Since the restaurant was closed in Little Switzerland (where we'd planned without checking to eat lunch) we researched a restaurant about 10 miles away in Spruce-Pine, which was open and served us lovely sandwiches.
I was distracted just a bit when we parked and I saw this - a real cutie!
I discovered this...
We drove around downtown Spruce Pine, but didn't see any stores that caught our attention. This is rare with my two friends...they love to browse in gift shops. But anything of that nature was carefully hidden behind sad old looking maybe empty storefronts. I knew there was a gallery somewhere, because once I'd brought some mugs to display there. But I couldn't find it.
So then we decided to come home all the way on the Blue Ridge Parkway. That's a long drive! But even though it's just 2 lanes, there are only a few overlooks to stop at. The worst problem was caused by bicyclers, who of course had right of way, and there never ever were any passing places. The whole road is twists and turns. But our fearless driver, Teresa, was able to see far enough around the bikers to pass them safely each time.
The temperature outside our car was 69 F at one point!
We did see an accident...where we suddenly came around a curve and saw a huge wrecker on the other side of the road, with a crane cable going over the side of the mountain to pull up a car...which we couldn't even see. There hadn't been any warning coming our direction (south), but a policeman had stopped the traffic going up the Parkway...until we passed by. I saw a few brake skids on the road going off the side towards the drop-off. It wasn't mentioned on the evening news 3 hours later so hopefully everyone was alright. This was the first Parkway accident I have encountered through the years.
At one overlook we saw bare slopes where trees had been harvested , and where probably some Christmas trees had been planted on the bare slope. Other areas just looked scalped of all vegetation, and I thought immediately of the erosion that would happen with the next hard rain.
Lovely drive. It's been years and years since I've been on that stretch of road and doubt I'll be back in this lifetime left me.
ReplyDeleteWe do have to choose where and when we'll travel, don't we?
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteYour lunch place looks nice, I hope the food was yummy.
I enjoy driving on the Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The bicycles can be a problem. I hope no one was hurt in that accident. People need to slow down, they are driving too fast. Take care, enjoy your day and have a great week ahead.
It is really unfortunate how many people want to speed around. Many motorcycles were out that day (and every day since it's dry and hot here) and later we heard the interstate 40 had been closed because of a motorcycle accident. The beauty around us is beckoning us to go slow!
Delete...stay cool, think how hot it would be if climate change was real.
ReplyDeleteAwe Tom, you are so right again!
DeleteGreat day out. I think that would be a wonderful drive.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely good to be retired, so we can do these day trips during the week. Though in summertime, everyone is on vacation so tourists are everywhere.
DeleteI always enjoy going out for a ride and looking at the landscape and new things.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this trip with you very much! Yes, the Appalachians were as high as the Rockies but much older and have worn down to the shapes. Thank you for generously bringing us along. Aloha!
ReplyDeleteSo glad to have you visit!
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