Ramada Inn Wytheville

... the entire Parkway. This old Grist Mill is still functional during tourist season but during its prominence, it was a very active business including a wheel-wright shop, sawmill and blacksmith shop. The work involved to construct this mill is phenomenal – hundreds of feet of stone aquaduct and even more wooden raceways for water not to mention all of the associated buildings.



Things ...

... the entire Parkway. This old Grist Mill is still functional during tourist season but during its prominence, it was a very active business including a wheel-wright shop, sawmill and blacksmith shop. The work involved to construct this mill is phenomenal – hundreds of feet of stone aquaduct and even more wooden raceways for water not to mention all of the associated buildings.



Things ...

... that we went through. We had breakfast in downtown Bellefonte at a little diner and it was delicious. We have found on this trip that the best food (other than the lobster! ha) has been at the little diners in small downtowns.

When we left PA yesterday it was raining. It rained most all the way through Maryland, West Virginia, and into Virginia, but when we got here it was no longer raining. We traveled a ...

... my life. Happy fathers day Rusty and thanks again for sharing this special adventure with me. Hope we have plenty more in our future.

We departed Chimney Rock by taking Highway Alternate 74 West (same way we came in), and by the way there are some 10+/- miles of amazing twisties on this road right around the town of Bat Cave, and once again we were on the Blue Ridge Parkway heading North.

We once again ...

I slept at a truck stop in Abingdon last night, and started walking US Highway 11 (North) this morning. I caught not one ride and have walked the whole way here to Marion. I'm exhausted and very hungry. I'ts already after three, and someone here said that they're expecting an ice storm here tonight. I'm too tired to continue walking anymore today, so I guess I'm here for the night and its nasty weather.

... on the highway he was fine, I was the one who now had to deal with wind chill. Funny no bikers out today. Saw 2 yesterday with a lot of gear. Around Bristol I went into a VA welcome center and got coupon books and advice. Decided I had enough stamina to get to Wytheville and just 30 miles outside, I noticed the snow. Wonderful. Temp dropped as the cloud cover became pronounced. May be a later start tomorrow too since the high here will be 39. But at least I am 188 miles closer today.

... our first gas pumping experience, which went fine ($100 for 1/2 a tank). Two hours later, we decided to stop in Natural Bridge, Virginia, for a stop at the local zoo. We saw, up close!, mountain lions, tigers, three tiger cubs, black bears, and snakes (very exciting for Rebecca's boys, Harmond, 6, and Warner, almost 4). There was even the experience of feeding a female elephant, Asha (who sucked feed like a vacuum cleaner out of our hands, leaving them ...

... window longing for their return. So at 10pm we headed off to Pizza Hut. Show Your Support for EyeRide for Sight! For every $25 donation, EyeCare America can provide sight-saving care and valuable eye health information to someone in the US. Visit this link to make a donation and support EyeCare America's commitment to the preservation of sight! https://secure.eyecareamerica.org/onlin edonate

The menu for the day was steep, narrow hills with a side order of humidity. The narrow country roads were lined by dense trees and at times it felt almost tropical and the cyclists were dripping with sweat. However as we were now in Virginia being chased by dogs was one less thing to worry about. Eventually after struggling through the day we spent the night in a Methodist hostel ...

... the sharpness of death, thou dids't open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers." I was quite amazed that I had found her as if directed to the site. Once again, the Crease genes guide me, I think. Also in that cemetery are monuments to: "Our Confederate dead", notable politicians and a memorial to Edith Bolling Wilson, wife of Woodrow Wilson who was born there. She got quite a nice memorial which is kept up to this day. I then did a bit ...