Monday, December 28, 2015

Planning for the next trip

The Blue Ridge Parkway crosses the North Carolina-Virginia state line at mile 216.9. The 1749 party that surveyed the boundary included Peter Jefferson, father of Thomas Jefferson.

  • Mile 217.5 Cumberland Knob, at 2,885 feet (879 m), is the center piece of a small parkway recreation area.
  • 218.6 Fox Hunters Paradise, down a short walking path, is where hunters could listen to their houndsbaying in the valley below.
  • 238.5 Brinegar Cabin was built by Martin Brinegarabout 1880 and lived in until the 1930s when the homestead was purchased from his widow for the parkway. The original cabin stands there today.
  • 238.5 to 244.7 Doughton Park was named for Congressman Robert L. Doughton, a staunch supporter and neighbor of the parkway. The park has many miles of hiking trails, a lodge, dinner, picnic area and a campground.
  • 258.6 Northwest Trading Post offers crafts from North Carolina's northwestern counties.
  • 260.6 Jumpinoff Rock is at the end of a short woodland trail.
  • 264.4 The Lump is a grassy knob that provides views of the forested foothills.
  • 272 E. B. Jeffress Park has a self-guided trail to a waterfall known as the Cascades. Another trail goes to an old cabin and church.
  • 285.1 Daniel Boone's Trace, which Boone blazedto the West, crosses near here.
  • 292 to 295 Moses H. Cone Memorial Park has hikingfishing and horse trailsFlat Top Manor, the former house of Moses H. Cone, is now used as the Parkway Craft Center.
  • 295.1 to 298 Julian Price Memorial Park, the former retreat of the insurance executive Julian Price, offers a variety of hiking trails, campground, and a 47-acre (190,000 m2) Price Lake. This is the only lake on the parkway on which paddling is allowed.
  • 304.4 Linn Cove Viaduct, the last segment of the parkway built, skirts the side of Grandfather Mountain. A visitor center is located nearby and provides access to a trail under the viaduct.
  • 308.3 Flat Rock provides views of Grandfather Mountain and Linville Valley.
  • 316.3 Linville Falls Recreation Area provides trails with overlooks of Linville Falls and the Linville Gorge. A campground and picnic area are also provided.
  • 331 Museum of North Carolina Minerals interprets the state's mineral wealth.
  • 339.5 Crabtree Meadows & Crabtree Falls (North Carolina)is a parkway recreation area with a picnic area, campground, giftshop and hiking trails.
  • 349.2 Laurel Knob, provides views of Grandfather Mountain, Linville Mountain, Hawksbill Mountain, and Table Rock (North Carolina).
  • 355.4 Mount Mitchell State Park, reached via N.C. 128, is the highest point east of the Mississippi River.
  • 359.8 Walker Knob, formerly known as Balsam Gap, is located where the Black Mountains (North Carolina) and the Great Craggy Mountains meet.
  • 361.2 Glassmine Falls, an 800-foot (240 m) ephemeral waterfall visible from an overlook on the side of the parkway.
  • 363.4 to 369.6 Craggy Gardens in the Great Craggy Mountains appear covered with purple rhododendron in mid-to-late June. Craggy Pinnacle Trail and other trails (364.1 and 364.6); road to picnic area and trails (367.6).
  • 382 The Folk Art Center is the flagship facility of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. It offers sales and exhibits of traditional and contemporary crafts of the Appalachian region. There are interpretive programs, three galleries, a library and a book store.
  • 384 The Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center is the newest attraction along the Parkway. The building itself is LEED- certified [1]. The Center houses a 70-seat theater showing an award-winning 24 minute film about the region. Information and orientation services are provided by the National Park Service and the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. Eastern National has a retail shop offering books, apparel and more. There are several exhibits, including a 22-foot interactive map of the entire Blue Ridge Parkway known as the "I-Wall" which provides multi-media information on places to visit on and around the Parkway. Other exhibits focus on the history and heritage of the Parkway and Western North Carolina.
  • 408.6 Mount Pisgah was part of the Biltmore Estate. The estate became home of the first forestry school in America and the nucleus of the Pisgah National Forest. Also located here is the Pisgah Inn resort, a park service concession.
  • 417 Looking Glass Rock is visible from many spots on the Parkway starting at Mount Pisgah.
  • 418 East Fork Overlook. Located here are the headwaters of the Pigeon River. Yellowstone Falls is a short distance away and gets its name from the yellowish moss covering the rocks.
  • 420.2 Shining Rock Wilderness is the largest Wilderness in North Carolina with 18,483 acres (74.80 km2), 25 miles (40 km) of trails and peaks over 6,000 ft (1,800 m). The Wilderness is named for Shining Rock.
  • 420.2 Black Balsam Knob is a grassy bald with panoramic views just outside of the Shining Rock Wilderness in Pisgah National Forest. The Wilderness also includes Cold Mountain.
  • 422.4 Devil's Courthouse is a rugged exposed mountaintop rich in Cherokee traditions.
  • 423.5 Herrin Knob Overlook. A hiking trail goes around Tanasee Bald and Herrin Knob. Tanasee Bald(423.7) is said to be the home of the mythical Cherokee giant Tsul 'Kalu.
  • 431 Richland Balsam is the highest point on the parkway at 6,053 feet (1,845 m). There is a self-guiding trail that passes through a remnant spruce-firforest.
  • 435.7 Licklog Ridge once hosted cattlemen and their herds of cattle before it became part of the national forest. The area earns its name from the cattlemen who would place rocks of salt into logs and holes in the earth.
  • 451.2 Waterrock Knob provides a panorama of the Great Smokies, visitor center, trail, comfort station, exhibits.
  • 458.2 Heintooga Overlook spur road goes to a mile-high overlook 1.3 miles (2.1 km) from the parkway.
  • Mile 469 Southern End of the Blue Ridge Parkway intersects with U.S. 441 in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Cherokee Reservation near Cherokee, North Carolina.

Sunday, December 27, 2015

70° in late December

Nice temps, though cloudy. Killed some time wandering in the bike with Pete. Lots of beautiful scenery. Did I take pics of any? No. 

Lady bug infestation on Natchez trace restroom skylight.

Friday, December 25, 2015

Merry Christmas! Leaning trike article from Cyril Huze

Thanks for being such a good friend!
The boys loved the fishing gear.
Isaac did say "zombeh fiiish"


Finally we can ride when we are way too old:

tiltingmotorworks


Sunday, October 11, 2015

Taking back the blue ridge: 05/2016

Cocke farmers co-op, the tower, the  dragon's poopchute, and riding the blue ridge parkway for longer than 10 miles. Can't wait. So we need to find a home base, or multiple stops for the night.

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Felt we needed a post no matter how pathetic


Been so busy with wok and class this semester that dechroming Liberace is a welcome respite, though hardly really working on the bike. Bye bye chrome lifter box covers. Bye bye chrome engine block cover thingie. I'm putting it all up on eBay. Some toolbag will want chrome trinkets.





Saturday, August 1, 2015

Tread is for pussies

I feel like a bitch for getting new tire because I was showing a dime sized bit of cord.

Pete's goldwing:
It was like that the whole circumference of the tire.


Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Mixing families for a week

Independence Day ride

Rain.
Rode to Shiloh battlefield. 
Saw a cannon fired.
Rode home.
More rain.

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Memorial day weekend road trip end. Seeing the mayor home

Followed him in van as he left for home. I had to look for turtles for the kids.








Bridge over I-65

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Memorial day road trip day 3 with Mayor Flip book activity

Liberace at the southern terminus





Start flip book here

















































Boat moving flip book activity end







Camping here, no sign though


Halfway mark

making it his