December 01, 2003
Roanoke from the Parkway
I found this picture in my archives from the trip down-moutain last week. It was taken from the Blue Ridge Parkway about mile post 130 looking east toward the Roanoke Valley and low mountains of the eastern Alleghenies. The low saddle that disappears offview to the left is Tinker Mountain that rises above the creek by the same name where Annie Dillard saw the 'tree with the lights in it'.
I will climb another thousand feet when I leave this spot, up into the wind, into the light, the mountains. It always feels like coming home, but the valley too has its beauty.
I am sure than 95% of those who visit Fragments have never traveled on or perhaps even heard of the Blue Ridge Parkway (from which this photo was taken). It is a significant part of our landscape here and I don't think I will ever take its uniqueness and quiet grandeur for granted. Let me recommend (for those of you looking for Christmas gifts for folks roughly cut from the same odd stock as Fragments Fred) this book recently published and with essays by my friend Elizabeth whom you've heard me speak of from the Folk School nature writing workshop. The book "The Blue Ridge Parkway: America's Favorite Journey" includes a wonderful pictorial history of the Parkway creation and construction, and outstanding nature photography in a coffee-table size format. Recommended.
Posted by fred1st at December 1, 2003 10:09 AM | TrackBackI've driven the Parkway a few times, and crossed it even more times than that. Have spent a number of hours on its cousin to the north, Skyline Drive.
Your post touched off an odd mourning. One of the things I loved about visiting my sister and her family in Amherst was heading west over the crest toward Buena Vista ("Byoona Vista"). She moved to Tampa a couple months ago, so I'll not see that particular stretch of roadisde again, I fear.
Posted by: Chris Clarke at December 1, 2003 10:32 AM
My BRP travels (and jumping off points) are much lower, around mile 419. It's a wonderful bit of contruction. I wonder if it could ever get built today. "Not fast enough. Not direct enough."
Very cool to see Annie Dillard's mountain. I never knew where that was.
Posted by: Trey at December 1, 2003 06:02 PM
I remember the first time I traveled your stretch of the Parkway. It was Jessica’s Birthday and we were heading to Floyd for a holiday. I kept saying over and over, “The Parkway sure is different here.” I think I said it enough to become annoying. “My” Parkway is all national forest. My Parkway being the stretch I am most familiar with around here abouts. Your Parkway drives straight through farms and peoples backyards. It really makes you want a little farm of your own. I am not making a value judgment between yours and mine. After all it is still the parkway. I have a neat little book about Skyline Drive that depicts life before that drive came into existence. Jessica and I went there on her last birthday. I think the Blue Ridge Parkway will always be linked in my head as a holiday with Jessica. You could say the Parkway is a road to happiness.
Posted by: Seth at December 1, 2003 10:02 PM
The Parkway is an experience like no other.
We travel on it at every possible opportunity.
Thanks for the picture.
We have passed that spot several times.
Posted by: David at December 2, 2003 05:21 AM
I'm curious as to how much development is encroaching on the Parkway in that area. My experience with the road has been from Asheville to Cherokee, the highest, most remote section and surrounded by National Forests and the Reservation. I recently drove from Asheville up to Blowing Rock for the first time and saw some rather ugly development along the way, which I plan to expose on my blog soon hopefully.
Posted by: fletch at December 2, 2003 03:20 PM
The Wautauga section of Parkway and that county in general has been hit hard and ugly by summer home and retirement dollars. Marie would be a good reporter on that segment of road. The section I know best... from Fancy Gap MP 199 to Roanoke MP 122... lacks the high relief of much of the Parkway (with a few exceptions including Rocky Knob in Floyd County). Particularly in Roanoke County, it travels through the valley at low elevation and is crossed by many roads (generally they run UNDER) and apartments and condos encroach closely and commonly. In our area, Meadows of Dan is a small mountain community right on the Parkway. It is under some pressure to become the next Branson MO, if the largest shareholder in the development has his way. I am wishing him considerable bad luck with his investment.
Posted by: fredf at December 2, 2003 03:44 PM
I've traveled the BRP more times than I can count, having lived in Roanoke from 1980-1999. I moved to California when I got married and I miss the mountains of SW VA. My parents still live in Botetourt County so I get back once or twice a year. Thanks for this website which makes me more homesick, but helps me feel closer to home.
Posted by: Jen at December 5, 2003 12:00 PM
Very inspiring, thankyou! Good luck to you in the future. :)
Posted by: Pregnancy symptoms at January 15, 2004 03:11 AM