Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock, NC

The mountains of North Carolina and surrounding states always leave me speechless. Not that I am one for making a lot of speeches, but this area is special for bikers. It is a playground for two wheels. Unknown backroads highways that have more turns than the streams or rivers they follow along side. The wave of a kind, momentary neighbour cutting his 5 acres of lawn. The smell of wildflowers and damp grass all leave me dumbstruck.

This is my fourth trip back and I will come back again and again. It was great to have company this time and be able to share what I have a hard time writing. It is high country that has rolling hills, mountain passes and fantastic vistas. Towns that belong to the land and seamlessly blend into the sides of mountains and valleys. I have yet to find a better place to ride.

We took our time yesterday and covered about 350 miles. Kept a nice comfortable pace and stopped in Asheville for a sidewalk lunch. Just as we got on the Blue Ridge Parkway the clouds decided to move into place for the last two hours of our ride. The ‘chance of thundershowers’ caught us on the very serene Highway 221 North. This was very unfortunate as I was really looking forward to this less traveled road.

Rolled into Wytheville at 6:30 ready for a shower and a meal. Today we wind our way up to Pennsylvania and a days ride from home….

Two lanes that wind for miles.