Almost Heaven

I'd heard of West Virginia, the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah River for years. For anyone who wasn't from the area, John Denver made sure of that. Can't believe it took so long to finally get there.

The journey started in a charming little town that provides the gateway to Skyline Drive. I was there for only a moment and still under the fog of working midnights. Not really in vacation mode yet, or in a mood for taking pictures.

But there were some old houses standing next to each other that caught my eye. Not because they were the finest houses on the block, but because of the character they displayed in the face of neglect.


One even had what appeared to resemble a castle turret built into it. I wondered how such proud houses could be abandoned and left to decay and hoped that someone with more funds than I would come along and bring them back to life.



Heading on down the road, there was plenty of deer to keep one's attention. It amazes me how skillful they can be at recognizing danger when hunters are on the prowl but are seemingly clueless when standing in the middle of the road. Some had the good sense to stand by the side of the road, but upon seeing my approach, decided to run across the road in front of me. Strange ...

Not too much later, a Mama bear did the same thing, followed by her Mini-Me. But the cub displayed better judgment than Mama as it turned around and headed back into the woods. I stopped on down the road and waited for a while, wondering if Papa was around, but never saw hide nor hair of a bear again.

The only critter that I could've taken a picture of was a rather large turtle sitting by the side of the road. He would have been happy to pose as he was in no hurry to go anywhere, but there wasn't a good place to pull off.

The Blue Ridge Parkway presents you with an atmosphere of scenic overload. Around every curve is a picture waiting to be taken. However, if you wish to avoid becoming momentarily air-bound, you'll probably want to focus mostly on the curves while driving and save your awe for some of the many overlooks along the way.

Of course, pictures can hardly capture the depth of what nature reveals to the senses, so hopefully, you'll have the chance to experience it for yourself sometime. Just be aware that the speed limit on Skyline Drive is 35mph. On the Parkway it's 45mph and in some places less. Though I didn't have the unfortunate opportunity to chat with the park rangers, I've been told that they are quite serious about lightening your wallet if they catch you speeding. But why rush anyway? You won't see scenery like this very often, so it's best to allow plenty of time for a leisurely ride.

Here are a few places of interest along the way.

Mount Airy, N.C. is the hometown of Andy Griffith. It's also the town that the fictional Mayberry was based upon. The house where he grew up is available for an overnight stay for those who are interested.

I ate at the Snappy Lunch and admired the old police car standing guard outside. Next door, Floyd's Barber Shop will still lower your ears for a reasonable price. And Opie's Candy Store offers enough goodies to make your dentist proud.

For fans of bluegrass music, a good time to visit is the first weekend of June. That's when Mt. Airy hosts the annual Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddlers Convention.

If you're into riding horses, you can enjoy that pleasure on the Parkway.

Blowing Rock, N.C. is also a worthy stop. I found it pretty impressive that such a town could've been built around little more than a legend. And I was surprised when I saw the famous Rock, but rather than post a picture, I'll leave you with wonder.

Farther down the Parkway you may want to visit Mt. Mitchell State Park. From the parking lot on the mountain, it's only a short hike to the observation tower. And that's about as high as it gets on the east side.

As I ventured along, the sun slowly made it's way across the sky. Eventually, the glaring light of the noon hour gave way to rising shadows and the scenery took on a whole new dimension. Sometimes when the sun lays down, it burns with a defiant display of fire. Other times, it hides behind a heavy overcast while gray light slowly dims. On this evening, I guess it was in a mellow mood. The Parkway tends to have that effect. :)