The Blue Ridge Parkway - Virginia

I look like I belonged there. We had realized that it would be dark soon and as we drove up the Parkway in Virginia we could see deer and bear either feeding at the roadside or actually running across the roadway........there was a great chance that as the darker it got, the more dangerous the trip would become.

Yep.........those mountains are indeed blue. I drove and drove and drove and the nearest decent sized town that I could find on a map was Galax, Virginia. Surely there would be a motel there and we could get something to eat as well. We got lucky..........found a motel right in the heart of Galax and ordered a pizza. Whew!..........it was nothing fancy here but we did notice that the sidewalks were rolled up before we arrived......hehehe.

After a good night's sleep we loaded up the car to head back to the Parkway. This praying mantis thought he would hitch a ride with us, but I gave him the ole brush off routine....hehehe.

At this point of the trip, there was one last place I really wanted to visit specifically before we would leave the Parkway.......... Mabry Mill.

We arrived at Mabry Mill well before noon Tuesday morning. They have a visitor center which also just happens to have a small restaurant............YES!.......breakfast was being served. Nothing fancy.......but worthy of note is the fact that all of the restaurant employees appeared to be over the age of 65........hmmmm. It made us feel as if somebody's grandmother was serving us.

A short walk from the facilities is the mill itself. You simply cannot find a better mill anywhere. And when you consider the history of this place, you are sent back to a time that many of us could not survive in. Mr. Mabry did all of the work himself. If he didn't have a tool, he made one. If he needed water, he built a wooden viaduct to get the water to the mill. He even built his own "jigsaw".

The grounds around the mill are set up so that you can follow a path that leads you through several historical displays......from buildings to old moonshine stills in the woods. All of this is FREE.

Here is a portion of the wooden viaduct that Mr. Mabry built.

Mabry Mill is, for me, the absolute must-see of the Blue Ridge Parkway. I am lucky enough to have seen this place with my very own eyes, three times in my lifetime....... Once when I was about 10 or 11, and when I had my children with me almost 20 years ago.........and now on this day. It was just as wonderful then as it is now. I cannot say enough about the atmosphere here...........fresh air and beauty.

If you decide to drive the Blue Ridge yourself........remember the following:

• Take your time........don't rush.......the speed limit is only 45mph.
• Watch out for wild animals such as bears and deer darting out in front of you.
• Bring drinks and snacks....maybe even a picnic basket.
• Have a map handy.
• Try to stop at every opportunity...whether its an overlook or some other facility. (BTW, the bathrooms close up promptly at five)
• Take lots of pictures and try to go in the Fall.
• While driving, watch out for the bicyclists. There are lots of them.

Well............I was satisfied with the trip.....I had my fill......it was at this point that I would drive a bit further northward on the Parkway and exit near Roanoke.

Stops Along The Blue Ridge Parkway

We made our way back to Baltimore from Biltmore Village by travelling the Blue Ridge Parkway. No specific plans.......just relaxing, absorbing the joy of driving along a road without heavy traffic....no tractor-trailers cutting me off......just the beauty of the mountains and the forests.

I really love the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is truly a national treasure. There is much to see.....sure, the mountain vistas are awesome and breathtaking..........but it is the little things that many might not stop to experience or see, that I enjoy immensely. The last time I had travelled this road was a long time ago when my kids were small and we were all crammed into the Subaru station wagon. Oh, but I enjoyed it then.....and I was enjoying it now.

Here and there, you can find little towns or places off the beaten track, where you can eat or stay the night. The parkway is not commercial at all, so it is necessary to venture off of it once in a while for gas, food, etc. One of those such places is called Little Switzerland, which, as far as I could tell, has but a post office, a hotel, a restaurant, and a used book store (which was for sale). We were hungry and decided to grab a bite in the restaurant. www.switzerlandinn.com

It wasn't very busy here..........but the food was pretty tasty. The restaurant also has a small gift shop and we purchased a few thing there. It was odd seeing the staff all wearing t-shirts with the letters "LSD" inside an oval on them. No, it wasn't drug-related.........it stood for "Little Switzerland Deli". After killing a little time here, went got back onto the Parkway heading north. www.switzerlandcafe.com

There is one place that is a must to visit.....and that is Linville Falls. You cannot view the falls from the parkway.....you must pull off and park the car at the Linville Falls Visitor Center. Here, there are a few various trails which will lead to areas where the falls can be viewed. The choice is yours.......the difficult path or the moderate one. Needless to say, we opted for the easier of the choices. Easy eh?.....hmmmm.........for many, perhaps there ain't nothing to it. For me?...........Holy Jesus!.......where are the little Mexicans with the tricycles?....like we had in the jungle at Coba. Bring a drink with you on this hike.

The path to the falls is long. I normally do not walk this kind of distance......but I managed to complete it without keeling over......although it was necessary to stop for a breath or two and get my legs to quit crying out in agony. The walk, though, is wonderful and quiet........but I DO know where I am..........and where I am just so happens to have assorted wildlife in it. This ain't the city...........a bear could jump out at any time.....snakes!......and God knows what else I might encounter.

Steps?.........wait nobody said anything about steps.......I don't do steps.......hehehe. But I did. The steps were put in here because the path gets a bit treacherous as you near the falls. Years and years of erosion has made the exisiting rocks a bit less like a step. It is still beautiful though.

The path also gets a bit small and steep through the rocks.

After the hike through the forest, you finally come to an area at the top of the falls......the smaller falls. The larger falls drop off right below us. In order for us to view that, we would have to hike up a steep hill, through the forest......a distance equivalent of that we had already pounded our feet. That would be for healthier people.......not me.....not this time. The "viewing area" that we reached is beautiful and awe inspiring. Natural beauty......plain and simple...........and right here is an excellent place to rest.....hehehe.

The sound of the water rushing............the rocks.......the trees........natural sounds.........you want to climb all over this stuff........but that is verboten........too risky.

From where I sat, I could look down at the very top of the larger falls. If I looked upward from this position, I could see, way far off....up in the trees on the side of the mountain.....those who dared hike the further distance to get the other view.

We settled for this view..............impressive.

No matter where you go.....even in the middle of nowhere....or in the middle of a forest at a waterfall......you might just see someone who looks like someone else.

Danny DeVito!............okay....now where is Rhea Pearlman?

Icing on the cake! and it didn't cost a dime.

I didn't like the thought of walking all that way.....uphill.....to get back to the car........but I did it......and I am glad I did............everyone always says "you need exercise"..........and you gotta admit......this "exercise" beats a treadmill any day of the week!