Friday, July 29, 2011

Day 27 Summer 2011 Road Trip


Up early this morning and back on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  We are picking up where we left off yesterday. 

We hadn’t gone very far before we encountered a detour which took us off of the Parkway and it was about 10 miles further North that we were able to get back on.  That portion that we had to detour was having the classic stone wall restored and repaired.

0846 North Carolina - Blue Ridge Parkway North sign 0862 North Carolina - detour 0866 North Carolina - Blue Ridge Parkway North - sign explaining reason for detour

Pretty soon we cross the State line into Virginia.

0879 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - Parkway enters Virginia sign

It has been many years since I have seen a “Gulf Gas Station” but we are seeing lots of them in North Carolina and now Virginia.  I like the brilliant colours, and the price is much cheaper than at home.

0884 Virginia, Fancy Gap - Gulf gas sign 0885 Virginia, Fancy Gap - Gulf gas sign 0886 Virginia, Fancy Gap - Gulf gas sign

As there was yesterday, there are many pull offs and scenic vistas along our route.  Here is one, The Groundhog Mountain Overlook.  There is an observation deck and some examples of different styles of wooden fencing.

0903 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - Groundhog Mountain overlook - observation tower 0901 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - Groundhog Mountain overlook - Post and rail fence 0902 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - Groundhog Mountain overlook - Buck rail fence

A bit further North, we stopped at Mabry Mill, bought a few souvenirs and walked around the site.  There is an old mill here with a water wheel.  They actually still grind grains here and sell bread in their store made from the  ground wheat.  A great photo opportunity, right here at the side of the road.

0921 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - Mabry Mill 0922 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - Mabry Mill

Some of the scenery we see as we drive along.

0932 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North 0939 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - Pine Spur Overlook view 0947 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North

We then spotted a white tail deer ahead of us on the road, so we stopped and watched and then we saw the 2 fawns that were following her.  We gave them plenty of time and room to get across the road.

0953 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - white-tailed doe & 2 fawns 0954 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - white-tailed doe & 1 fawn 0955 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - white-tailed doe & 1 fawn

0956 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - white-tailed doe & 2 fawns 0958 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - white-tailed doe & 2 fawns 0959 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - white-tailed doe

More scenery.

0966 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North 0975 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North 0978 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North

This is Abbot Lake.

1000 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - Abbott Lake

This is a squirrel that was sitting in the middle of the road, he posed long enough for us to get his photo before scampering off into the forest.

1008 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - squirrel on road

Otter Lake, another picture good enough to be a postcard.

1028 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - Otter Lake & sign 1024 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - Otter Lake

We saw another deer crossing the road ahead of us.

1030 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - white-tailed deer and mile marker post

And then we came to the only tunnel in Virginia.  If you recall, North Carolina had 25 tunnels.  This is the Bluff Mountain Tunnel.

1032 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - Bluff Mountain Tunnel & sign 1033 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - Bluff Mountain Tunnel 1034 Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway North - Bluff Mountain Tunnel

Shortly after passing through the tunnel we come to the end of our drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  That was a very enjoyable scenic drive.  We would like to do this drive again and it would be a good drive to do in the fall with all the fall colours.

To see all the photos that we took today, you can click on this link to our FLICKR site.

Tonight we are staying in Staunton Virginia.

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