The Blue Ridge Parkway

• Day:  65
• Start:  741.7
• End:  756.3
• Miles:  14.5
• Hours:  7
• High temp:  73
• Low temp:  52
• People met:  3

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Happy Mother's Day!

To all the mothers in our family Carolyn, Jennifer, Toni, Joyelle, Jessica and my mother, Joyce

I'm back on the trail by 0715 hrs.  Clear skys this morning with just a slight chance of rain this evening. I follow the sun dappled trail through stands of rhododendrons and mountain laurels.  I'm pleased to be hiking again especially in such a lovely landscape. Today the trail runs along the Blue Ridge Parkway. I'm still in the forest but occasionally get a glimpse of the road or hear a car. Being Sunday I think this road would be very full of cars, but the overlooks are all empty and the road only hosts a few cars. Perhaps all the moms are sleeping in today. 

 

The first overlook, Taylor's Mountain Overlook

The opposite side of the ridge

 

Sometimes the road is this close

The overlooks have nice pull outs for cars

I cross the Blue Ridge Parkway many times, each time there is a reward overlook. The tread is soft with little tripping hazards. A trail such as this is usually fast, but today I'm modifying my pace to be easy on my foot and take in all the splendor. 

 

Rhododendron

 

 Mountain Laurel

 

Everything is so peaceful this morning just the sounds of the birds singing their morning praise and the soft sound of my feet on the trail with the occasional snap of a small rock under my boot. 

 

I make Jenning's Creek about 1400 hrs. I'm thinking this is going to be enough for today. So I catch a ride 5 miles down the road to the Wattstull Inn, a well maintained old style motel. 

 

The Wattstull Inn

After a shower I visit the adjacent restaurant for a Mother's Day buffet.  While it was a decent meal and I was able to load up on vegetables and protein this buffet was not really worthy of a Mother's Day celebration.