|
Info for RVers... |
|
...from a fulltime RVer |
| BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY |
June,
2007
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Parkway
Pages
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
first glimpse I had of the Blue Ridge Parkway was during my first
year of fulltiming in 2001. We took a couple of days away from Charleston
to visit the Biltmore Estate over the Christmas holidays. During
that time, we drove just a tiny bit of the parkway and I remember
being absolutely amazed that the distant mountain ranges really
did look blue! I was a total newbie at seeing mountains then and
I've seen many more since. But I said then that before I quit RVing
that I would drive the entire length of that parkway, taking my
time and really savoring every single mile. It took me 6 years to
get back, but I intend to follow through with that plan and drive
the entire length of the scenic parkway that runs 469 miles between
two national parks. I'll start off at Great Smoky Mountains in North
Carolina and take my time getting to Shenandoah in Virginia. Since
the parkway is outlined in mileposts, that's how I'll present the
info in this site. The numbers start at zero south of Shenandoah
National Park heading south. Since I'm heading north, mine will
begin at the highest mileposts and will follow as closely as I can
to let you know everything I see along the way and places I stay.
|
|||
|
|||
|
Here
I am in December, 2001 -- younger, less experienced and in awe of
what I was blessed to see. I may be better traveled now, but I'm
still just as eager to explore today even with the many more aching
joints that I now have!
|
|||
|
|||
|
I
have a much better digital camera now so hope to get much better
pics of scenes like this blue mountain lake.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This is what I wrote in my journal about that day: December 18, 2001 - Blue Ridge Day Going down the Blue Ridge Parkway at first I was whining because I thought it would be so much better if it were spring when the trees were budding or summer when the trees were full or fall when the trees were colored - anytime other than winter time when they were bare. But then I shut up and began to appreciate what was before me at the time it was there. The trees being stripped of leaves afforded a view through the branches of the far distant mountains and waterfalls that popped up that would not have been visible were they full of leaves. The shadows that the twisted branches cast on the trunks of other trees lent visual interest at every turn. Since we just got a good rain yesterday, the huge rock formations shimmered with thousands of little waterfalls alongside the road. We drove underneath clouds, then through them, then on top of them. At the highest peak we reached, the trees were covered with ice making crystal sculptures of every twisted, naked branch and icicles dripped off the myriad of tunnels as we drove right through the mountains. We hiked and huffed up to Linville Falls and down through the sweet smelling pine forest. All in all a perfectly great day! We didn't get to go visit Grandfather Mountain, though, and I was pretty disappointed about that. When we got to the visitor's center, we were informed that with temps in the 20's and 50 mph winds on the mile-high suspension bridge, it was not a good idea. Oh well, another reason to come back to visit this gorgeous area during another season. |
|||
|
So I am going back in another season -- here's a link to my planned itinerary until I actually hit the road on June 14th. If you have any suggestions or "must-see's" to share, please email me at Malia@MaliasMiles.com. I'd really love to hear from you! |
|||
|
|||
|
|||
 |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
General
RV
Pages |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Links
to More Blue Ridge Parkway Info
|
|||
|
General
Info & Attractions
|
Parks
and Campgrounds
|
North
Carolina
|
Virginia
|
|
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Smokies Trip Planner (pdf) |
Shenandoah National Park (official site) |
||