"SUNSHINE" Stories: 2017 Fall Camping - Week 2: The Blue Ridge Parkway and Pisgah National Forest

Thursday, September 21, 2017 The Last Day of Summer!

Oh boy, we are up and at 'em at 0800! We passed on fly fishing, hitched up and were under way at 0850. Our destination is Rocky Knob CG on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Along the way, we stopped at the Virginia Explorer Visitor Center. It was just a brief visit and we were back on the road in about ten minutes.

We stopped at a few overlooks too. We took some interesting photos at the Purgatory Mountain overlook and the Smart View picnic area. The mountain tops were peeking above the clouds/fog making them look like islands in the sky.

We arrived at Rocky Knob, after 86 miles of Parkway driving, at right around noon, once the Scamp was detached, leveled and secured, we drove nine miles further south to Mabry Mills for lunch and to walk around the mill and other buildings. There weren’t any interpreters on duty, so it was a quick walk and back to the car for the drive back to the CG.

Friday, September 22, 2017 Mt. Airy, NC; Galax, VA; and Doughton Park Campground on the Blue Ridge Parkway!

We broke camp and we're underway at about 0950. We are once again southbound on the BRP. Along the way, we took a detour to visit Mt. Airy (aka Mayberry from the Andy Griffith Show). It was crowded. We later discovered that the “Mayberry Days” celebration was in full swing. We had a basket of fries and a couple malteds at Mts. Walkers. Snappy’s, apparently the preferred dining spot, had a long line that went out the door and down the block. We choose to pass on that establishment.

After our snack, we strolled the town before returning to the van and Scamp.

In about twenty minutes we were back on the BRP. The Blue Ridge Music Center (mm 215) promised live music today so we stopped. The music was a jam session much like Pickin on the Porch at the Tuckerton Seaport. The talent seemed similar to that found at Albert Hall.

We listened for a spell, checked out the museum and headed out. We learned that Galax was having a music festival so we that we’d check it out. It didn’t look like our cup o tea, so I made an executive decision the get back on the BRP and make camp in the Doughton Park CG. This one is in much better shape than last night’s stay at Rocky Knob.

Saturday, September 23, 2017 A Two Mile Long One Mile Hike and Fly Fishing at Julian Price Lake!

After a lousy night's sleep for both of us, we awoke at 0930. We donned our hiking boots and set out on the Bluff Mountain Trail for Brinegar Cabin. A sign says the cabin is 1.0 mile from the campground. The elevation change is reported to be one hundred feet, the height of a ten story building. We didn’t think anything about it as we set out.

The trail led through woodlands and meadows and was very nice and scenic. As time went on, and we climbed that ten story building after first descending it. The trail seemed much longer than 1.0 mile. Eventually we ran into a sign that told us the campground was 2.5 miles in the opposite direction. The sign also pointed the way to the cabin. After another uphill walk of a half mile, we finally came to the cabin!

The cabin was open and we exchanged pleasantries with the Ranger who was spinning wool into yarn.

We elected to walk back along the BRP, hoping that it would be a quicker route. As it happened, the walk back was only eight/tenths of a mile!

We packed up and hitched the Scamp to the van, and we're off by 1230, only one-half hour after check-out time.

In two hours we were set up in the Julian Price CG. We took a quick run to the town of Blowing Rock where we ate a late lunch at the Mellow Mushroom. After enjoying our repast, we walked around town a bit before heading back.

We stopped at Price Lake so I could tie on a fly and wet a line. As luck would have it, I had three bites, no catches, in the half hour I was fishing.

Back at camp, we made a fire and I played the Uke until it was time to go into the camper.

Sunday, September 24, 2017 Julian Price CG Again, and a Short Drive to Boone, NC!

Yikes, it’s 1130 and we’re just getting up after a cold night’s sleep! We had left over pizza (from the Mellow Mushroom) which was really good and then decided to drive into town, Boone, that is, on the other (west) side of the Blue Ridge. Boone is a college town; home to the Appalachian Mountaineers. It must have been a hopping place yesterday as they had a home football game.

We did some shopping at Walmart and had a snack at Burger King before heading back to camp. Later in the evening, I made Portobello Parmigiana. AM made the spaghetti. It was very good, and I have a few ideas to make it even better!

Monday, September 25, 2017 43 Miles to Crabtree Falls CG, Little Switzerland 🇨🇭 and Mt. Mitchell!

We too a short drive to Little Switzerland for an enjoyable lunch. Then we drove to Mt. Mitchell so we could test our stamina by walking from the parking lot to the peak, a 100 foot elevation gain in 285 yards. We passed the test with flying colors!

We returned to camp at the Crabtree Falls CG after stopping at the Mt. Mitchell Restaurant for Peach Cobbler.

Crabtree Falls CG is small. Many (most?) of the sites are not level. It is apparent that budget cuts have had a deleterious effect on maintenance at this and most of the other campgrounds on along the parkway.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017 Asheville, NC

We’re getting off the BRP today and headed for the Great Bear CG in Asheville, near the Biltmore Estate. We need to do laundry, fill the Scamp’s propane bottle and hopefully tour Biltmore.

Our first task, after setting up, was to remove the propane tank. It wasn’t easy, but we managed to complete the task. A larger Phillips screwdriver and the proper sized wrench 3/8?) or better yet, a socket and driver would have helped! Of course, we didn't bring those tools. Then it was off to sample the local cuisine. We had a nice lunch at a local pub, before getting the tank filled at a nearby tractor supply. We paid $11.00 for 4.3 gallons of propane.

Back at the camper, we reinstalled the propane tank and Anna Marie tended to the laundry. We became less interested in the Biltmore tour when we found out the fee was $55.00 per person (and that’s with the senior discount!).

In the evening we went to the Isis Music House for a Bluegrass Concert and dinner. AM had a veggie Chimichanga and I had a Zoodle Bowl. Tasty!

Wednesday, September 27, 2017 Pisgah National Forest - the Peak of the Parkway!

Today’s Drive was all of 20 miles. Unbeknownst to us, the Pisgah NF CG has laundry and shower facilities. We didn't have to get off the parkway to do the laundry after all. The laundry room at Pisgah is pretty nice to boot! We lunched at the Pisgah Lodge and Restaurant, perhaps the last privately run Mom and Pop facility on the BRP! The Oyster PO Boy we shared was top notch! We dined while enjoying the killer view.

All the trails around here are strenuous so we settled for walking several loops of the CG. Along the way, I took some snaps of three interesting small trailers. The were at least three A frames folding trailers too.

Lunch at the Pisgah Inn was so good, we went back for dinner. The charbroiled Mountain trout, filleted at the table, asparagus and shaved Brussel sprouts were superb! Even the baked potato was exquisite! For desert we shared an outstanding strawberry cobbler. AM raved about her crab cakes and baked sweet potato. It’s probably the first time on this trip that we may have over eaten.