Autumn sunsets bring their own special beauty and the mountains West of Washington add to the firey light shows that only Mother Nature can provide.

Unfortunately, with the explosive growth of the National Capital Region, one has to drive an hour or more to clear the urban clutter to see such a view but the time is well-spent.

This view is looking West of Virginia Route 7 west of Leesburg, towards Mount Weather, the Shenandoah River and Winchester. Turning East means returning to the congestion of an over-crowded urban area.

As the cancer called “progress” continues to gobble up open spaces, such views become harder to find. The empty space of land where I stood taking this photo is outlined with surveying stakes, meaning another subdivision is coming soon.