Start of day: 38833
End of day: 39077
Day Total: 244 miles
Total Trip: 699 miles
States: (7) Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia
Gas Prices: $1.58 in Steeles Tavern, Virginia
I started the day wanting to drive Skyline Drive through the Shenandoah National Park but due to limited Winter access
decided to head straight for the Blue Ridge Parkway at the South tip of Skyline Drive. I stopped at the Visitors Center
near Swannanoa and picked up a map. The attendant there asked me what I planned to see today. I told him I was going
to drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway. He asked how far? I said as far as it would take me. He said "all 469 miles of it?!?"
I said "yep, but obviously not all in one day."
You can see all the info and maps at http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/
So let's get started... (click the picture to see the full size image)
Right turn Clyde...
These may be the Blue Ridge Mountains, but they are still only hills
based on what I've seen. Still beautiful though...
Mostly in the upper 20's and lower 30's today, letting the leaking
mountains ice up.
My passage into the hills...
Rock Point.
Rock Point Overlook.
20 Minute Cliff.
Blue Ridge Mountains.
Here's Lefty giving me a "hand" pointing out what the mile markers
look like. (I don't care who you are - that thar's funny!)
Christmas Tree Farm.
According to the Visitor's Center Attendant, Crabtree Falls is the
highest waterfall, in the US, East of the Mississippi. Well, I consider
this a series of falls and not one waterfall. It shouldn't count. I took
a 15 mile detour to see this.
near the path...
The upper part. Enlarge the picture, you can see other higher series
of falls through the trees.
The foot bridge at the base of the "falls".
Nice little stream going under the foot bridge. (No trout here.)
After I visited Crabtree Falls, I swung over to Steeles Tavern, a little
village on the west side of the BRP and fueled my Jeep. There I saw
the Virginia Sheep Evaluation Station. I thought I saw Chaaaz....
Back on the BRP, one of my favs of the day.
I didn't see any otters.
Better than Crabtree.
Looking East just before heading down to Roanoke, VA. When it
started to get dark,the animals started to come out. I saw two turkeys,
one skunk, and 23 deer. The deer were huge! As I neared Roanoke
the parkway was closed with a message posted saying "Closed from
mile marker 115 to 136 for scheduled maintenance." I guess I have
find a way to get to mile marker 136 to continue my journey tomorrow.