Wanderings onward: Blue Ridge Parkway

As an alternative to Charleston, we'd decided on a trip to the west side of North Carolina, connecting with the Blue Ridge Parkway and following it south to Asheville. However, a complication arose: Matthew. He followed hard on our heels after we got back to the farm. Right in the middle of big cribbage tournament between Kim and I, the howling wind and driving rain reached a crescendo and the power went out. The crib tournament continued while the waters rose.

Power was not to be back on for some days but Kim and I had our travel plans so we packed up and headed out only to encounter a lake where the road had been.

Before - the hay nicely cut and drying

After - the hay submerged

The hay festooning the trees after the waters receded

It was this deep

Time for plan B: hike down the railroad tracks that run through Kim's land with our luggage and connect with Kim's friend, Kate, who drove to where the tracks met the road, then drive Kate back to her place and use her car for our trip. And so we set out across half of North Carolina to Asheville by way of the Blue Ridge Parkway with an overnight stop in lovely Elkin, NC where we stayed in the ultimate roach motel. As in cockroaches!!!. Kim is not a big fan of cockroaches and I spent considerable time capturing and flushing that evening. Rather belatedly we read the reviews of the motel and were horrified at the first post heading: Bed Bugs! Bed Bugs! Bed Bugs!!! Luckily we dodged that bullet and managed to escape only psychologically scathed.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for 469 miles (755 km) through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, mostly along the Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mts. Easy to see how this route achieved it's notoriety. Around every corner was some arresting view or interesting landmark.