Blue Ridge Parkway Revisited.....................

We have visited the Blue Ridge Parkway many times on our trips to NC, but have never been to the Northern end of it.     It starts in Virginia, so that's where we started.    We are making it a three-day journey to Asheville.

As usual, there is a significant haze over the valleys.      We are also here before fall color.

Our first planned hike of the day is a modest .8 mile hike to a look-out.     What my limited literature didn't tell us is that it is a significant incline the entire 8/10 of a mile up.     We made it over 6/10 of a mile before we had to give up.     Both of are still battling our never ending colds and just don't have the stamina to continue.     Keep in mind, this was all up, no level areas or up/down areas.

The trip down took as long as the upward journey  (sans the catching my breath moments!).     The decline is steep enough that you have to walk slowly, too.

My missed photo op of the day would have been incredible!     We were driving in an area with absolutely no place to stop when I see a bear cub climbing up a rock wall.     Unfortunately there wasn't a spot to turn around for over five minutes, so it was gone when we got back.    

There's not much water on the Parkway, but this was a pretty spot.    

I don't know if you can read this, it says:   In June and July during corn-chopping time, this cliff serves the folks in White Rock Community as a time piece.     Twenty minutes after sunlight strikes the rock face, dusk falls on the valley below.

Another hazy valley scene.

We saw this large group of cars and people with binoculars but had no idea what was happening.

It turns out this is a hawk viewing area.     I spent a few minutes, but didn't see any.    Oh well......

Unfortunately, the rest of our journey was non-photo worthy.   Actually, it was pretty bad.   Heavy fog all day 2, so we left the Parkway after four hours and drove in lighter fog on regular roads.  We still haven't seen the pretty areas from the NC border to Boone.   Guess that's an excuse to come again.

There was one "out of the ordinary" sighting on Day 1.     I'll share that tomorrow.