RoyF wrote:
I recommend the book "Blue Ridge Parkway -- Road Guide" by Rose Houk (Sierra Press) for a mile-by-mile guide to things of interest along the Blue Ridge.
RoyF is right. That book is a must-have for anyone traveling on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Traveling the Parkway is a great experience, but you have to know what you're getting into. Do you want a slow and contemplative experience? The Parkway can provide that. If you do the whole thing (or even just most of it), it will take a few days. If you camp at the primitive campgrounds up there and basically stay on the Parkway, after a couple of days you'll feel the stress of modern life melting away. The pace is slow, there are no billboards to distract you, and most of what you see is nature.
If you like bluegrass and old time music, as I do, you'll want to spend some time at the Blue Ridge Music Center - on the Parkway - near the VA - NC border. If they still do this, every weekday afternoon between noon and 4:00PM there is live music there.
Too bad about Alaska. I hope you get to put that back on the table sometime in the future.
