Kat > Kat's Blog Posts > Blue Ridge Parkway

Kat, I loved your pictures. I have ridden the Cherhola Skyway and it was one of my favorites too. I have been riding since 2002 and I too am on my 3rd bike. I kept my 2nd bike (HD Dyna) just in case I didn't like my new bike (K1200GT). Methinks I like the GT just fine! I will ride the BRP sometime this summer. May or June 2007. I'm gonna add you as a buddy. If it offends you for me to do so, please send me a PM and I'll remove you. Ride Safe and Often :)

Thanks! We didn't make the whole BRP ride so we are going back this summer. Going to try to make the RA Rally in June and ride more of the parkway. I kept the Rebel for a few months after the R65 just in case but never went back. Part of that could have been because I was also riding my son's Suzuki SV650 along with the R65. Like Redstreak said, too many bikes, not enough time. I have not figured out why some folks take offense at the buddy system here. My take on buddies is that there are folks on this forum from everywhere. If you happen to be in their corner of the world and have bike problems, needing to find a good hotel, or a good place to eat. Who would know the best? Glad to have you as a buddy. Believe me when I tell you that a GPS can't replace buddies. :o) Kat

Where is BRP? It looks like a wonderful place to ride!

Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you. Just saw the comment. I went to http://www.nps.gov/blri and grabbed some info for you. We didn't make the whole ride so must go back again. The Blue Ridge Parkway is history waiting to be discovered! Although the road is often seen primarily as a scenic byway with plenty of natural attractions, it is also a cross-section of Appalachian mountain history. Stretching almost 500 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge mountains through North Carolina and Virginia, it encompasses some of the oldest settlements of both pre-historic and early European settlement. Visitors can trace much of the history of Appalachian culture by observing overlook signs, visitor center exhibits, restored historic structures, and developed areas, all of which reveal points of particular interest. For a complete listing of the Parkway's historic attractions, contact the areas you will be visiting. In the meantime, here are some of the highlights: Native American Culture and Influence The Cherokee Indians of North Carolina, and the Monacan, Saponi, and Tutelo Indians of western Virginia, were among the earliest inhabitants of the Blue Ridge, leaving artifacts and changes in the landscape as evidence of their existence. Many of the fields still visible at the base of the mountains date back centuries to ancient American Indian agricultural methods of burning and deadening the trees and underbrush to provide needed grazing and crop land. Mountain and river names along the Parkway also reflect the American Indian influence. The best place to learn about the pre-history of the Appalachian chain in Virginia is at the Peaks of Otter Visitor Center museum (milepost 85.9). Arrowheads and early tools found in the Peaks area are exhibited. In North Carolina, the Parkway enters the Cherokee Indian Reservation at milepost 457.7 and features an informational display on the reservation at the Lickstone Parking Overlook (milepost 458.9). European Homesteads There are many surviving examples of early European pioneer structures along the Parkway, beginning at Milepost 5.8 at the Humpback Rocks Visitor Center and Mountain Farm exhibit. The easy Mountain Farm Self-Guiding Trail takes you through a collection of 19th century farm buildings, and in the summer months there are often living history demonstrations. The Visitor Center exhibits represent the most complete effort at interpreting the Blue Ridge region with stories about early housing, community, entertainment, and transportation. At the Peaks of Otter (Milepost 85.9) there is a moderate loop trail leading to the Johnson Farm, in which generations of the Johnson family lived and worked with other members of the now-vanished community. Another structure of interest here is Polly Woods Ordinary, representative of the early days of tourism in the area. The Trail Cabin (Milepost 154.6), Puckett Cabin (Milepost 189.9), Brinegar Cabin (Milepost 238.5), Caudill Cabin (Milepost 241), and Sheets Cabin (Milepost 252.4) are all 19th-century log cabins illustrating the occasional isolated existence of mountain residents and the efforts of the original park planners to save log structures as opposed to other types of larger farm houses they found. The Jesse Brown Farmstead (Milepost 272.5) consists of a cabin, spring house, and the relocated Cool Springs Baptist Church. Representative Industries Along the Parkway Just about every form of 19th-century industrial development in the moutains has its story told somewhere along the Parkway. Yankee Horse Ridge Parking Area (milepost 34.4) has a short stretch of reconstructed narrow-gauge railroad track once known as the Irish Creek Railway, along with an exhibit on logging in the area. The James River Visitor Center (Milepost 63.6) has an exhibit on the ill-fated James River and Kanawha Canal, with a self-guiding trail to a restored lock dating from the mid-19th century. Mining operations in the Appalachians are remembered in place names such as Iron Mine Hollow (mile posts 96.2, 96.4) and at an exhibit in the North Toe Valley Overlook, Milepost 318.4. Of all the points of interest on the Parkway, perhaps Mabry Mill (Milepost 176.2) is the best known. The Mabry Mill Trail features a black smith shop, wheel wright's shop, and whiskey still, as well as the most photographed structure on the Parkway, Mabry Mill itself. As anyone who has traveled in the Appalachians knows, mountain crafts are one of the most popular attractions. Traditional crafts and music still thrive in the Blue Ridge mountains of today. Along the Parkway in North Carolina are several places to view and purchase locally made items, such as the Northwest Trading Post (Milepost 258.6), the Moses Cone Estate and Parkway Craft Center (Milepost 294.1), and the Folk Art Center (Milepost 382). The Modern Era By the 20th century, the Blue Ridge was viewed as a desirable location for men of wealth to build retreats. The Moses H. Cone and Julian Price Memorial Parks (Mileposts 292 - 298) are examples of this. The Cone estate includes a turn-of-the-century manor house and 24 miles of carriage roads, while the Julian Price Park offers several short trails and a lake. The most obvious modern contributor to the landscape is of course the Parkway itself, conceived and designed 60 years ago as a scenic motor road and conservator of the natural and historical treasures of the Blue Ridge. Today, it is the most visited site in the National Park system. Did You Know? At the time of its construction, the Blue Ridge Parkway was the longest road ever planned as a single unit in America. This explained it alot better than I could. Visit the site above for pictures and more info. Good planning and a few days could make this a wonderful bike trip.

It is a lovely place to ride. Very few access points so not much local traffic. Great for bikes. The views are spectacular.