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Day 4: Take the Blue Ridge Parkway to Asheville

I had planned on turning around and going back home today.  However, we were out a little late last night (in bed sometime after 3am, though I swore it was closer to 11:30) and got up early (7am).  I had planned on taking two days down and three days back up, but I was having a blast and the boys were trying to see how far they could get me to go...

Also, this leg of the trip went right through Galax, Virginia where my I used to visit my Great, Great Uncle; who was one of those larger than life figures from the last century. My great Uncle Jack survived his twin with Polio, and was never supposed to survive, let alone walk, yet became a very powerful judge and hunted big game (in Africa, Asia) nearly into his 90's. The story goes that he gave my father (his namesake) a .22 when he was a little more than a toddler, paying him a nickel for every groundhog he shot. 

I hadn't been there in 15, maybe 20 years (walking around his spacious farmhouse filled with taxidermied large game) but the Matthews Museum  (apparently my family museum?) was closed Mondays, so we stopped for breakfast at Shoney's instead. 

Once we turned onto the Blue Ridge Parkway, the roads were amazing.  One of the guys remarked later that this was "like Narnia." Again, there was no traffic, crazy twisties and some of the most spectacular views I've ever seen.
Catching a few "zzz's"
Here i am posing for the camera.
The twisties bend around at the apex of each peak.




 Around lunchtime my boys got their GoPro's out, but alas, the beauty of the day had brought out the tourists. The roads leveled off and we were stuck behind some Monday drivers.  At one point, I was leading, stuck behind a Suburban using the brakes more than the gas for 45 minutes before I had a chance to pass legally. Of course he sped up, and my boys followed, directly into the lane of an oncoming cop.




© 2013 Tigh Loughhead

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