Trip Review

[SpeakEasy]

Wow!

We just got back from our 3-week trip down the spine of the Appalachian Mts. We started with 5 days in Shenandoah National Park. Then we took several days to drive down most of the Blue Ridge Parkway. We detoured off to camp for three nights at Goose Point Park on Philpott Lake. In and around the area of southern Virginia and northern North Carolina we went on a bluegrass and gospel music quest. We enjoyed quite a bit of real, live music without all the production stuff. We then returned to the Parkway and used a couple of the Parkway campgrounds as we wandered southward. Then we spent a few nights in the Cades Cove area of Smoky Mt. National Park. Following that we headed to northern Georgia for a visit with family. On Monday and yesterday we drove back home. What a trip! Can share details if anyone's interested.

-Speak

[northwad]

would love to hear details...any pics?

[AustinBoston]

We started with 5 days in Shenandoah National Park.

DW and I honeymooned just over 25 years ago at Senandoah NP.  We've been back several times.

I remember once, on a drive through (we were travelling on I-81 but couldn't resist some quick sightseeing with the kids), we rounded a bend to find what looked like a juvenile black bear crossing the road.  We stopped abruptly about 50-75 feet from the bear.  He wasn't too sure about us, but curious.  He immediately stood on his haunches to show how big, mean, and tough he was (it was a bit comical to watch), and just stared at us for a moment.  As soon as his curiosity was satisfied (or he decided we were bigger than him), he U-turned, headed back into the woods, and was gone.  Not the only encounter we've had with bears, but certanly one I will never forget.

Austin

[SpeakEasy]

would love to hear details...any pics?

Well, I took a bunch of pics, but I'm not sure I know how to post them here.

First off, Shenandoah is one of my favorite NP's. There is always a lot to do at and around the Big Meadows Campground. The Big Meadows Lodge is awesome, and almost every night there is live music downstairs in the taproom. Typical evening was - ranger program at the amphitheater, music in the tap room, then a late-night campfire. We rarely got to bed before midnight. That's just about the time you'll begin to hear the Barred Owls!

The next great thing was the Blue Ridge Parkway. If you're not familiar with this (as I was not), this is a 469-mile connector between the two big eastern national parks - Shenandoah and Great Smoky. The Parkway meanders over and around the high ground. It was designed by architects to complement the scenery. It has a 45 MPH speed limit (lower in some areas). The curves and slopes are designed around that 45 MPH idea, so travel is very pleasant. There is virtually no commercial development, so as you drive you get to enjoy park-like scenery at every moment. Every so often (every 60 to 100 miles) there is a developed area. Some of these areas include a lodge, a campground, a visitor's center, and a restaurant. They are administered by the National Park Service, and are all very beautiful. You do have to plan your gasoline purchases carefully, because there are no gas stations up there (as far as I could tell.) The campgrounds have no hookups and no showers. They are VERY QUIET! Although we did not camp at Otter Creek, that was the most beautiful of the campgrounds we saw. Since we spent almost a week on the Parkway it really got into my blood. I could literally feel myself getting more relaxed the longer I spent up there. The driving is a joy when you aren't rushing everywhere.

In another post I'll write about the music and cultural experiences we enjoyed.

-Speak

[SpeakEasy]

DW and I honeymooned just over 25 years ago at Senandoah NP.

Austin

You and I have this in common, although our honeymoon was a little longer ago. On our honeymoon we spent a couple of nights in the Big Meadows campground and a night or two in the lodge. This was in 1974. We hadn't been back until two years ago when we returned with our adult children. It was a shocking experience to be there with these three wonderful adults (two daughters and a son-in-law) after only having been there on our honeymoon. It sort of made me stop and look at them and say, "Who ARE you?" and "Where did you come from?" A bit weird, but very satisfying somehow.

-Speak