Chris White of Kernersville sent us the first photo of this historic occasion ...
We have received reports of their receipt in the mails today. The first twenty-five people who send to us their pictures with you, your bike, and your tag will receive a free T-shirt.
Please include your shirt size and mailing address!
Houck Medford
hmedford@brpfoundation.org
The LaCoste Family and friends are the best examples of southwestern Virginia family ingenuity. The family patriarch, Paul, has had a passion for his family, his friends, Floyd County, and the Blue Ridge Parkway for all his life. What better way to celebrate all four than to combine them all into one event – the Tour de Floyd.
The tour is now in its third year -a scenic 63 mile long bicycle ride with nearly half the distance along the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway.
Family affair it is, because all the house members pitch in the night before to bake home-made oatmeal-raisen and scumptous chocolate chip cookies.
We are soliciting your comments and suggestions for next year’s tour. Let’s hear them? You say, “more cookies?”
Secretary Salazar announced today $14,586,000 for Parkway funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These funds will help address the more than $200 million in maintenance backlog for the Blue Ridge Parkway; however, none of these funds are earmarked for operations where 71 positions still remain vacant.
A summary of Blue Ridge Parkway are listed below:
TOTAL $14,586,000
A complete inventory of the $750 million appropriated for all parks can be found here …
Scott Berry at the North Carolina / Virginia line ...
During my cycling trip of the Parkway, I experienced 3 days of pouring rain. However, the beauty, closeness with nature and wonderful roads made the journey very memorable. I hope to celebrate my 50th birthday in two years witrh a return trip.
Further …
I have to tell you that my bicycling trip on the Parkway was something that I will never forget. Coming from the flat lands of Illinois I found the road surfaces to be very good, the views to be breathtaking and the cycling in the mountains to be very challenging.
While it was quite a relief to finally see the final mile marker, I hated that the journey had ended. This is a trip that I will take again someday.
Thanks again for the e-mail and keep up the great work preserving the Parkway. I truly consider this one of the greatest man made accomplishments east of the Mississippi!
Scott Berry
A real red letter day!
I remarked in one of my last columns that I almost hate to hear the phone ring.
The Foundation is perennially the bearer of good news; please consider what follows next as nothing but good news.
Our design team received new color proofs from the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles on Friday afternoon, March 20; the team called us this morning with their “final selection” on the correct color and we share the event with you today, Monday, March 23. They are now on their way back to Raleigh to get the presses rolling.
This many-month process has all been accomplished without medication prescribed for my pain. Thank every one of you for your patience and understanding!
