USA 1999: The Mid-Atlantic States
(continued)
There is more traffic on the Parkway than we experienced yesterday, but still very little. About 10:30am we stop at Bluff's Coffee
Shop and enjoy a very pleasant half-hour break with coffee and 'hot biscuits', ie scones with jam. Another 45-minutes driving gets
us to Fox Hunters Paradise. Shortly afterwards we cross from North Carolina into Virginia: 252-miles from the southern end of the
Parkway, 217-miles to the northern end.
Continuing to drive through the rain, we reach Granite Quarry overlook (3,015'), Groundhog Mountain overlook (3,035'), and Mabry Mill
(below). The mill is in a most picturesque setting beside a pond - a trail takes us past a gristmill, sawmill, and blacksmith shop.
At the Rocky Knob visitor centre we get the advice of a ranger as to the best route to the Booker T Washington National Monument.
We reach the monument at 4pm having driven 209-miles today.
The Booker T Washington National Monument commemorates the life and achievements of Booker Taliaferro Washington who was born on the
site on April 5th 1856. He was an American educator, author, orator, and adviser to several presidents of the United States. Between
1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African-American community and of the contemporary black elite. Washington
was from the last generation of black American leaders born into slavery and became the leading voice of the former slaves and their
descendants.
About fifty miles northeast is Lynchburg, tonight's destination. We have problems with the town's traffic system
but notice that many of the houses we pass have flowering yuccas in their gardens. Adjacent to our hotel is the Backyard Grill
where we have an excellent meal that includes pecan encrusted salmon (J), rib eye steak (D) and a shared deep dish apple pie.
(Day
22: Thursday, June 17th): Our original plan to drive the full length of the Blue Ridge Parkway over three days has been disrupted
by poor weather, rock slides, and road repairs. At many of the scenic overlooks, we have viewed the peaks of wooded, rain-soaked hills
from beneath our umbrellas. We have not walked many of the short trails that lead to points of interest and spectacular views. Over
the last two days we have driven only 165-miles instead of a potential 404-miles of the Parkway. Today, we will not drive the remaining
65-miles to the northern end, but will visit two sites near the Parkway: Appomattox Court House and Monticello.
The Battle of Appomattox Court House, on April 9th 1865, was one of the last battles of the American Civil War. Following the battle,
the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia in the McLean House (above) signalled the end of the war.
The area was designated as the Appomattox Court House National Historic Park in 1954. Today, the village looks much as it did in April
1865. That look is of period buildings scattered widely, and connected by sand roads. We walk these roads and visit the principal
buildings and the park's museum.
We drive the sixty-six miles from Appomattox to Monticello between 11:45am and 1:30pm, this morning's rain ceasing on the way. Monticello
was the primary plantation of Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States. Due to its architectural
and historic significance, the property has been designated a National Historic Landmark.
A guided tour shows us all the principal rooms of the ground floor. The house, designed by Jefferson himself, has a number of unusual
features making it a revolutionary structure that includes a number of the architect's inventions. After the tour, we stroll round
the gardens and outbuildings before taking another guided tour - the area that at one time housed the plantation's slaves. We
also walk to the cemetery where Jefferson is buried.
With the improved visibility of the better weather, we can now admire the views from Monticello's grounds of the Blue Ridge Mountains
as we return to our car. It is only seven miles from Monticello to the Hampton Inn in Charlottesville. From the hotel it is a two-minute
walk to a restaurant with a New York theme called Northern Exposure where we have an excellent value meal of calamari; salads; pizza;
and Bronx cheesecake.
(Day 23: Friday, June 18th): After four days of mostly poor weather, today is partly sunny and partly cloudy, ending with a pleasant,
warm evening. We take advantage of the better weather by driving the full length of the Skyline Drive (105-miles) in the Shenandoah
National Park. The Skyline Drive is an extension of the Blue Ridge Parkway. We make a number of stops on the Skyline Drive and are
able to leave the car, and admire the views, without the hindrance of rain and low cloud.
Laurel Bush at Mile Post 49.