I love that sign. At one time in my life it was one of the things that kept me sane. Because, when I lived in Roanoke, Virginia, I could drive less than 20 minutes from home to a Parkway entrance. And when I would see that sign, I knew that escape was just around the corner, and soon the stresses of modern life would begin to wash away. I miss that. So even though Buttercup and I have a wonderful life together, I still want to be able to see that sign, and all that it holds for me.
For those who aren't familiar with it, The Blue Ridge Parkway is 469 miles of scenic beauty snaking through the mountains of Western Virginia/ North Carolina. It begins or ends at Rockfish Gap in Virgina and ends or begins in Cherokee, North Carolina depending on your geographical perspective. It also connects 2 National Parks: Shenandoah NP, and Great Smokey Mountain NP. I have driven every mile of this road at one time or another, although never all at one time. At maximum speed limits of 35 to 45 mph, it would take 11 to 12 hours to drive it's length, even if you didn't stop to take in the beauty of the mountainous terrain- which if you didn't stop, I would wonder why you were even driving on this road in the first place. So it's best to drive it in stretches. Give yourself plenty of time to stop at the scenic overlooks, walk some of the trails, learn the history of the area. Just enjoy the splendor.
It's less than a month now before Buttercup and I will be leaving the flatness of eastern Virginia and travel in a southwesterly direction to spend a week exploring the mountains of Western North Carolina. We have our place reserved just outside of Blowing Rock - complete with a "nice" bathroom; so all that's left to do is pack, get in the car and go. We chose this place primarily because of it's proximity to my favorite sign. I just can't wait to turn the corner off Rte. 221 and see it: "Entering Blue Ridge Parkway". It will be like coming home.... a feeling of pure and utter joy.
The Parkway section from Boone to Cherokee is my favorite. The highest elevations of the road are in this section, as well as numerous tunnels and drop dead gorgeous scenery. We will spend a good part of our week driving the 175 or so miles of this wonderful section. But our time will not be spent entirely on the Parkway. There are plenty of other things to see and do in that neck of the woods which are accessible from the Parkway. Buttercup wants to go to Grandfather Mountain, just south of Blowing Rock, as do I. The mile high swing bridge at the top is very cool to walk across, and the mountain is also an International Biosphere Reserve. Mount Mitchell, at 6684 feet, is the highest peak east of the Mississippi and is only a few miles from the Parkway. The Museum of North Carolina Minerals is also at the top of our list to see. It is located in Spruce Pine, not far from Mount Mitchell. We also want to spend some time in Asheville, and wherever else the fates may blow us.
So even though it sounds busy, it will be a week of serenity and bliss. And when it's almost time to leave the Parkway on the last day, Buttercup and I will spend some quiet time together, she wanting to stop one more time "for a photo op", me wanting to stop and stare off into the distance, feeling the wind in my face, and smelling the sweet mountain air. And the last thing I see before getting off my beloved byway will be my least favorite sign: "Leaving Blue Ridge Parkway". That's when the Blue Ridge Blues will begin......
I rescue things. Creepy crawly things. Things most people tend to step on and smash into little unrecognizable bits. I know my habit of saving bugs, arachnids, snakes, etc. either amuses or annoys most people. Buttercup is mostly irritated by my reticence to extinguish the life of insects that have inadvertently wandered, crawled, dropped into or otherwise found their way into our humble abode. I carefully gather up the lost soul and release it back into the wilderness that is our front yard. Even my brother was less than amused the time I found a black snake that was cozily coiled in a storage box near his porch and rescued it from certain death by hoe (He is skeered of snakes and wanted to take it's head off. I, however, carefully coaxed it into a box and released it into a culvert, several hundred yards behind his house). Some of my coworkers think I'm a crank for saving spiders that have wandered into our office. My receptionist though is the first to call me out when she sees one....I think she likes the fact that I save the little buggers from certain death. I do all this because I rather fashion myself to be a benevolent master of my universe. I believe in the natural order of things. I figure if I redirect a wayward bug/spider/whatsit back outdoors, it will buy me some cosmic brownie points in case reincarnation is in fact a reality. Actually, if you believe certain scientists, we are made up of atoms from all over the universe. So who's to say when we pass on that some of our atoms don't show up years later in the soul of a wolf spider, or a scarab beetle, or a Vulcan nematode. I just can't take that chance.
This is pretty scary.....
All that being said, I will admit that my altruism takes a backseat when a mosquito, biting fly or velociraptor attempts to taste me. My self-preservation overrides any moral sense of fair play. The offender will die an ugly death, but only after I say a silent prayer for the redemption of the poor bastards' atoms.....
Well, here it is the middle of July, and it's trip planning time again. Actually, planning is not a very good word for what we do, because, well, it's hard for us to "plan" a road trip. Usually, Buttercup (my significant other/better half/ Northern star) and I decide where we might like to go more as a general (and sometimes vague) geographical area than an actual destination. Once we have an area in mind, then we struggle to figure out where we are going to stay. This becomes more of a game of chance than anything else, because it's hard to figure out where we want to stay not knowing where we may want to go once we get to where we got to....get it? Hours are spent on line looking at hotels, cabins, condos, huts, lean-tos....oh hell.....just someplace to stay that will accommodate us somewhat comfortably and that has a nice bathroom (for Buttercup). As she has informed me, last years cabin was ok, but the rest facility was less than acceptable.... me, I just need a place to do my business and take a shower. She on the other hand wants a "nice" bathroom. She likes "nice" bathrooms. On more than one occasion she has called or texted me while she was on a business trip to extol the virtues of or to denigrate the "facilities" of the hotel she is at. What exactly is a "nice" bathroom? Well, I'm not sure. But obviously she knows, and wherever we stay has to have a "nice" bathroom. Oh well, eventually we will figure out a place to be and make a reservation.......maybe.
We WON'T be staying here...
This consternation of where to stay all started last year when we decided an annual trip to hither and yon would be a much better way to celebrate our birthdays than to buy something that may or may not be used or appreciated by the other. First we wrangled over where we might like to go....Arizona was talked about, and maybe some other place out west, but a week is not a very long time, especially when we prefer to drive (road trip!) as part of the adventure. So, after having decided a trip to the White Mountains ( a general geographical area) would be our first trip together, we finally found a cabin on the web (how, I don't know), made the reservation for October something, and eventually drove up to New Hampshire. It was a glorious week spent exploring the White Mountains, as well as taking a few side trips into Vermont and Maine. Buttercup likes, no, LOVES maps, so It became our daily ritual to look at numerous maps and figure out what direction we might like to go for the day. This is like a box of chocolates, because you never know what you're going to get (to see). It was wicked fun (as they say up north) to just drive and stop as we pleased to explore the little hamlets and countryside of rural New England.
So this year we have decided on a geographical area called Western North Carolina. It is of course in the mountains, because that's what we prefer. The hunt for Red October....oops I mean accommodations, has begun. We have finally decided on which week we will go. And I know it will eventually be much fun. But for now, we just need to find a place to stay.....with a "nice" bathroom.
