BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY-A SHORT DAY RIDE

The dogs awakened me early yesterday and I thought it would be early enough to head over to Cherokee and get on the Blue Ridge Parkway before all the tourists arrived on the roads. I got to Route 441 in Townsend and there they were. Oh well!. Once on the parkway all sense of worldly care disappeared. I kept the big yellow bike in fourth gear and just cruised slowly up the side of the mountain. The exhaust tone was mellow. I hate loud exhaust pipes. This bike emits a gentle strength that bespeaks power if needed. It has been a long time since I rode on the Parkway and I couldn't wait to get to an overlook and remove my helmet and just drink it all in. The Blue Ridge Parkway is 475 miles long starting in Cherokee, NC and ending in Waynsboro, VA. It is a glorious creation that meanders through some of the most fantastic forest and mountains on this continent. It is as if one is in a dream at times while maneuvering a motorcycle over the twisty, curvy path. The Blue Ridge Parkway has it all. From granite cliffs, and drop strait down valleys, to soft winding country roads that roll up and down and around. It is there for all to enjoy. Yes, it is part of our heritage. A legacy of how the earth used to be. This sign conjures up memories of countless adventures on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Years and years of experiences on this road have made me a better motorcycle operator and has fueled my desire for adventure. I love this road. I love its history and I love how it allows wilderness penetration without actually invading nature's privacy.

Just one of the many beautiful overlooks on the Parkway.

I have taken more pictures of bikes at this sign than I care to think about over the years. A very nice lady from Florida offered to take my picture with the Yellow Wonder. I accepted. I believe it is the first photo of me with a motorcycle in front of the sign ever.

The views are spectacular! The overlooks are neat and clean. The Blue Ridge Parkway is the finest motorcycle road in this country. I've been on them all. It is an adventure that never stops.

The two pictures below were taken just below Fontana Dam. If you read the short story I wrote called "The Storm"; you'll remember the Uniform and the Golden Dog came out of the cove and observed this same apparition and had to react to it. These fog events cover the entire river bank to bank and are dense. Some are stories high and they keep within the confines of the river bank. Not much one can do in a boat with this situation.