The author atop Mount Mitchell.

Evening sky heading to dinner.

The R1100S parked next to a slab of granite.

Sign indicating highest point of elevation on the Parkway - 6053 ft.

At Craggy Gardens, a mountainside covered in rhododendron.

Devil's Courthouse overlook.

View atop Devil's Courthouse.

Walkway under bridge crossing the James River - lowest elevation on the Parkway.

Blue Ridge Parkway 75^th Anniversary

By Kevin Wingfield #76990

One of the obvious benefits of working in public education is the perennial summer vacation that offers a break from the daily routine, opening the door for other opportunities. So, when my five-year-old daughter proposed a long weekend stay with her grandmother, I said to myself "Do you need a Coke sign to fall on your head to realize this is the real thing?"

The thought crossed my mind that a trip up and down the Blue Ridge Parkway would be a nice way to start the summer. This wouldn't be new territory, as I have been fortunate to spend many hours riding on that wonderful stretch of tarmac running 469 miles up and down the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In years past this roadway has been a personal favorite, whether it be for a short afternoon ride or an all day affair. What would make this experience different is this time I would take the liberty to stop whenever or wherever I pleased instead of staying in constant motion. There would be no rush, no one else to worry about annoying with frequent stops and a chance to finally get off the bike and do a little exploring along the way. So, with my wife's blessing I was heading out the driveway a few days after my daughter's great idea. True to form, my departure time was later than I had anticipated. Leaving the driveway with a slight sense of urgency, the lyrics "I get up around seven, Get outta bed around nine, And I don't worry about nothin' no, Because worryin's a waste of my time." came roaring out of my headphones and for the first time since adolescence, I am finding credence in the penmanship of Axl Rose. There's no need to rush. That's what this trip is about.

2010 marked the 75^th Anniversary since construction began on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Influenced by the Skyline Drive which snakes through the Shenandoah National Park, Virginia Senator Harry Flood Byrd proposed the idea to President Franklin Roosevelt that the roadway be extended south across the mountains of VA and NC connecting to the recently designated Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Roosevelt very much liked the idea and on November 24, 1933 Secretary Harold Ickes approved the idea as a public works project, believing this would create jobs and later revenue for the Appalachian region still reeling from the woes of the Great Depression. On September 11,^, 1935 construction began near Cumberland Knob, NC under the direction of architect Stanley L. Abbott.

Initially referred to as the "Park-to-Park Highway" and later the "Appalachian Scenic Highway", the roadway was officially placed under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service on June 30, 1936 as the "Blue Ridge Parkway". Beginning at Rockfish Gap, VA and ending at Cherokee, NC, the Parkway covers 469 miles through the Blue Ridge Mountains, which encompasses the Black, Craggy and Balsam mountain ranges before reaching the Smoky Mountains.

Construction took place over the next 51 years, with little production during WW II, and was completed in 1987 upon the completion of the architectural marvel, the Linn Cove Viaduct. Presently, the Parkway is believed to generate two billion dollars annually benefitting the economy of both Virginia and North Carolina.

Living just ten miles from where the southern end of the Skyline Drive and the northern boundary of the Blue Ridge Parkway merge, the first 200 miles feel familiar as I have resided near these mountains the majority of my lifetime. My intent was to minimize stops during this stretch in order to allow for more time further south. I do however stop around mile marker 65 at the crossing of the James River and take a few photographs of the lowest point of elevation (649 ft.) on the Parkway. My loose plans will have me about 300 miles south of here by day's end at Mt. Mitchell State Park, where the highest peak east of the Mississippi River can be found (6,684 ft). This mountain top can easily be reached by taking a five mile drive off the Parkway. Conversely, the highest elevation on the Parkway is 6,053 ft. above sea level and is located about 40 miles before the southern end.

I've heard grumblings from a few motorcyclists about how the Parkway bores them. I'm not sure if it's because of all the curves, endless scenery, or a lack of traffic lights and intersections? Some complain about the 45 MPH speed limit and traffic generated by sightseers, neither of which have I found to be a significant hindrance over the years. I'm glad to say on my first day I was able to find miles of inspiring views to take in while winding my way southward. About the only negative I can associate with the Parkway is it's not somewhere I like to ride from dusk to dawn as the wildlife sightings, particularly deer, are frequent.

With this in mind and the daylight hours waning, around mile marker 335 I see an exit for Little Switzerland, NC and decide to stay at Crabtree Meadows campground. After finding a tent site at this very lightly populated campground I backtrack to the Switzerland Inn located a stone's throw from the Parkway and was rewarded with a freshly baked loaf of bread and Caesar salad topped with salmon fillet for dinner. I'm not one to often revel in the delight of a well prepared meal, but this one fell somewhere in my top ten list of most memorable meals. I'm sure the combination of a lack of nourishment throughout the day along with the heightened stimulus of the senses that comes from a long day of riding helps the memory linger.

With a full stomach I slept well and was up shortly after sunrise ready to get back on the trail. I was hoping to be graced with splendid vistas in the early morning sunlight atop Mt. Mitchell, but as the elevation increased I began riding amongst the clouds. Not what I had hoped for, but a different experience for sure. Other than the park ranger opening the visitor center it was still early enough to have the whole mountain top to myself.

Throughout the day I made several brief stops, getting off the bike occasionally to take a closer look and break out the camera. Around mile post 364 I made an unplanned stop at the Craggy Dome. Due to road construction I almost missed what turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip. It just so happened that this overlook was located on a one mile stretch where road construction was taking place, so in order to proceed I had to follow a pace car. Upon reaching the opposite end I stopped to ask the construction worker if I could back track to the overlook I had noticed along the way, which was fine. In doing so I experienced the most enjoyable hike of the trip walking underneath a canopy of towering rhododendron in the Craggy Gardens. The timing of my trip happened to be during the peak blooming season of one of my favorite plants. Further confirmation that it is worth slowing down every now and then to explore that intriguing road or view you catch out the corner of your eye.

Later in the day I take notice as I'm approaching an overlook named Devil's Courthouse. I was intrigued by the name and after an hour or so of gray skies the sun was out burning brightly again. I decided one more stop couldn't hurt and set off on foot up the short but steep trail leading to an outcropping. There are more than a few explanations as to where the name originated, but one of the most common is a legend that in the cave located just below the outcropping, Beelzebob himself holds court. Another legend from Cherokee lore tells of a "slant-eyed giant" named Judaculla who uses the cave as a private dancing chamber and resides there. Glad to say I saw neither but did enjoy the view.

As much as I had based this trip on the idea of not rushing, I found myself becoming more aware of the time as the day went on. My intent was to complete the Parkway, spend some time walking around Cherokee, NC. It was early afternoon already, with another hour or so to go -time to get moving.

This last stretch of road brought back some fond memories for me. My maiden voyage this far south on the Parkway was over 10 years ago aboard my R75/6 for my first cycling and camping trip. Somewhere along the way my friend and I were joined by a third rider on his 1970's era Honda CB 750 which resulted in a rather spirited pace to the end. It was one of those moments where it all came together - no traffic to hinder our speed, a late afternoon sun to warm our backs and casting a golden hue over the landscape, all the while riding with equal precision.

Savoring the fumes of days past, I became more liberal with the throttle and quickened my arrival to Cherokee. Once there I asked the young lady working the register at my gas stop what she would recommend for someone with a few hours to spend. Her list included the Cherokee History Museum and visiting the Oconaluftee Indian Village. I opted for the village which is a reenactment of daily living for the Cherokee during the 1700's. Craftsmen, weavers, artists and dancers were all onsite to give a seemingly accurate portrayal of what life once was like in this region. I then found myself with the longing to linger around and wound up goggling in some shops featuring local arts and crafts. With the luxury of having no one else to consult, I decided to make an evening of it and browsed a few more hours before finding a private campground in the nearby town of Bryson City.

Staying this far south, I accepted that it wasn't very realistic to ride the Parkway back at length with leisure and decided to alter my route home. To make up for lost time I shaved off about 80 Parkway miles by hopping on around Asheville NC. The first 30 miles or so were filled with clear skies, justifying another stop at Mt. Mitchell to better appreciate the panoramic view. Shortly thereafter I ran into cloudy skies, later followed by rain. It didn't take long for me to head to lower ground in Boone, NC, as I wasn't going anywhere fast up top. For the following hour or so, I went through one of the more significant downpours I can recall riding in. I sat it out for awhile at a gas station, but there weren't any signs of it letting up and there was no lightening, so I decided to move on - gingerly.

By the time the rain had passed, it was getting late in the afternoon and I decided to pass on the more romantic notion of taking the long way home. Winding back roads lose some of their appeal when the surface is soaking wet. Instead, I hopped on I-81 near Marion, VA and road the last 160 miles at speeds more ideal to help dry out my riding gear.

Too many words are needed to truly convey how remarkable the area encompassing the Blue Ridge Parkway is for both sightseers and riders, but I hope this has captured a small portion that may be of interest to some readers.

Why is the Blue Ridge "blue"? According to "A Naturalist's Blue Ridge Parkway" by David Catlin, "it can be legitimately claimed that trees put the "blue" in Blue Ridge, for hydrocarbons released into the atmosphere by the forest contribute to the characteristic haze on these mountains and to their distinctive color."