A ride for a whim

Some days you just have a few hours that you could use to do the laundry, or you could go for a ride.
So yesterday I filled the tank with 8 gallons of gas...just under $30.  The guy who had been there before me used $75.  Glad I'm not driving what he is.

And I headed up north on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

My decision was based somewhat on the fact that I hadn't been there yet this spring, and this coming weekend is due to be a traffic snarl so I definitely didn't want to go then, (though I tend to avoid driving on weekends where tourists like to go)...and I could certainly do housework when the sun wasn't out and so on.

I drove into town and realized I'd forgotten my good camera.  This trip was not going to be shots with the iPhone.  So what's one mile in the greater scheme of things?  Drove back and picked up camera, and stopped at a fast food place for a bite for the road, and I was on the Parkway.  Wheee.

What's this?  Well I had to wait for my onion rings, so I got to take a picture of these roses growing by the fence.  And I had to say hi to Teresa at the gas station.  Then I was off to the Parkway...

One tentative plan was to sit here and just knit (I kid you not) in my sling chair since it was cool and sunny.

 But the chair was under some other stuff in the trunk, so I just kept on driving.  This overlook gives a view of the mountains around Black Mountain, midway to the furthest ridge.

I've got more pictures to post tomorrow!

Quote for the day:

Gratitude is the memory of the heart.

St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier
Motto for the Sisters of the Good Shepherd of Our Lady of Charity