Day Two We thought it would be best to leave the Virginia Museum of Natural History until today so you could spend plenty of time exploring the vast array of artifacts from the museum’s 22 million item collection on display in the new $33 million world class facility. At the forefront of scientific discovery of the natural world, the eight scientists of the museum actively engage in research on subjects ranging from dinosaurs to millipedes. The museum shares its new discoveries with exhibits, programs, publications, field trips, and teacher education. Two of the new exhibits: “Feathered Dinosaurs of China” and “Chinasaurs: The Great Dinosaurs of China” were undertaken in cooperation with the National Geological Museum of China. The exhibits feature the largest collection of Chinese fossils to tour North America including specimens that rarely leave China. The only way to appreciate 65 million year old dinosaur eggs and a 30 foot Yangchuanosaurus is in person! After that fascinating visit, you can spend some time outdoors in the area surrounding Martinsville. Two possibilities await: the Stone Cross Mountain Museum and Fairy Stone State Park. Stone Cross Mountain Museum displays the Staurolite Crystals (called Fairy Stones by the locals) found at Fairy Stone State Park and elsewhere in the region. The crystals found imbedded in the metamorphic rock of rock outcroppings range in size from one-eight inch to over four inches. Discovered by pioneers in the area, the perfect cross shaped stones began to emerge from the roads worn bare of dirt and land being cleared for farming. The crystals appear in many stages of perfection, from a faint cross to a perfect cross and every stage in between. Legend has it that long before Chief Powhatan’s reign in southern Virginia began, fairies were dancing around a spring of water playing with naiads and wood nymphs, when an elfin messenger arrived with news of the death of Christ. When the creatures of the forest heard the story of the crucifixion, they wept. As their tears fell, they crystallized to form beautiful crosses. These rare stones are found elsewhere but not in such abundance as at Fairy Stone State Park. Nestled in the rugged foothills of the Blue Ridge adjoining Fairy Stone State Park, the natural shoreline of Philpott Lake surrounds over 3,000 acres of water. Philpott Lake has nine different recreation areas: Bowens Creek, Deer Island, Goose Point, Horseshoe Point, Jamison Mill, Philpott Park, Ryans Branch, Salthouse Branch and Twin Ridge. Each have a different variety of recreational opportunities and costs, from boat ramps, campgrounds and picnic areas to hiking trails and sanitary facilities. The Philpott Lake Natural and Cultural History Center offers a unique display pertaining to the natural and cultural heritage of Philpott Lake. These include: Four Seasons of the Whitetail Deer, Fish that reside in Philpott Lake and Smith River, American Black Bear, American Beaver, and regional Native American and local history. Local lore includes interpretive panels featuring construction activities associated with the massive Philpott Dam. There are even historic photographs of the flooding that used to occur in nearby towns before the dam was built. From here, your accommodations are just a short drive away in Martinsville. Choice of Accommodations for night two: See night one.