Reader's Digest Scenic Drives Archives - Page 6 of 11

Day 72 – Blue Ridge Parkway (North Carolina Part 2)

Day 72 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Blue Ridge Parkway

I awoke to another HAZY morning. I was a bit disappointed as Reader’s Digest describes Linville Falls as one of the most popular stops on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and if travelers could pick one stop along the route, Linville Falls would be the most likely choice. I hoped low hanging fog in Asheville, and a clear day in the mountains.

Lucky for me, my hope turned out to be reality. The mountain tops, in crystal clear skies, towered above valleys blanketed in clouds. Looking out above the clouds gave me a feeling like I was in the Himalayas – obviously far from it – but the panorama looked magnificent. I stopped at countless overlooks to admire the views.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 71 – Blue Ridge Parkway (North Carolina)

Day 71 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

It was a cloudy morning at Walmart, yet not a bad view. I started my day early on the Southern part of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The foggy, misty, and windy weather made my visit to the Parkway feel somewhat eerie. I was the only one around. No cars were on the road and none were at our first stop, Waterrock Knob.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 70 – North Carolina Countryside Part 2

Day 70 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

This morning I left Murphy and headed toward Franklin, an area known for its precious stones. I pulled off near a park area to review the map and to walk the dogs along an asphalt path by the river. Lucky for me a small cache was planted nearby, so I logged it and continued through the North Carolina countryside.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 69 – North Carolina Countryside

Day 69 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

I started the morning with another home cooked meal…quiche, pound cake and berries! It’s getting harder to leave good company and houses, but my journey continues. Today, the dogs and I began a two day loop through the North Carolina countryside, beginning and ending near Asheville. Just outside of Asheville we stopped at a sports complex for a short walk with the dogs, as a long walk wasn’t in the itinerary until the afternoon. There was a cache nearby, but also people, so no luck for picking up a North Carolina cache yet.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 68 – South Carolina’s Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway

Day 68 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Stumphouse Tunnel Park

We left Georgia for the northwest part of South Carolina today. Our first stop along the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway was at Stumphouse Tunnel Park to see Issaqueena Falls, a 200 foot cascade. Unbeknownst to me, the park also featured an unfinished tunnel, hence the name. The work on Stumphouse Tunnel began in the 1850s to provide railroad passage from Cincinnati, OH to Charleston, SC.

The granite rock proved a challenge and Irish immigrants were only able to progress 200 feet per month. As such, funds for the proposed 5,863 foot tunnel were depleted. Before more funds were acquired, the Civil War commenced, and the tunnel was never completed.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 67 – North Georgia Highlands Part 2

Day 67 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

My pecans, cheese, and dates for dinner left me slightly hungry this morning, so I stopped at Burger King for “Free Coffee Friday” and blueberry biscuits for a dollar. If anyone needs to know how to live on $30 a day in America, I’d be the appropriate person to ask! The dogs and I got an early start in the North Georgia Highlands.

I wanted to make sure we got close to South Carolina by day’s end because tomorrow we get the chance to meet up with Walter, an ex-coworker. He quit before me but was more practical and lined up another job. We’ll connect at his family’s farm in South Carolina and/or his lake house in North Carolina as they are only thirty minutes apart. I’m pretty excited about it!

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 66 – North Georgia Highlands

Day 66 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Tellico Lake

We started the day driving south toward Georgia. On the way, we stopped at Tellico Lake. The lake was formed by damming the Little Tennessee River. The land surrounding it was once owned by the Cherokee Indians and its capital, Tanasi, (the word from which Tennessee evolved) stood nearby. I was hoping to see a memorial of eight stone pillars commemorating the eight posts that supported the tribe’s meeting house, but I only found a reconstructed fort with another school bus in the parking lot. Apparently the week before Thanksgiving week is a good time for field trips!

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 65 – East Tennessee Border Tour Part 2

Day 65 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

OK, after my detour to Knoxville last night, I ended up returning to Sieverville, not far from the continuation of my scenic drive along the East Tennessee Border. What an interesting place! Sieverville is just west of Gatlinburg. In between Sieverville and Gatlinburg is Pigeon Forge. I felt like I was in a mini Vegas except instead of walking down the Strip past hotels and casinos, I drove down Dolly Parton Parkway past motels and attractions including magic, theater, miniature golf, speed racing, the Titanic Museum, moving seat cinema, laser tag, and more! Well, really Dolly Parton Parkway was a few miles away, but it sounded better to have all the entertainment lining the street with her name. No worries, I stopped by Dollywood too…though it was closed.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 64 – East Tennessee Border Tour

Day 64 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park

Since the dogs spent most of the afternoon and evening in VANilla out of the rain, our first stop on the East Tennessee border this morning was at a local park in Elizabethton. We stretched our legs on a mile walk along the Watauga River. Along with the walking trail, Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park showcased the reconstructed Fort Watauga and related history.

Being the center of the Watauga Settlement, the first permanent settlement west of the 13 colonies, this area is considered significant in Tennessee history. The organization of the Watauga Association (1772), the Transylvania Purchase (1775), the Siege of Fort Watauga (1776), and the Overmountain Muster (1780) all took place on these grounds.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 63 – Blue Ridge Parkway (Virginia Part 2)

Day 63 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

The dogs and I returned to the Blue Ridge Parkway near the border of Virginia and North Carolina. We made two stops on the Parkway, Smart View and Mabry Mill, before jumping off to visit Eastern Tennessee. Reader’s Digest explains the names of each stop fit the description mountain folk applied ages ago.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!