Well I'm back to civilization... it's nice to have my cell phone work again, but I do miss my view. We started in SHEN on Monday (I think, days are running together). Collected a lot that first day, saw a bear cub too... just hangin out on the side of the road. Could've reached out the window and picked him up, did not seem to care about anyone but the ants he was eating, looks like he needs them.
SHEN is a beautiful park, it's major asset is the Skyline Drive. Here is a map of it... The road basically goes along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mtns for about 105.730 miles (actually that's exact, we drove it). It was created in 1931 as part of the Works Progress Administration (largest New Deal organization).I was expecting it to be pretty, but the pictures I'm posting really don't do it nearly enough justice. Vistas were at every corner and it was hard to keep my eyes glued to the road or the computer screen.
That last one is a view from our lodge deck at around 830 at night. That's the Shenandoah Valley, and it was one of the only looks I got from the lodge. Clouds and mist plagued us a lot of the week, luckily not keeping us from working though (46 hours in 4 days).
First time we got to stay at a park lodge, Big Meadows Lodge was the place. They usually won't offer a Government rate, but we worked out something with the park. Although getting the bill right was somewhat of a haggle, it was worth it though.
My room didn't have a phone or internet, and my cell didn't get coverage. So I was disconnected, pretty uncommon for me. I even sent a postcard, pretty old-school.
The lodge offered nightly entertainment at their "tap room" (bar). I went a couple of nights and it was.... interesting... They advertised it as family friendly, and that it was. Here is the list of entertainment, I think I saw Charlie Maddux on Monday. It was a dad and his 16 year old who seemed oddly happy to be there (when I was 16 I was not hanging out with my parents... ever). The dad played the hammer dulcimer amongst other instruments and the son played the obo... need I go on?
I had a bad feeling about it when I heard the waitress say to another couple "um yeah, I kinda dread these nights when he plays." I wish I had a video camera... oh god, I love you, you tube... I couldn't take more than 2 beers worth...
Here's some more pics from SHEN....
The fog got a little crazy sometimes. And yes I took this while I was driving... it's straight for a while I was going about 25mph... ok?I saw this bear right outside of the lodge, just cruising towards the campground...
This guy was right next to the road... a couple of miles down the road.
The rest of SHEN was slightly a blur... finished up yesterday. 4 days to collect about 160 miles worth of routes. It took a toll, and that's only a 1/4 of what Blue Ridge Parkway brings us.
We started BLRI today. 466 miles from the end of SHEN down to Great Smoky Mountains NP. And it's not a straight shot... winding road up and down ridges and valleys. Plus we have to drive everything twice since we collect both directions. So you can go ahead and double that mileage, and we can't go much faster than 30mph. Long days are in my future that's for sure.
BLRI is pretty though, just like SHEN, but the terrain varies a little more. No bears today but a couple of pics... I like that last one... sums up a lot of the views pretty good (hazy, rolling mountains)
Collected 75 miles of the parkway only 391 miles left... ugh... Here's a map of what we collected today...
View Larger Map
Hopefully I'll have internet the next couple of days, I know so many of you missed my updates...
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