Cycling on the Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is the legacy from the era ofbicycles. The real reason for this is that the quality of
Roosevelt and the New Deal. Now for students ofthe road itself is excellent in that actually the bicycle is
history and indeed for some with a very long memory,a great way to experience the outstanding scenery at
it is not difficult to understand why this project was puta more leisurely pace than one would otherwise
together.experience from a car. However to enjoy the benefits
Originally planned as a link between the great Smokyof the Blue Ridge Parkway on a bicycle takes planning
Mountain national Park and the Shenandoah nationaland to be brutally blunt endurance. This last aspect is
Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway has now taken on ankey as though the lowest point may well only be 600
identity all of it's own.foot above sea level and the highest point 6000 foot
The 469 miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway are athe various "ups and downs" off the route actually
testament to the care and attention and craftsmanshiptotal an elevation change of nearly 48000 feet. That's
of the original workers and this goes quite some waynearly 9 miles to the uninitiated!
to adding to the experience and enjoyment gained byAs has been mentioned the road effectively spans
travelling on this route way.two states Virginia and North Carolina the terrain in
As you can imagine executing a feat like this tookeach state is actually quite different effectively Virginia
considerable experience as well as imagination. Theis more in the foothills of the Appalachians but when
landscape architect Stanley Abbot was chosen toyou hit the North Carolina section of the Blue Ridge
head up this task and as befits a man who's CVParkway mountings scenery becomes much more
includes Central Park Manhattan he achieved this withalpine and dramatic.
considerable aplomb.Initially work started on the Blue Ridge Parkway in 1935
The Blue Ridge Parkway took approximately 2 yearsand actually took 52 years before the roadway was
to complete and extends from Waynesboro in theactually officially opened in 1987 as one continuous
north to just outside of Cherokee on the edge of theroad.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the South.To really give the Blue Ridge Parkway it's due then
As it travels south west from Waynesboro the Blueyou really have to set aside two weeks to enjoy your
Ridge Parkway passes Roanoke in Virginia andvisit and even then you may well find that that is not
Asheville in North Carolina before stopping just shortenough.
off the Tennessee North Carolina border just south ofScott writes regularly about Travel issues such as
Gatlinburg.Smoky Mountain Cabins and Great Smoky Mountains
The Parkway is a great route for those who lovers ofNational Park.