On to the Blue Ridge Parkway

After Chicago we flew south to North Carolina...go figure. Anyway we picked up a car in Charlotte and head north to the Blue Ridge Parkway - picking it up part way along, since it stretched from Tennessee to Virginia.

Part 1 Fancy Gap to Woodberry Inn and Rocky Knob

The road looks like this for a lot of the way - winding along the ridge through light forest and high meadows. Another road runs alongside it giving access to the private properties - it has fun names such as 'Squirrel Spur Rd' or Groundhog Mtn Rd'.

The views are very much like this - though trees to rolling farmland in the valleys

Mabry Mill is one of the highlights along the way - it still works and has a little area behind explaining the colonial farming past of this area.

The mill's waterwheel is boosted by use of two aqueducts

There was a wedding party with four Model A Fords in the parking lot when we got there. Later on in Charlottesville there was some kind of Model A rally with clubs from several states all over the region.

The accommodation at Woodberry Inn was quite scenic

And we were directed to a Cidery - yes Cider...(that's an orchard above). There were samplings and purchases, let me tell you!

The next morning we visited the Rocky Knob camping ground/recreation area...it was quite crisp