haze” due to this scattering effect.