Blue Ridge Parkway Journeys » Book Club

Best Easy Day Hikes: Blue Ridge Parkway

Joe Veler — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:36:43 +0000

The newly revised and updated second edition of this best-selling guide to the Blue Ridge Parkway’s easier trails is a tool I use regularly when I hike the Parkway. The 154 page, pocket-sized book features 34 hikes and variations that are perfect for novice hikers, families, dog owners, or anyone interested in accessible adventures that include waterfalls, wildflowers, and spectacular views. The book covers the high road’s entire 469-mile length, features an accurate, easy to follow trail map for each hike, a Trail Finder by level of difficulty, and an introductory travel overview and map to each of the four portions of the Parkway. Best Easy Day Hikes Blue Ridge Ridge Parkway is drawn form the larger bestselling book also by Randy Johnson, Hiking the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Quick Facts About Best Easy Day Hikes – Blue Ridge Parkway

» Author :: Randy Johnson
» Maps:: 35
» Pages :: 154
» Size :: 8.96″ x 6.32″
» Format :: Paperback

The author, Randy Johnson, is a widely published photojournalist who has helped design Parkway trails and lives near the Parkway. He’s the author of Hiking North Carolina, Best Easy Day Hikes Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and other books.

Purchase this book online at the Virtual Blue Ridge Bookstore.

New Motorcycling Guidebooks at the VBR Bookstore

Virtual Blue Ridge Bookstore — Tue, 17 May 2011 16:40:29 +0000

We are excited to announce the addition of two motorcycle guidebooks by Dale Coyner. Born and raised in the Appalachian mountains, Dale Coyner takes you on a journey through the mountains from the seat of his motorcycle with 36 maps and 200 color illustrations and photos. He also shares his expertise for traveling long distances over extended periods – invaluable advice for any touring motorcyclist.

Motorcycle Journeys Through the Appalachians

The best motorcycling in the East is tucked away deep in the mid-coast’s Appalachian mountains. Motorcycle Journeys Through the Appalachians will take you to the greatest roads and roadhouses that only the locals, like author Dale Coyner, know about. Packed with colorful photos and maps, tips on places to eat and play, and of course Dale Coyner’s humor. [ More Info ]

The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Travel

This guide book is perfect for motorcyclists to help prepare for traveling long distances over extended periods of time. Whether you’re getting ready for a weekend trip beyond your home turf, or for a transcontinental odyssey lasting several years, this motorcycle travel guide details the fundamentals for riding in comfort, safety, and convenience. [ More Info ]

Author Bruce W. Bytnar to Appear at Peaks Of Otter Lodge

Bruce Bytnar — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 14:41:54 +0000

Retired National Park Ranger and author of the book “A Park Ranger’s Life: Thirty Two Years Protecting Our National Parks” Bruce W. Bytnar will appear at the Peaks of Otter Lodge this Friday October 15. Mr. Bytnar will be in the Lodge lobby starting at 5pm and be available to answer questions and sign copies of his book.

“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.”

“A Park Ranger’s Life” at The Peaks Of Otter

Bruce Bytnar — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:58:54 +0000

On Friday July 23 retired National Park Ranger and author Bruce Bytnar will be at the Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia to sign copies of his book “A Park Ranger’s Life” and answer any questions folks may have about his career, park rangers, or the National Park Service.

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.

“A Park Ranger’s Life” Author at Roanoke Library

Bruce Bytnar — Sun, 09 May 2010 13:36:10 +0000

On Monday evening May 10th author Bruce Bytnar will be at the Roanoke County Library Headquarters to discuss his book “A Park Ranger’s Life: Thirty Two Years Protecting Our National Parks.” The talk will begin at 7pm and be followed by a book signing.

Mr. Bytnar spent 27 years as a park ranger on the Blue Ridge Parkway working in three districts in both North Carolina and Virginia.

“A Park Ranger’s Life” Now Available at On Line Bookstore

Bruce Bytnar — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:16:34 +0000

“A Park Ranger’s Life: Thirty Two Years Protecting Our National Parks” is now available through the Virtual Blue Ridge Bookstore. You can access the store by clicking on Virtual Blue Ridge Bookstore in the right column on this page.

Twenty seven of my years as a National Park Ranger were spent working on the Blue Ridge Parkway and many of the tales have the Parkway as their setting.

What is a park ranger’s life?

A wild bear who favors Kentucky Fried Chicken
A fugitive wanted in eight states
A dog that saves his owner’s life
Wildland firefighters battling nature and fire
A ghost haunting a colonial mansion
Hikers who stay lost because they think searchers calling their names are wild animals
Being willing to risk your life to make our parks safe and help preserve them for the future

These are just a few experiences you will read about in A Park Ranger’s Life. Drawn from the thirty-two-year career of National Park Ranger Bruce W. Bytnar, you will discover what it takes to be a park ranger, what threats to visitors and resources they deal with on a daily basis, and what you can do to help protect and preserve our national heritage.

Blue Ridge Book Club Features Book On Waterfalls

Joe Veler — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 13:27:38 +0000

The latest addition to the Blue Ridge Book Club is Waterfalls of the Blue Ridge by Nicole Blouin, Steve Bordonaro, and Marilou Wier Bordonaro. Waterfalls are magical places – places of solitude, of serenity, of subtle power. This guidebook provides all the information you need to find these moving spectacles of water and gravity. Some are a stone’s throw from the road; others hide in the backcountry. Directions, hike distance and difficulty, and a brief history of the area accompany each description. So get out of your chair and into the woods. And don’t forget your camera: you’ll want to capture the elusive beauty found inside this must-have guidebook.

Blue Ridge Book Club Features Book By Randy Johnson

Joe Veler — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 02:03:00 +0000

The latest addition to our book club is Best Easy Day Hikes: Blue Ridge Parkway by Randy Johnson.

This spectacular book details all the easy hikes along the entire Parkway, with detailed trail maps, distances, and mileposts. This book is perfect for the novice hiker and families looking for an outing together on the Parkway that can easily meet the needs of everyone in your party from young to old.

Blue Ridge Book Club features book by J. Scott Graham

Joe Veler — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 02:11:24 +0000

We are pleased to announce a new guide for Parkway related books available on our web site. The Blue Ridge Book Club includes information and reviews for the books and authors relating directly to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Blue Ridge Mountains.

Our latest addition to the club is Blue Ridge Parkway: America’s Favorite Drive by J. Scott Graham and Elizabeth C. Hunter. As the Parkway’s first-ever coffee table book, Graham and Hunter take the reader on a stunning ride along the National Park Service’s most popular park.