Blue Ridge Parkway

"Just Jeepin'" (macintux) 07/05/2019 at 19:48 • Filed to: Road Trip

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Because it’s been a long day I didn’t drive much of it, but it lived up to its reputation.

(Speaking of things I’ve never done but wanted to for a long time: if you get the chance, the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! in the Smokies is supposed to be pretty cool.)

Too bad it’s hard to plan a winter trip due to road closures for snow and ice, but there seem to be enough feeder roads that it should still be possible to get some nice winter photos.

Of course, it’d also hard to plan a trip to coincide with snow in the area.

Back to the point, a couple of pics I took today that I liked.

ttyymmnn > Just Jeepin' 07/05/2019 at 21:19

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I used to live in VA, and I really miss those mountains. That top shot is great.

Just Jeepin' > ttyymmnn 07/05/2019 at 21:41

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Thanks!

This week as I was researching the Great Dismal Swamp I learned something interesting: Virginia has but two natural lakes. Minnesotans would find that inconceivable.

That fact struck me as particularly curious today as I crossed two big rivers in North Carolina, Chowan and Catawba. Especially the Chowan, good grief that’s wide as it enters A lbemarle Sound.

ttyymmnn > Just Jeepin' 07/05/2019 at 22:26

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Okay, I’ll bite. What are the two lakes?

Just Jeepin' > ttyymmnn 07/05/2019 at 23:31

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Lake Drummond and Mountain Lake, and both are mysteries. Both have unknown origins and both are on high ground.

Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Drummond

ttyymmnn > Just Jeepin' 07/06/2019 at 00:14

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Lake Drummond I’ve heard of (I used to live in Norfolk).

Lake Drummond is the highest point in the Dismal Swamp,

Well, that’s not really saying very much in the Tidewater. When the sea levels rise, Hampton Roads will be inundated.  Mountain Lake I’ve never heard of, though I went to college in Harrisonburg. I’ll have to ask my old college roommate about it. He still lives in the area.

Dakotahound > Just Jeepin' 07/06/2019 at 07:33

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You really captured the feel of the Smoky Mountains with those photos. We were there this spring from April 13-17, just before the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage. The flowers were just starting to bloom.

The snow and ice are unpredictable. On our trip, we ran into icy roads on Blue Ridge Parkway near Mt. Mitchell. We were down to 20 mph or less, and it was still pretty unnerving. The rest of the Parkway was ice free, and the temperatures were in the 70s.

This was taken at an overlook.

Just Jeepin' > Dakotahound 07/06/2019 at 07:36

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Great shot and sounds like a great day to be there. How busy was the road?

Dakotahound > Just Jeepin' 07/06/2019 at 07:44

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The road was not very busy. We were never really behind any slow cars and passed maybe a car every 4-5 minutes going the other way. The Gr eat Smoky Mountains National Park was a little busier, especially the road to Cades Cove. Some people saw a bear, double parked, and blocked the road for about a half-hour. It was OK, w e were in no hurry, and just ate our lunch.

Just Jeepin' > Dakotahound 07/06/2019 at 07:49

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Cades Cove is quite special.

Dakotahound > Just Jeepin' 07/06/2019 at 07:51

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Yep, I think that we saw a few young elk in that field.