BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

Friday evening we went to Natural Bridge. We walked around for awhile and then watch their light show. The story of creation from the Bible was read and the Lords prayer was song. It was nice but not worth going our of our way or waiting around to see.

Saturday I was the tailgunner once again on the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP). Only Liz and Jim from California, who have the tow behind trailer, went on the BRP the rest took the interstates. That includes Larry, I drove the car. Just taking 130 and 501 to the BRP would have done Larry in with the curves. I got on the Parkway at MP 64 and got off at MP 199. I left KOA in Natural Bridge at 10:30 and got to the KOA in Fancy Gap (right by the BRP) at 5:00. I stopped for about 1/2 hour to eat a nice lunch at Peaks of Otter Lodge. While I was there it poured and I had rain on and off the rest of the day. The speed limit is 45 and most of the time there was no car in front or behind me. It was a nice leisurely drive with beautiful scenery.

Views from the overlooks , even cloudy it is unbelievable beautiful. This is the last we will be traveling on the Parkway and I'm very glad I did it and would love to see the rest some day. I was told by a park patrol when I was at MP 114 that I was not allowed on the Parkway because the signs on my car made me a commercial vehicle. I had seen the signs no commercial vehicles but it never occured to me that I was one. I told him I was the tail gunner for our tour and getting off at Fancy Gap. I think he would have liked me to get off right then, but he didn't say I had to. It really made me feel bad the rest of the drive. It is true you don't see any advertising anywhere along the route, along with no buses, taxi, or trucks.

My last stop at MP 176 at Mabry Mill. It was a nice area to walk around with lots of interesting buildings like this old gristmill.