Parkway visitors have their own remembrances of the Blue Ridge Parkway; in a sense, their own heritage paths — their favorite places which are often childhood memories. The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation collects stories and memories because people add a historical dimension to the Parkway, not unlike the physical dimension and experience that overlooks add to scenery.
To Share Your Journey with the world, please email Dr. Houck Medford at hmedford@blueridgeparkwayblog.com. A picture from your journey should be included. Please be sure that your image is a minimum of 560 pixels wide at 72 dpi resolution.
Snow and ice continues to melt and break up in the lower elevations leading up to the Blue Ridge Mountains. The mountains themselves remain locked in winter’s icy grasp with melting involved in a much slower process. The higher elevations where temperatures are significantly lower, received more snow than below in the valleys. That snow was then pushed and sculpted by high winds to produce drifts that stood in excess of seven feet in depth at many locations. Limited daily radiant sunlight then started to melt on the surface of the drifts on those few clear days that allowed the rays to peak through. That melting then refroze turning the snow drifts into ice bergs blocking roads.
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Dan Propst with his new tag!
We began our trip at Front Royal, VA and ended in Cherokee, NC. The entire trip was outstanding. We camped both nights and had beautiful weather. Our traveling companions were Phil and Diane Gnapt. We were riding our 1994 Honda Goldwing pulling our custom made trailer designed as a 1955 Chevrolet Nomad.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is our favorite road.
We have one of the first BRP license tags on our Goldwing! — #0046BP
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?”
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
L-R
From Gary and Debra Laney
We enjoyed the entire Parkway but our favorite section is between Mt. Pisgah and Balsam Gap. We are fortunate to live close enough to spend a lot of time on our motorcycle riding the most beautiful road in the world.
From Eddie and Wanda Laney
I really enjoyed the music center and the views were spectacular. We rode the whole Parkway on the motorcycle with a group of friends and had a wonderful time.
