The Adventures of Bessie the MINI » Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue Ridge Parkway

July, 2011 – Blue Ridge Parkway through Virginia and North Carolina

http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/2280

More in this journey:
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
Dave’s Downtown Taverna + Harrisonburg, Virginia
Kline’s Dairy Bar
Barney’s Cafe + Mount Airy, North Carolina
Mellow Mushroom + Asheville, North Carolina
The Funnel Cake Company + Gatlinburg, Tennessee

[Show as slideshow]

We passed the Metlife blimp crew on the highway. Then who should pull into the gas station? The Metlife blimp crew!

Somewhere in West Virginia, Bessie has a twin.

Shenandoah Valley. Hardly anyone there on a Sunday morning.

Finally! We're at the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Our first stop - Humpback rocks.

One mean chicken

One of a million stops I made on the way to the top of the Mountain.

Finally! The top!

Ok, that's really the top, but it was just a little too far down for clumsy me.

Scenes on the way down.

Good bye walking stick.

Lunch at McAllister's. Delicious! I highly recommend it.

Best French Dip I've had in a long long time.

The falling water cascades

The view from Mill Mountain of Roanoke

The Mill Mountain Star.

Items from Black Dog Salvage

Neon Signs of Roanoke - much better at night.

Mabry Mill - the pot roast at the restaurant was delicious!

Scenes from the Mast General Store in Boone, North Carolina.

We could have had ice cream here, but it wasn't the right time.

A fellow visiting MINI

Bat house for super heros.

Mose H Cone Memorial Park, whoever he was, he had an awesome house with an awesome view.

Jenni Kayaking in the Mountains

Linn Cove Viaduct

Another MINI encounter

To Linville Falls

Climbing higher into the mountains, we see the fog rolling in.

Another MINI! What are the chances?

A night of Mini Golf. For some odd reason they wouldn't let Bessie on the course.

A lovely quilt at the Folk Art Center.

The North Carolina Arboretum

The restaurant at Mount Pisgah

The Blueberry Cobbler

French Silk Pie

Bessie and crew at 6,000+ Feet.

At Waterrock Knob overlook.

Sunset in the mountains.

Mingo Falls - The easiest waterfall to get to that we visited.

A little village in the Smokey Mountains.

A mill, just down the road from the village.

To Clingman's Dome

There it is! Just a little ways to go.

A Midwestern MINI!

Laurel Falls - I think! Maybe one of my friends will confirm.

And suddenly - We're home! Yeah! Let's go back in autumn!