This Sunday, the Staples Center in Los Angeles becomes the focal point of the entertainment world, when music’s top artists are celebrated at the 54th Annual GRAMMY© Awards. Several of the artists nominated for these prestigious awards will grace the stages of MerleFest 25 this spring, continuing a twenty-five year tradition of bringing music’s most talented performers to Wilkesboro, N.C., for one of the country’s premier music festivals.

MerleFest 25, presented by Lowe’s Hardware and slated for April 26-29, is an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans, gathering to celebrate the memory of musician Eddy Merle Watson, beloved son of American music icon Doc Watson – who himself is the recipient of seven Grammys. Doc will share the MerleFest stages with the following 2011 Grammy nominees: Bela Fleck & The Flecktones, the Original Lineup (nominated for “Best Instrumental Composition”), Vince Gill (nominated for “Best Country Song”), Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas (nominated for “Best Bluegrass Album”), Jim Lauderdale (nominated for “Best Bluegrass Album”), Steep Canyon Rangers (nominated for “Best Bluegrass Album”), Tedeschi Trucks Band (nominated for “Best Blues Album”) and artist Chris Thile, performing with the Punch Brothers at MerleFest 25 (nominated for “Best Bluegrass Album”).

Of course, MerleFest 25 boasts the talents of many artists who have already received that most prestigious of music awards. Besides Fleck (12-time Grammy recipient), Gill (15-time Grammy recipient), Lauderdale (three-time Grammy recipient), Tedeschi Trucks Band and Thile (two-time Grammy recipient), other Grammy honorees include Sam Bush (three-time Grammy recipient), John Hammond, David Holt (four-time Grammy recipient), Jerry Douglas (12-time Grammy recipient), Los Lobos (three-time Grammy recipient), Nashville Bluegrass Band (six-time Grammy recipient),  Tony Rice, Peter Rowan, Marty Stuart (five-time Grammy recipient) and dobroist Tut Taylor.

Of special note in Grammy history is MerleFest 25 performer Alison Krauss, whose 26 prior wins makes her the most awarded female artist in Grammy history.

In addition to its stellar roster of Grammy-nominated performers, MerleFest has also become known for spontaneous moments, collaborations and last-minute performance additions. To keep up with any additional changes and additions to this year’s lineup – even during the festival – MerleFest encourages fans to sign up for the e-newsletter and to follow the festival through Facebook and Twitter. Links are available at www.merlefest.org.

Ticket purchases for MerleFest 25 can be made on the web at www.merlefest.org or by calling 1-800-343-7857. An early bird ticket discount is available through March 12, 2012.

With over 90 artists performing on 14 stages during the course of the event, MerleFest 25 is an excellent entertainment value. A complete list of confirmed performers is available at www.merlefest.org.

MerleFest, considered one of the premier music festivals in the country, is held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of Eddy Merle Watson and is a celebration of what Doc Watson calls “traditional plus” music, meaning the traditional music of the Appalachian regional plus whatever other styles we were in the mood to play.” The annual festival has become the primary fundraiser for the WCC Endowment Corporation, funding scholarships, capital projects and other educational needs.

With the addition of two renowned roots music groups – Los Lobos, considered by critics and fans as one of America’s most distinctive and original bands, and Assembly of Dust, known for their stellar live performances from Bonnaroo to Carnegie Hall – MerleFest 25, presented by  Lowe’s Hardware, firms up another diverse, crowd-pleasing collection of performers for the festival’s 2012 lineup. Los Lobos will perform on Friday, April 27, delivering the closing performance of the evening, and Assembly of Dust will perform on various stages on Saturday and Sunday, April 28-29.

Slated for April 26 – 29, 2012, MerleFest will once again take place on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. MerleFest is an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans, gathering to celebrate the memory of musician Eddy Merle Watson, beloved son of American music icon Doc Watson.

Over the years, MerleFest has become known for spontaneous moments, collaborations and last-minute performance additions. To keep up with any additional changes and additions to this year’s lineup – even during the festival – MerleFest encourages fans to sign up for the e-newsletter and to follow the festival through Facebook and Twitter. Links are available at www.merlefest.org.

Rolling Stone magazine has said that, “With the exception of U2, no other band has stayed on top of its game as long as Los Lobos.” Now in their 38th year of making music, the three-time Grammy-winning band is still creating inventive and inspiring music. Though they may have come to the attention of many with their huge hit “La Bamba,” Los Lobos’ rich musicality has continued to evolve and expand with each project and with each tour. Drawing equally from rock, Tex-Mex, country, folk, R&B, blues, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music, this internationally renowned group of performers delivers a graceful, gritty sound that never strays from the musical traditions that form the heart and soul of the band. About their most recent album, the Grammy-nominated Tin Can Trust, NPR’s Ken Tucker said, “Los Lobos is a master of creating moods, of summoning up a setting and putting you in the center of it. From the band’s major-label debut Will The Wolf Survive to Tin Can Trust, the band has always sung about people who take their pleasures where they can find them and who lead rich imaginative lives.

All Music has described the New York-based Assembly of Dust as “melding the deep grooves of blues and R&B with guitar work that recalls J. J. Cale and Little Feat.” AOD’s 2011 release Found Sound represents a “behind the curtain” look at a band that has gained notoriety as a studio/live performance hybrid. The energy captured on Found Sound represents what fans from coast to coast have known for years: music’s best kept secret may have just been found.

Ticket purchases for MerleFest 25 can be made on the web at www.merlefest.org or by calling 1-800-343-7857. An early bird ticket discount is available through March 12, 2012.

With over 90 artists performing on 14 stages during the course of the event, MerleFest 25 is an excellent entertainment value. A complete list of confirmed performers is available at www.merlefest.org.

MerleFest, considered one of the premier music festivals in the country, is held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of Eddy Merle Watson and is a celebration of what Doc Watson calls “traditional plus” music, meaning the traditional music of the Appalachian regional plus whatever other styles we were in the mood to play.” The annual festival has become the primary fundraiser for the WCC Endowment Corporation, funding scholarships, capital projects and other educational needs.

The 11th annual music and arts festival that bears the moniker of its hometown of Floyd, Virginia, kicks off a second decade in July of 2012 with a bursting-at-the seams line-up of genre-spanning entertainment. FloydFest, which celebrated its tenth birthday in 2011 with an at capacity crowd of 14,000 daily patrons over the marathon 4-day event, is already slating for another success year as early ticket sales are up 97% and with festival promoters receiving honorable recognition by the National Endowment for the Arts.

“2012 is promising to be a reiteration of FloydFest’s mission statement,” notes FloydFest co-founder, Erika Johnson.  Which is “to be the best music festival experience of our time. To sell a limited quantity of tickets to the highest quality event experience, bar none, celebrating music, art and life in an intimate, visually stunning environment. To showcase a singularly fresh, unique line-up nationally recognized and under-the-radar musicians to an annually sold-out audience of diverse, music-loving people, and to remain committed to an authenticity and sustainability.”

More than a music festival, FloydFest is a forum for all things progressively feel-good and has garnered a niche in the festival scene as a haven of good vibes and family friendly recreation. Located at milepost 170.5 off the breathtakingly beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway, the event boasts ten unique stages, several of handcrafted timber frame construction, panel discussions on sustainability and social concerns, a variety of workshops, Healing Arts offerings, an Artisan’s Village and Children’s Universe, a smorgasbord of organic food offerings, and even a 5k morning trail race and guided hikes along the trails that run through the bordering National Park.

The much-anticipated FloydFest initial artist line-up includes: Alison Krauss & Union Station feat. Jerry Douglas, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Brandi Carlile, SOJA, Leftover Salmon, Matisyahu, Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers, Ozomatli, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder,  Sam Bush Band, Galactic with Special Guest Corey Henry, Punch Brothers, Gary Clark Jr, ALO,  Conspirator, Garage A Trois, Toubab Krewe, Locos Por Juana, David Wax Museum, Trouble Funk Go-Go Band, The Mighty Wonders, MarchFourth Marching Band, Pedrito Martinez, Steep Canyon Rangers, Darrell Scott Trio, Orgone, Anders Osborne, Corey Ledet, Drew Emmitt Band, The Rogues, Hoots & Hellmouth, The Dead Kenny G’s, Marco Benevento Trio, ArtOfficial, Joshua Panda Band, Morwenna Lasko & Jay Pun Quartet, Love Canon String Band, L Shape Lot, Kings of Belmont, Gregory Alan Isakov, The Situationist, The Trapeze Show and MANY MORE to come!

Tickets and information available at www.floydfest.com or by calling 888-VA-FESTS.

Tickets on Sale November 8th.

MerleFest 25, presented by Lowe’s Hardware and slated for April 26 – 29, 2012, is proud to announce the initial lineup for the music festival’s 25th year. The four-day event, which USA Today described as a “happy, family friendly festival that’s loved by musicians who come to play and those who come to add their energy by listening, as well,” will once again take place on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. MerleFest is an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans, gathering to celebrate the memory of musician Eddy Merle Watson, beloved son of American music icon Doc Watson.

The initial lineup reflects the diversity and quality of performers that have become the hallmark of the four-day festival. MerleFest is known for its unique mix of traditional, roots-oriented music from the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music, and expanded to include Americana, blues, country, Celtic, Cajun, cowboy, zydeco, rock and many other styles that Doc Watson has referred to as “traditional plus.”

“This year’s initial lineup will bring back a little nostalgia for the core MerleFest audience, those fans who return year after year to hear the traditional sounds of roots music. We have some of the leading names in the music industry, of today and yesteryear, lined up to perform at the historic 25th festival,” says Ted Hagaman, director of the festival. “The MerleFest 25 lineup is made up of many of the artists who have helped make this festival the premier, internationally-recognized event that it has become. And, we are thrilled to welcome back that core fan base that has been with us for the ride all along… and welcome a whole new generation of fans to experience the music, moments and memories that make MerleFest so special.”

The following artists will join host Doc Watson at MerleFest 25:

“The initial lineup is already incredibly exciting and diverse, but it is dynamic. We will be adding to the lineup in the days and months to come,” says Hagaman. “MerleFest fans can get up-to-the-minute lineup additions and other festival news through our social media ventures. So, staying in touch with us via our electronic newsletter, website, Facebook and Twitter is crucial.”

The MerleFest box office will open for 2012 ticket sales on Tuesday, November 8, at 2:00 p.m. EST. Ticket purchases can be made on the web at www.merlefest.org or by calling 1-800-343-7857. With the estimated 90 acts performing on 14 stages during the course of the event, MerleFest is an entertainment value. An early bird ticket discount is available through March 12, 2012.

“Throughout the years, one of the major factors that has built MerleFest is the quality of the artists and performances that our guests see over the four days of the festival,” adds Hagaman. “That, in turn, creates another important element of MerleFest’s success: people truly feel that the festival is a great value. That’s probably best expressed by the fact that so many music fans and families return year after year, making MerleFest a regular spring tradition. We’re tremendously proud of what we’ve built – and at MerleFest 25, that tradition will continue.”

MerleFest, considered one of the premiere music festivals in the country, is held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of Eddy Merle Watson and is a celebration of “traditional plus” music. The annual festival has become the primary fundraiser for the WCC Endowment Corporation, funding scholarships, capital projects and other educational needs.

Fall Gathering Days
Saturdays, October 8, 15, and 22
10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Wood smoke and the smell of apple butter boiling signal fall. Come help with chores associated with the fall season, like making apple butter and making and drying fruits and vegetables. See other chores common to the area in the early 1900s such as wheel-making, chair-making, basket-making, and fiber arts demonstrations.

Mabry Mill Bands
Sundays, October 2-23
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Enjoy traditional string band music of the Carroll/Patrick/Floyd county areas. Bring a lawn chair and your flat footin’ shoes.

October 02 Mac Traynham and the Blue Ridge Thunderbirds
October 09 Mountain Ivy
October 16 South Fork Ramblers
October 23 Mountain Ivy

Author Book Signings
Saturday October 15 & 22 at the Gift Shop

Fall Color Special All October at the Restaurant
Chicken Pot Pie Dinner with spiced apples, fried green tomatoes, coffee or tea – $6.95

Corn Grinding and Mill Talks Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
11:00 am, 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm
September 30 – October 30 and

Building a water-powered mill was Ed Mabry’s dream, and he accomplished it in innovative ways. Learn about this icon of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the role the mill and the Mabrys played in the community. See the grist mill in operation.

Halloween Party at Mabry Mill Restaurant
Ghosts and Goblins are welcome for Halloween haunting and special treats!!

Mabry Mill Restaurant and Gift Shop is open from 8 am to 6 pm, 7 days a week through the end of October.

For more information, contact: Mindy deCesar, (540) 745 9680 or Mabry Mill Restaurant, (276) 952-2947

One can find 42 different species of amphibians along the trails, and of course, this includes the salamander. According to the National Park Service, the Southern Appalachians are the “center of of salamander diversity on earth.” Not only that, but the Blue Ridge Parkway is at the “heart of this zone.”

One can also find more than 250 species of birds along the parkway, including bobolinks, eastern meadowlarks, American kestrels, great blue herons, kingfishers, and peregrine falcons. This is an ideal setting for the avid bird-watcher!

Along with amphibians and birds, the Blue Ridge Parkway is also home to 50 different species of fish, 22 species of snakes, and 7 species of turtles.

An action-planning workshop building on community input gathered during the Parkway’s 75th Anniversary.

November 15—17, 2011
Crossroads Institute
Galax, Virginia

Make plans now to participate in this 3-day workshop that will provide community and business leaders with an opportunity to turn ideas gathered during the Parkway’s 75th Anniversary into action and to explore significant issues facing the region. Through case studies, presentations, exercises and work sessions, participants will develop work plans for regional implementation. Based on the highly acclaimed Gateway Training Workshops and planned in conjunction with The Conservation Fund.

Workshop Highlights:

• Examine Case Studies of Innovative Partnerships between Public Lands and Partners
• Identify Regional Collaborative Strategies
• Introduction of New Economic Impact and Vitality Index Tools
• Protect Community Character (featuring public presentation by Ed McMahon)
• Access Information regarding Financing Strategies
• Explore Interdisciplinary Approach to Strategic Conservation Planning
• Participate in Action Planning Work with Parkway Staff
• Identify Regional Approaches to Wayfinding and Connectivity

Potential Participants Include:

• Community Leaders
• Engaged Citizens
• Elected Officials
• Business Owners
• Tourism Partners
• Planning Council Members
• Parks and Recreation Managers
• Land Managers
• Economic Development Professionals
• Anyone interested in Community Development

Important Dates to Remember:

September 30—Participant Applications Due
October 10—Confirmation of workshop acceptance

Direct Questions or Scholarship Inquiries to:
Leesa Brandon, Community & Partnerships Coordinator, Blue Ridge Parkway—828.348.3420 or send an email.

“We actually sold-out on Friday and Saturday, reaching 14,000 attendee capacity on those days,” notes Svetlana Nikic, VP of Sales and Marketing for FloydFest. “This was a first for us and it is really rewarding to receive all the wonderful feedback from our patrons over the past few weeks.”

New for FloydFest X was free drinking water to all festival goers. With the support of Klean Kanteen, Across-the-Way Productions installed a commercial well to help attendees save money and the environment. Patrons were also able to purchase a Klean Kanteen reusable stainless steel pint emblazoned with the logo of this year’s FloydFest for water, beer, and wine. These pints eliminated the use of more than 64,000 single-use plastic cups throughout FloydFest.

FloydFest included an array of eXtraordinary offerings, which made the festival so unique. In addition to the music, the 80-acre mountain plateau offered a progressive ‘Global Village’ area of workshops and demonstrations, free trapeze lessons, over 100 artisans and crafters, incredible food selections from pulled-pork BBQ to fresh sushi, organic pizza, and hand-churned ice cream, a comprehensive healing arts area, and a Children’s Universe. It is the family-friendly atmosphere and these original offerings that bring in new and veteran attendees year after year.

FloydFest frequenter, Jim Hughes of Port, Virginia, shared these praises with the Across-the-Way Productions team, “Thanks for FloydFest and all you and your dream team do to promote such a wonderful, glorious, magnificent, warm, loving and happy musical experience!  FloydFest to me is like a kid in a musical candy store with hungry eyes and limits on what can be consumed on so many stages (with something for everyone) and each year the benchmark keeps growing higher and higher.  My goal is to keep attending until I’m taken from this earth, so keep doing what you’re doing cause it sure feels right!”

As another FloydFest has come and gone, the Across-the-Way Productions team is already prepping for next year and is committed to making the next ten years of FloydFest even more eXciting while staying true to its roots.

For more information please visit the FloydFest website or call 1.888.VA.FESTS.

These films focus on themes of environment, culture and adventure in the mountains and represent the best of the best. Hundreds of entries were submitted from around the world and Outdoor Programs has selected films for this viewing that will not only educate, but will also inspire and entertain you.

Online ticket sales for Banff can be purchased through Farthing Auditorium, or if you’re in downtown Boone, NC you can pick up your tickets at Footsloggers Outdoor and Travel Outfitters. Tickets are $9 (students can grab tickets at $7).

Check out the Banff Mountain Film Festival trailer for 2010-2011:

For more information on the Banff Mountain film festival, please visit Outdoor Programs, including a list of sponsors that make this event possible, and to see clips of other films available for viewing.

Stopped near Grandfather Mountain on the Blue Ridge Parkway

 I made my first motorcycle ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway today way earlier than expected. I found the gates open in Blowing Rock and I turned south to enjoy what winter had to show. A few deep snowdrifts still lingered along the road in shady spots, but most of the rest had melted.  It was good to be back on the nations most popular motorcycle ride. I can’t wait for the southern section to open. 

I enjoyed some great views of Grandfather Mountain and the Lynn Cove Viaduct. It was lined with snow and very pretty. The Blue Ridge Parkway is wonderfully free of the gravel and salt that covers nearly every other road in the Smoky Mountains right now, though there were a few spots with some sand on them. There was a high wind advisory in effect today and it was howling up on the ride, but I enjoyed it all the same. No trees had come down (yet), though there were some branches to dodge. Keep your eyes out for rocks in the road with the thaw, and crews are out working on projects. 

The Lynn Cove Viaduct - last section of the parkway, completed in 1983.

My fun was too short as I hit the first road closure south of Grandfather Mountain. I ducked around it with one of my fun little shortcuts, but had to leave Blue Ridge Parkway in Linville. I couldn’t resist making up run up the Diamondback on the way home. It was in pristine shape and I was on the edge of my tires until the last few switchbacks near the top of the mountain. Here I ran into the sand and salt again and wiggled my way to the top as quickly as it would allow. Unfortunately the parkway was closed here at both exits. I’m still thankful for what I got! 

It's no wonder this area is so popular. Lot's of great riding.

It’s still a ways to spring, but let’s enjoy this nice winter weather while it lasts.

Those of you that have been following Wayne know just what kind of thought, hard work, and expertise has gone into these maps. It’s like having your own personal motorcycle riding tour guide in your back pocket!

Blue Ridge Parkway Motorcycle Maps

Look for Virginia Creeper throughout the northern sections of the Parkway with vines hanging their scarlet necklaces around trees and rocks. Rocky Knob and Mabry Mill area were probably peak this past weekend but lots of color remains. Dogwood and Poplar are also pretty along with Sassafras along the roadsides in areas near the Blue Ridge Music Center. The color there is beginning to fade some. Sourwood, Poplar, Dogwood, Birch, and Beech  . . .

Click here to continue reading this color report on Virtual Blue Ridge.

“A Park Ranger’s Life” has received wide spread praise from readers and been selected by three universitiesas required reading for students studying to become National Park Rangers.  The book has been recognized for its honest portrail of what it is really like to be a ranger in today’s National Parks.  The stories are entertaining, informative, give a behind the scenes glimpse into the complex issues and threats facing our parks in an ever changing world.

Mr. Bytnar says, “It is a great pleasure to spend time back at the Peaks of Otter where I spent such a major  part of my career as a ranger.  As if the beautiful scenery is not worth the trip it is always a thrill to reconnect with old friends.”

Parking spaces face Price Lake and the boat rental area. The Amphitheater is to the far left of the lake and is not far from the road. Handicap parking faces the short path to the amphitheater. Loop A campsites run directly behind the amphitheater and places campers in the perfect spot for attending events.

This outdoor amphitheater seats 300 people and various events are held here during the summer and fall seasons. Tucked away by trees, and surrounded by Price Lake, it’s a relatively shaded area. Sunday mornings in the summer (June-August) church services are held and open to the public.

For more information on this amphitheater and possible upcoming events you can contact Parkway Headquarters at 828-271-4779.

Kevin Adams, ascending into heaven at sunrise!

Kevin Adams workshop was the most informative that I have attended …  Joe Sikes

Kevin’s  presentation on “Concept Photography” really hits home the message that one can take outstanding pictures if one can open up their mind and let go of the so called “rules of photography”…Sai Chandrasekharan

The retreat is set in a magnificent area with grounds that are truly a part of the Blue Ridge Mountains…Skip Pudney

For schedule information and to enroll:

Vist us here!

In 2005 a contactor was given the job of examining the bicycle use on The Blue Ridge Parkway and the feasibility of building a bike trail along 469 mile length of the park.  Although cycling is commonly found anywhere on the Parkway the study conducted by David Evans and Associates found that most of the day use was concentrated in four areas.

Waynesboro :: Mile Post 0 – 14

Roanoke :: Mile Post 105 – 121

Boone/Blowing Rock :: Mile Post 270 – 305

Asheville :: Mile Post 375 – 398

The Study’s look at the possibility of constructing a multi-use or bicycle trail along the length of the Blue Ridge Parkway found that in only 20% of the park would it be physically practicable for such construction.  The majority of this would be in the Roanoke area.  Such construction would take millions of dollars and at present there are no plans to even plan such a major project.

Watch for future blog entries with more information on bicycle use on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The first band, Beleza Brazil, wasted no time in attempting to chase the clouds away with their inventive rhythms and soulful harmonies. A husband and wife duo, Madeline and Humberto Sales used loop tracks of traditional Brazilian drums and percussion instruments to beef up their guitar and vocals. Sure enough, if you closed your eyes, you would swear there were five people on the stage.

Madeline’s voice was as sweet as Our Dog Blue, but as sultry as the fiery red dress she was wearing. In between songs, she explained the history and complexity of the Brazilian jazz tradition. Crowd favorites included their lively rendition of “Sunshine on a Saturday,” in which Madeline literally tried to sing the blues away, and the jazz classic, “Girl from Impanema.” Beleza Brazil left the stage to enthusiastic cheering, and believe it or not, a few rays of sunshine peeking through the clouds.

Between sets, our friend Edgar took the stage to teach a little impromptu Salsa lesson for the crowd. Folks made their way from their seats on the hill down to the stage to learn the simple but sexy moves of this popular Latin dance. “It’s all in the hips,” Edgar kept telling us. “The feet are simple, it’s the hips that make the dance.” Well, we shook our hips and moved our feet, and by the end of the quick lesson, some of us were really getting the hang of it.

Warmed up and ready to dance, the crowd was obviously excited when the second band, Los Gatos hit the stage. The six-piece Latin jazz ensemble brought a few friends to help them out, plus some unusual instruments: traditional drums and percussion pieces, and something that looked like a piece of coiled tubing with a horn on one end. Los Gatos played an upbeat mix of Latin-influenced jazz standards, classics tributes to greats like the Buena Vista Social Club, and even “Happy Birthday” to a lucky festival-goer.

While the music played below, the wine flowed at the top of the hill. Complimentary tastings were served all day, and wine was sold by the glass or bottle. Folks enjoyed a variety of delicious food choices in the courtyard, and in the tasting room, tours and tastings were offered as usual, along with our special festival treat: the Wine-a-Rita.

Despite the rain and wind, this year’s Black Dog Wine and Jazz Festival was a success. Guests and staff alike brightened the grey day with their smiles and laughter, and of course, the music helped too. We look forward to October’s Black Dog Wine and Beach Music Festival, and hope that you can join us for what promises to be another great day. More information can be found in the events section at our website www.thedogs.com.

There are the obvious facilities in this section; the Otter Creek Campground with its new entrance bridge and Kiosk, the concession operated Otter Creek Restaurant, and the James River Visitor Center.  But there is so much more.

The inquisitive visitor will discover the Otter Creek Trail.  This 3.5 mile trail meanders along the creek and Parkway motor road from the campground to the visitor center.  The trail is easy to walk and crosses the creek numerous times on stepping stones and pedestrian bridges.  Sharp rock bluffs, mountain laurel, redbud, and bird life are abundant.  At State Route 130 the trail travels through an underpass of the road.  If you are observant you will see what appears to be a ditch that follows the edge of the trail.  This is the remains of what was once a large mill operation that was obliterated when the present bridge for 130 was built.

The trail forks and makes a loop around Otter Lake.  At the north end of the loop you will find the skeletal chimney and foundation of what was once the Nathaniel Sledd Cabin.  This site is believed to have been the home of the first European settler in Amherst County, Virginia in the early 1700s.  He was drawn to this location to trade with Native Americans for beaver pelts.  Otter Creek was a heavily used travel route from the mountains above to the James River and above the threat of flood.  Otter Lake did not exist at that time being built when the Blue Ridge Parkway came through in the late 1950s.  Beaver still live in Otter Creek today.  Hikers can see their handiwork in dams and the stumps and bases of trees that they have felled for food and construction materials.  Trees around the trail have wire mesh around their base to protect them from the industrious rodents.

Beyond the James River Visitor Center you will find a remnant of our Country’s transportation history.  On the opposite bank of the James River is a fully restored canal lock from the Kanawha Canal System that served as the main commercial transportation from the Shenandoah Valley to Richmond, Virginia before the Civil War.  Looking up river you will be looking into the James River Water Gap, a geological feature left from a millennium of the river cutting its way through the Blue Ridge Mountains.  This makes the James one of only two rivers that flow from west of the Blue Ridge toward the Atlantic Ocean.

So the next time you are driving through this area stop and get out of your vehicle and see what wonders await you.

MerleFest 2010

In late April, we were able to attend MerleFest 2010, one of the best Bluegrass music festivals in the United States. It is billed as “Traditional Plus” and rightfully so. The array of the types of bluegrass music at this event is incredible.

I have been able to attend almost every year of this legendary four day music festival. As usual, I saw many excellent performers and took a lot of great pictures. If you like bluegrass music, you owe it to yourself to check this festival out. This is the largest music festival in the Blue Ridge Mountains and one of the best organized music festivals in the business. It is a great attitude adjustment for early spring.

FloydFest 9

In late July we were able to attend FloydFest 9, in Floyd Virginia. This is a family friendly music festival. It is a four day celebration of music and art that bridges the gap between music genres, generations and cultures. The schedule of performers is really good and the venue is awesome. It is an 80-acre compound located right off the Blue Ridge Parkway.

This festival has come a long way in its short nine year history. This is definitely one of the best music festivals in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Music on the Mountain Top

On August 27-28, we are attending the Music on the Mountain Top festival located in Boone, North Carolina. This is a newer music festival that has just extended to a two-day event. It is an ecologically driven music festival that offers great entertainment and provides a unique education of current environmental issues.

The list of performers keeps getting better every year. We attended last year and were really stoked when Sam Bush joined Acoustic Syndicate on stage. This was awesome. Sam Bush has become the ambassador of bluegrass and is known for jamming with other great groups when he plays at music festivals. When he is in the house, great music is going to happen. Both of these groups will be playing again this year along with Railroad Earth, one of the most prominent Americana music groups in the world. I just saw them at FloydFest and look forward to seeing them again. I highly encourage all to attend this event. It will give you a great fall attitude adjustment.

And what giveaway would be complete without the official “Parkway Guide Kit” donated by the Virtual Blue Ridge Bookstore.

Your chance to win this amazing prize package worth over $700 is just a click away! ENTER NOW

Find more details plus those pesky rules and regs at http://www.virtualblueridge.com/giveaway.

If you’d like to promote our giveaway on your website or blog, you can grab code for banner images here:
http://www.virtualblueridge.com/giveaway/banners-for-sponsors.html

The festivities start at 6:30pm with an elegant reception, complete with hors d’oeuvres–blackened catfish en croute with green tomato salsa, pimento cheese brioche sliders, and chipotle pork confit tartlets—and our signature “winetails”—Very Berry Punch and Viognier Sunrise.  

After these delicious refreshments, you’ll be shown to your table, where you will be served another four amazing courses, each with their accompanying wine. You’ll start off with a black-eyed pea lump crab pancake with heirloom tomato, arugula and champagne vinaigrette. That will be paired with our 2008 Vidal Blanc.

Before the main entrees, you will enjoy the surprising sweet potato and black strap molasses gelato served in a pretzel cup.

Next will come the first of our two entrees: blackened tuna, lobster grits, and fried collard greens with an apple wood-smoked bacon vinaigrette. This mouth-watering course will be served with our 2008 Chambourcin.

Then, your taste buds will delight in BBQ-seared Black Angus tenderloin, million dollar black truffle-Stilton macaroni, foie gras gravy, and fresh haricot verts. Paired with our 2008 Petit Verdot, this course is sure to please.

As if in answer to your question of how things could get any better, you’ll finally be served dessert, a Kentucky bluegrass tart, maple bourbon ice cream, and cinnamon crème fraiche paired with our delicious dessert wine, the 2008 Frosty Dog.

The 2010 Winemaker’s Dinner will be held Friday, August 6^th at 6:30pm. Tickets are $75 per person. Reservations and pre-payment required. Please call 540-593-2865 or check our website for more information: www.thedogs.com.

We had some rain the couple of days before the festival, but Saturday was clear and beautiful. As the official start time of 11am came and went, the trickle of cars turned into a stream, filling our back parking lot.

The music got off to a great start with Moreland & Arbuckle, a duo from Wichita, Kansas who have been delving into the roots of American blues music for over a decade. Their raw blend of Chicago and Delta blues delighted the early crowds, who sipped wine, lunched, and grooved in their lawn chairs. Mixing popular songs from their extensive catalog with tunes from their newly released album, Flood, Moreland & Arbuckle gave a performance that will not soon be forgotten.

With a tasting tent set up outside and food and craft vendors located on the upper courtyard, festival-goers didn’t have to travel far to have all their desires met. Our chefs prepared festival specials for the day—citrus-glazed ribs, lamb gyros, and roasted chicken salad sandwiches, just to name a few—and other vendors were there as well, selling everything from authentic homemade tamales to gourmet filled crepes.

The tasting room and the tasting tent were bustling all day as people enjoyed wine tastings and purchased glasses and bottles of wine. The second act, Anders Osborne turned up the heat in the early afternoon with his rock-edged version of the blues. Osborne, a songwriter who has written hits for Tim McGraw, Keb’ Mo, Jonny Lang and others, has also built up a fan base all over the country with his extensive touring. When he and his band took to the stage on Saturday, it was easy to see why. His throaty, whiskey-soaked voice and relentless guitar riffs got people out of their seats and down to the stage.

Tracks from Osborne’s new album, American Patchwork, mixed and mingled with old favorites from previous albums. As the crowd dancing in front of the stage grew, the music intensified; moving from rock-laced blues to blues-edged rock, but always grooving.

As Osborne’s final song came to an end, the crowds on the dance floor and on the hill whooped and hollered. He and his band left everyone wanting more, and some folks even lingered on the dance floor for a while, swaying to remembered tunes.

Some people packed up their lawn chairs and headed for the parking lot, while others made their way to the upper courtyard and the tasting room to continue the celebration. Many bought bottles of wine to take home with them—a perfect souvenir from a perfect day. As the train of cars crept out of the parking lot and on to Winery Road, we here at Chateau Morrisette hoped everyone had as great a time as we all did. We breathed a sigh of satisfaction for the success of the Black Dog Blues Festival, and immediately began thinking ahead to the Black Dog Jazz Festival, wanting to make it even better. We hope we can, and we hope you can make it.

The Black Dog Jazz Festival is held on Saturday, August 14th from 11am to 5pm. Musical acts include Beleza Brazil and Los Gatos. Tickets are $15 pre-sale and $20 at the door. Ticket price includes music, wine tasting, cellar tour, and a special souvenir festival wine glass. For more information, please see our website: www.thedogs.com.

The Peaks of Otter is within the Ridge District of the Parkway where Mr. Bytnar retired as District Ranger in 2008.  The event will start at 4pm and will be located in the lobby of the Lodge.

Friday evenings the Lodge serves their well known buffet in the main dining room. The Lodge has rooms available and the campground across Abbott Lake are available for overnight guests.  The opportunities for great food, breathtaking scenery, hiking trails, and good reading and conversation could make this an enjoyable evening to remember.

For more information you can contact the Peaks of Otter Lodge at 1 800 542 5927.

Anne’s appearance is part of the celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway and is sponsored by ASU’s Belk Library and Information Commons. It is also part of the library’s Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Lecture Series. Parking for this event is available on campus in the parking deck on College Street. For more information please contact Lynn Patterson at 828-262-2087.

A little about Anne:  She has earned degrees from Birmingham Southern College and UNC-Chapel Hill. She currently teaches state and public history at UNC-CH. Anne has been a consultant to the National Park Service and a member of the Board for both the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and the BRP 75th, Inc. She is also a member of our Blue Ridge Parkway Blog Community. Visit Anne’s profile.

Along with the popular “Super-Scenic Motorway”, Anne has also published the first-ever Parkway children’s book. This book, titled “When the Parkway Came”, is a unique look at the impact the Parkway made on local families and farms when it was first being built.

You can find both of Anne’s books for sale at the Virtual Blue Ridge Bookstore.

During the war 25,000 CO’s served in non-combat roles in all branches of the military.  Some worked in understaffed mental institutions.   Another 20,000 fought forest fires and worked on conservation projects in rural areas through the Civilian Projects Service.  Although they may not have served directly, they still likely had a similar experience to many soldiers serving on the front lines, from training drills to Poker and other bonding sessions with those they served with. This later group was placed in camps which had been previously used by the Civilian Conservation Corps that was disbanded in 1942 as most of the 18 to 24 year old men in that program were taken into the military.

The CCC participants were unskilled labor recruited from areas with low employment due to The Depression.  The Conscientious Objectors were made up of men who were from a variety of backgrounds including successful farmers, craftsmen, and intellectuals.  CO’s came with a variety of skills that were put to work on many rural improvement and park projects.

One CO Camp was located at Sherando Lake in Virginia. This was a former CCC Camp on US Forest Service property. Out of this camp men worked on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the area of Humpback Rocks on trails and construction of stone walls such as those found at the Humpback Rocks Parking Area (MP 6) and Reeds Gap (MP 13). The military started to accumulate prisoners of war from mainly naval engagements. They needed facilities to accommodate these growing populations and consequently the Sherando Camp was transferred to the military and the CO’s moved to Camp #121 in Bedford, Virginia. There the men began work in the Peaks of Otter area of the Parkway. Once again they constructed trails placing stone steps and what were called fire lanes to help contain forest fires. Stone work was also done on walls and around buildings. Today if you visit the Peaks of Otter Nature Center you will walk on a stone patio that goes across the front of the building, through the breezeway, and to the rear of the building where you will find picnic tables. At the front of the building there is a flat stone with the letters “CO” carved. This is one of the few signs left by this group of men who served their country in an alternative way during World War II.

Thanks to Dave Benavitch, USFS Ret. who first told me the story of the CO’ of WWII

Photos taken from Wikipedia

Here are a few tips that will help you understand the dynamics of deer movement and how to avoid collisions that can cause serious property damage and at times personal injuries.

• Deer are most active at dawn and dusk.  This is when they like to feed so you are most likely to see deer on road shoulders. 
• Remember that deer can also be encountered any other time of day.
• Drive the speed limit or below when in areas frequented by deer.  This applies to most park areas.
• Be alert scanning tree lines and road shoulders for deer including the reflection from their eyes at night.
• Once you see deer or the reflection of eyes, slow down, and stay alert for movement.
• If you see deer running across the road in front of your vehicle, do not follow where they are going with your eyes.  Instead look to where the deer came from.  Deer do not travel alone and more deer may come from the same direction.
• At times deer will run down the road in front of your vehicle in a zig-zag pattern.  Drivers are often confused by this behavior.  Their natural instincts are kicking in and this is how they attempt to escape a predator.  If you stop your vehicle, they will finally run off the road.
• Should a deer jump into the road in front of you, hit your brakes and stay in your lane.  More extensive damage and more serious injuries can result from swerving to avoid the deer and striking a tree, rock, or oncoming vehicle.
• You will see devices sold that you can place on your vehicle that make whistling sounds to scare deer away.  It was my experience that these do not guarantee safety and I saw many vehicles with this equipment in place still have collisions with deer.

Geocaching is a growing recreational activity throughout the United States.  Participants can obtain the geographic coordinates of caches hidden by others and then use handheld Global Positioning System (GPS) units to find them.  It is similar to a high tech scavenger or treasure hunt.  Caches can consist of secreted containers with small items that can be taken as souvenirs and or the chance to leave a token behind.  Virtual caches can lead the hunter to the answer of a puzzle or riddle.  Many Geocache enthusiasts then share their finds on the web site; http://www.geocaching.com/.

 The Gems of Rockbridge County Geocache Trail showcases the county and communities adjacent to The Blue Ridge Parkway and their cultural and natural relationships.

 This Trail fills a niche of interest that cannot be satisfied on The Blue Ridge Parkway since geocaching is prohibited in National Park Service Areas.  This fun activity is enjoyed by individuals and families.  There will be 10-12 caches secreted in the Rockbridge County area.  Participants can pick up a passport with information that will lead them through the trail at the Buena Vista and Lexington Visitor Centers in Virginia.  The first two hundred people to locate all the caches will receive a commemorative coin.

 For more information go to:

http://www.blueridgegeocaching.com

Today we are facing similar threats to native species of vegetation in the Southern Appalachians.  The new peril is coming in the form of funguses, insects, and exotic plants.

Hemlock Wooly Adelgid was first found on the east coast in 1951 near Richmond, Virginia.  Scientists believe that these microscopic insects originated in Southern Japan.  The adelgids are first noted as a foamy looking substance on the bottom of needles and branches.  The appearance is that they eventually suck the life from the trees to the point that entire stands on mountain sides quickly die.  Along The Blue Ridge Parkway the impact can be seen in the canopies of dead trees in the area of mile post 35 at Yankee Horse Gap and the Peaks of Otter Picnic area where the National Park Service has had to cut down some of these once majestic trees to maintain public safety on trails and roadways.

Dogwood trees provide a beautiful spring displays and provide food sources for birds and animals in the mountains of the East.  These native trees are being eradicated by a fungus known as the Dogwood Anthracnose first identified in the mid 1970s.  Vistas along The Blue Ridge Parkway that were once carpeted with dogwoods are now completely devoid of these trees.  The good news is that individual specimen trees do appear to be resistant to the fungus.  Scientists are studying these individual trees attempting to find an answer to this mystery.

Unfortunately there is no easy fix for either of these important species of trees.  The treatment in the open forest environment does not appear feasible at this time.  One scientist explained to me that the only way to save any single tree is to treat it with as much care as you would give a prized rose bush.  Research continues including experimenting with natural enemies for the adelgids and breeding of fungus resistant dogwood species.  Scientists will continue to work on these challenges as they are still striving to reintroduce the chestnut to the Southern Appalachian mountain slopes.

For more information you can refer to:

http://na.fs.fed.us/fhp/hwa/

http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/dogwoodanthracnose/dogwood%20anthracnose.htm

The Blue Ridge Parkway story aired Sunday, May 16th, during which several Parkway destinations were highlighted. Below is a video recording from The Today Show’s website. I hope you enjoy it!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Here are some simple tips to help prevent you or a family member from becoming a statistic in a report and ruining a wonderful Blue Ridge Parkway experience.

• Plan ahead for your hike.  Review a map of the area or check for a map posted at the trail head.  Having a vision of the trail route and where it goes will be helpful should you become confused by unofficial social trails.
• After reviewing a map and if available a description of the trail, do not take on a hike that is more physically difficult than all the members of your group can handle.
• Check the weather report for the area before your hike.  Dress and carry appropriate gear to remain comfortable and safe during your time outdoors.  Remember that in mountainous terrain temperatures drop sharply at night, so be prepared to prevent hypothermia should you be late getting to your destination or vehicle.
• Proper foot wear is essential not only for comfort but to prevent injuries.  If hiking in rocky terrain, be sure to wear stout hiking boots with good tread.  Most of the injuries treated by park rangers involve slips and falls on trails by people wearing inappropriate foot wear.
• Stay on the designated trails.  The vast majority of the searches for lost hikers I worked during my career involved people getting off the trail, getting confused, and then trying to cut cross country to get to their destination.
• Keep your group within sight of each other.  Never let some members, especially children, run ahead of the group.  This is a recipe for disaster when members of your hiking group take a different trail and become separated.  The result is generally people overreacting and contributing to the complexity of the situation.  This reaction is amplified when the missing hikers are children.  Well intended emotions then kick in and decision making becomes more difficult for members of the group.  One tip is to have the slowest member of your group walk in the front and everyone has to stay behind them.
• Carry water even on short hikes.  You may be amazed how quickly you can dehydrate while hiking outdoors.  Dehydration and hypothermia both result in confusion and a loss of decision making skills.

Following these simple practices will help you to enjoy your next visit to any park.

These park rangers show up with unbounded enthusiasm and with many hopes.  It is energizing for year round employees to see new seasonal rangers arriving for training.  Their passion is contagious and they show up anxious to start their work helping to educate and protect visitors.  When you visit a National Park it is most likely that the park ranger you meet will be a seasonal employee. 

Seasonal park rangers come from a variety of backgrounds and levels of experience.

There are the college students working in the parks for the summer to gain experience and help pay for school.  Many are hopeful of future opportunities that could develop into full time permanent National Park Service employment.

There are teachers who escape the classroom to the outdoors to refresh their outlook on life, supplement their meager income, and grow in ways that can provide enhanced experiences that can be brought back to the classroom.

Increasingly you will find retirees from a first career now working in National Parks as seasonal park rangers.  Many are taking advantage of this opportunity to live a dream they have had since childhood of working as a park ranger.

Returning military veterans will also be found working as seasonal park rangers attempting to establish themselves back in civilian life and perhaps start a new career.

There are many others who will work this summer as seasonal park rangers.  They all share the sense of adventure and dedication that is necessary to achieve the mission of the National Park Service to preserve and protect our nation’s resources for future generations.

Thanks seasonals for all you do.

Elevation and aspect in the Blue Ridge Mountains are crucial to plant development.  In the spring the temperatures are warmer at lower elevations triggering trees to produce their leaves before their brethren at higher and cooler elevations.  The result is the creeping of green up the slopes over a week or so until the entire mountain range is clothed in many rich hues of green.

The process is again seen in the fall as the cooler temperatures result in the trees at higher elevations starting their brilliant displays of gold, red, and orange.  You can sit back and watch the color move down slopes toward the valleys.

Bloom Tip

I took a drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway between mile post 0 and 29 the other day.  Dogwoods are just starting to develop their flowers, but the Service Berry (pronounced sar vis berry by the mountain residents) are in full bloom.  You will find the most spectacular bloom of Service Berry I seen in 25 years between mile post 20 and 22.

The idea that an individual could just toss their trash out the window of a moving car is incomprehensible to the type of person who aspires to be a park ranger.  This lack of understanding of motive is compounded exponentially when that littering occurs within a National Park.

A moment that makes any park ranger’s day is when they actually catch a litterer red handed in the act.  A park ranger hears some outrageous reactions from these violators.

One night while working at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park I backed my patrol car into the entrance of a picnic area on Lee Drive.  I was sitting there with my dome light on filling out some paperwork on a violation notice I had issued earlier when I saw a vehicle coming down Lee Drive at a high rate of speed.  The vehicle started to slow as it approached and I assumed that they saw my car.  As the vehicle passed the driver tossed a half gallon wine bottle out the window striking the front bumper on my car.  I immediately pulled out with my emergency lights on and stopped the vehicle.  I approached the driver and asked him if he knew why I had stopped him.  He said he had no idea why. 

I then asked him if he threw a wine bottle from his car.

His answer shocked me, “Yea I did.  So what’s the big deal? Someone will pick it up.”

No matter how I tried, I could not convince him that he had done something wrong and that it was a violation of the law to litter.  He left with several violation notices, angry for being hassled.  I cannot remember if he ever paid his fines.

Through my career I was surprised to find the response I heard that night to be a common theme among litterers.  Numerous times I was told by people I witnessed throwing out trash in parks that it was not important because, “Someone will pick it up.”  They resented being charged with what they considered no violation of the law.

Just another example of the interesting types of people a park ranger gets to meet during their career.

On Saturday March 20 I will be participating with my book, A Park Ranger’s Life: Thirty Two Years Protecting Our National Parks, available for signing at the Omni Hotel in downtown Charlottesville.  I plan to be there from 9am to 4pm.

For more information on the Festival of the Book you can visit their web site at www.vabook.org .

Author and retired National Park Ranger Bruce W. Bytnar will be in Roanoke, Virginia on Saturday March 13 for a reading  from his book, “A Park Ranger’s Life: Thirty Two Years Protecting Our National Parks” at the Tanglewood Barnes and Noble Store.  The event will start at 1pm and he will be available to sign books through the afternoon.

Mr. Bytnar spent twenty seven years of his career as a park ranger on the Blue Ridge Parkway which forms the stage for many of his stories.  Stop by and learn about bears, lost hikers, bad guys, fighting fires, and many of the other adventures and duties of a park ranger.

Camping is available for those that are competing in the games, or those who desire to soak in the full experience. This year, the games began with the opening ceremonies on Thursday evening following a foot race. The winner of the race ran a victory lap around the track with the torch in hand.

For anyone curious about the Highland Games and not sure which days to attend events, I would suggest a weekend pass. With my weekend pass wrapped around my arm, I journeyed towards the fog-covered Grandfather Mountain.

Scottish apparel was the first thing that greeted me, and it felt as if I had gotten off a plane in Scotland. Young and old had adorned their bodies with plaid for the events.

The yellow lights cut through the fog and created a silhouette out of every object in sight. I sat in amazement as 150 clans called out their name and a fact about their heritage. If you have seen the movie Braveheart, some felt only the need to yell a battle cry like William Wallace did before war.

Each clan had chosen a representative who stood in the center of the field with a torch. After introducing their clan, each torch was left in the center and the ending result was a pyramid-like structure. It was a sight to see, and could not have been a more beautiful night.

The next three days of the games were packed full of events for the whole family to watch. Celtic music in the grove was among my favorite. With two concert groves and a number of other small stages, music was for sure not lacking.

The groves were rock formations around a stage at the bottom of a sloping hill. It made for a great sound and even if you were at the very back of the crowd, most could still see all that was happening. There was everything from traditional Celtic, to Scottish Romantic music. Each band got the crowd involved in their music and many chose to dance a jig in front of the stage.

Games for men and women to compete in were only during daylight hours. Before dinner time each day, were a handful of events for the clans to showcase their abilities.

Caber tossing was definitely the most foreign for the Americans to watch. This event consisted of particularly large men picking up a 150 pound, 18 foot long log and throwing it as far as they could. There were also a handful of relays, high jumping, and pole vaulting.

Every so often throughout the day, an old Scottish man with a wooden staff would direct his border collie to heard sheep in and out of their pen. Often, the dog would chase the sheep into the path of an event such as the foot races.

These were just an overview of everything that went on this weekend in July. The Highland Games are a unique taste of Scottish heritage that you don’t want to miss next year.

View the 2009 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games Photos.

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?”

I’ve written an article about the 75th kickoff event which I’ve posted over at National Parks Traveler, in hopes of bringing some national attention to our celebration. Meanwhile, for regular readers of this blog: if you pop over to National Parks Traveler, you’ll find a wealth of excellent information about all of our National Parks.

Blue Ridge Parkway 75th Anniversary: Plans for a year 2010 celebration of the 75th anniversary of the beginning of construction are proceeding quickly. A set of kickoff events happening in Roanoke on October 9th and 10th will begin with a symposium I have arranged that will look at how an understanding of the past helps us think about the Parkway’s future. “A Living Past on a Borrowed Landscape: The Blue Ridge Parkway at 75” will inagurate a conversation about the challenges facing the Parkway. We’ll also hope to identify areas where more research about the Parkway is needed; we hope that some of that research will be presented at a larger symposium or conference in 2010. The October 9th discussion is open to the public, and I hope that many of you will plan to attend. Full details about this event and all of the other Parkway 75th kickoff plans are available here.

Now, you may ask: why Roanoke? Well, the 75th anniversary of the Parkway is actually many anniversaries, as there were many events in the 1930s that can be called “the beginning” of the Parkway. The first of those beginnings happened in the fall of 1933 when Virginia Senator Harry F. Byrd covened a meeting of representatives from Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee in his Washington office to flesh out what was then a fledgling idea about a parkway to connect Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains national parks. Since Virginia played such a key role in getting the Parkway ball rolling in 1933, it seemed logical that the first activity of the 75th celebration should be based among Virginians.

Blue Ridge Parkway Day at Mast General Stores: I spent last Saturday, September 13th, at the Mast General Store in Asheville, participating in their first-ever Blue Ridge Parkway day! Mast and the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation have partnered to promote stewardship of the Parkway, and Mast generously agreed to donate 10% of their sales proceeds from all of their stores on Saturday the 13th to the Foundation to support the Parkway. Saturday was a gorgeous day, with lots of people out on the streets in Asheville and many shopping at Mast. I enjoyed talking with store visitors about the Parkway and the Foundation, and loved getting to know some of Mast’s Asheville employees, who made me feel right at home. Thanks, Mast!

Talks, Talks, and More Talks: In the next two months, I’m doing seven talks and presentations about the Parkway’s history to groups as varied as the “Village Elders” in Chapel Hill to the Society of North Carolina Archivists meeting in Boone. Come out and see me! The full schedule of my public events is online here.

Whew! There are other projects ongoing as well — stay tuned! For me (to paraphrase Faulkner), the Parkway’s history is never dead; it isn’t even past.

Answer:
Apple butter making at Mabry Mill is one of the most popular family events on the Blue Ridge Parkway. You can view a demonstration of the apple butter being made and then purchase some to take home the same day. This event is held each fall at Mabry Mill, Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 176.The dates for this popular pastime usually occur in October. Please contact Mabry Mill for more information about current scheduling by calling 276-952-2947 or visit their web site.

For additional events along the Blue Ridge Parkway, please
visit the Virtual Blue Ridge Events Calendar.

Saving the "Good Stuff" - The Historic Orchard at Altapass

The Historic Orchard at Altapass

When Kit Trubey purchased an apple orchard near Spruce Pine, NC in 1994 on a big sweeping balcony curve of the Blue Ridge Parkway, her intent along with her brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Judy Carson, was to save one of the Parkway’s most significant views. But from the beginning, there became more to the story and MORE to the story and MORE to the story.

On September 29, 1780, the location that is now the orchard saw the passage of the Overmountain Men, coming from settlements in Indian Territory, across Bright’s Trace and the Blue Ridge to defeat the British at King’s Mountain and change the course of the Revolutionary War.

In the next decade, a prolific procreating local by the name of Charles McKinney produced 48 children via 4 separate wives who lived in 4 separate houses but attended church as a passel of five plus kids.

Then the railroad came (which they all do eventually) in 1908 produced the Alta Pass Inn, a railroad station, and an apple orchard.

When Bill and Judy started trying to make some thing out of it, both on paper and in their heads, one of the old orchard managers (now deceased) said “you ought’ta have a feed and some music”. It took a rocket scientist (Bill was an engineer on the Apollo moon shot) to figure it out but as anyone who grew up here knows, when that you mix food and music, you have the ingredients for a meal with it own unique cultural and historical heritage which will sooth a man’s soul and weaken a woman’s heart.

Every major holiday during season – Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day – there is a community feed with BBQ and and an overabundance of covered dishes. It’s $10 or a covered dish to get in. The lit-up expressions on people’s faces, the lively chatter of kids underfoot, and an 8-sheet dance floor that is full for every dance says it all. This is as rich as it gets.

Fireworks visible from two different communities as seen from the Funnel Top Overlook

Hobie Cawood, our board chairman, was in our office last week to wish everyone a happy 4th of July. He remarked as he was leaving that “I have attended 19 consecutive 4th of July celebrations at Independence Hall.” That did not strike me as particularly noteworthy because he had served as superintendent of Independence Hall National Historic Site — one of the country’s over 390 national park units — for 20 years. The significance of that did not strike me until after he left.

Imagine! To be able to celebrate the birth of our nation right where it actually happened …

For me, our national parks create the same sense of awe and wonder as has the Parkway this 4th of July weekend. Every campsite was taken at the Mt. Pisgah campground, a very rare occurrence. What is particular significant about this location, from Mt. Pisgah itself (6,000 feet) one can witness 12 different fire works displays at the same time. We saved the 3.0 mile round-trip hike in the dark and instead chose the Funnel Top overlook south of Pisgah as a preferred alternative location. We bagged eight different displays as did the multitude of overlook onlookers who joined us.

The Parkway,too, like Independence Hall can be the place where it actually happens. The palpable feeling on that moonless night was that everyone in the overlook was proud to be an American.

Rachael Eldridge, author of the event

Last year this time, there was snow on the ground because my wife and I were planning to go to the Moses Cone Estate to observe our first Blue Ridge Parkway Egg Scramble and Raffle. We didn’t go, but this year I kept a turned eye towards this past Saturday and waffled about going. But last week, Tina White, the Parkway’s district interpreter made a special invitation. The idea of a low impact weekend after some minor surgery seemed to be the right ticket …. and it was.

This is the fifth year of this event; first conceived by Rachael Eldridge, operations manager for the Southern Highland’s Craft Guild’s Craft Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I asked Rachael about her idea and she said, “this is the perfect way to get kids and families to the Parkway and to the Cone Mansion at the beginning of our retail season to welcome spring.”

Over 300 adults and youngsters attended and kids scrambled “on signal” to collect the brightly colored plastic and toy-laden eggs that littered the Mansion’s side and front yards. I had never attended one of these events before in my life eventhough I remember growing up and searching for eggs that my parents had hidden for my sister and I in the flower garden.

Ranger Tina White insured that each child left with their own Easter egg

I later saw Ranger Tina with her own basket of eggs which seemed odd to me at the time. I asked my wife about this later on our trip back to Winston-Salem. She said, “Tina made sure that every child who left the Parkway that day left with their very own egg.”

Well, of course. As I have told countless audiences …. “People who return to the Parkway year after year do so because their earliest memory is almost always a pleasant childhood memory.”

Share the Journey!

A video of the event is now posted on the Parkway Foundation’s YouTube Site.