July 9, 2012 -- Along the Blue Ridge

The Blue Ridge Parkway runs for 469 miles from Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the south to Shenandoah National Park in the north, where it morphs into Skyline Drive. The Blue Ridge Parkway was built to connect Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The roadway is not maintained in the winter, and sections which pass over especially high elevations and through tunnels are often impassable and so are closed from late fall through early spring. The speed limit is never higher than 45 mph, but we found that even if the limit is 45, you can't safely drive that speed. The road is narrow and winds like a snake around the mountains, so in many places, you really can't go more than 30-35 mph. But that provides a better view of the spectacular scenery that you're passing.

Huge stands of pink and white rhododendrons framed the road for much of the ride. And there were many overlooks along the way that invited us to stop and enjoy the quiet beauty of the area. It surprised us that we really did not have a lot of company on our drive: there was hardly any traffic, and we frequently had the opportunity to sit in the quiet of an overlook and enjoy the sound of the birds and the wind in the trees without the interruption of any human company.

It's so hard to believe that as little as 80 years ago, much of this area had been largely clearcut. The trees grew back with a vengeance, and now the hills are carpeted with green. As a matter of fact, many of the overlooks were overgrown to the point that the vista that originally was visible from the spot was completely obscured by trees.

In the afternoon, we stopped at the Linville Falls area along the Parkway, and took a short hike to a few viewpoints of the falls, which sit in a gorge carved by the Linville River. When we started our walk, the skies were darkening, and we heard the rumbling of thunder. Storms were due to roll in. We trusted that we'd be done our walk in time, and we were right. It held off until early evening, after which the temperature dropped by at least 15-20 degrees.

Tomorrow, we head up Skyline Drive in Shenandoah.