The W. Va. Cardinal

The Skyline Drive And The Blueridge Parkway!!!

These are Two of the most beautiful roads in all of America, North or South. Ole I'm sure that there's many of you that have plenty of good roads in your states that you are sure will compare with this highway system, and I'm sure that they are good sightseeing roads, but how many of them can you get on and drive for Two full days on the top of the Mountains looking down either side? Looking at the rest of the world, as you can do on this highway? I know of none!

Starting at Front Royal Virginia going South West for the next one hundred and five (105) miles down to I-64 you'll be riding on the Skyline Drive and on the top of the world in the Shenandoah National Park on top of what's called the Appalachian Mountains. Although the speed limit on this highway is only thirty five (35) miles-an-hour, you will not want to go very much faster that this, if you do you will be missing most of the beauty and risk the chance of hitting one of the many large animals that will be out in the roadway.

The Skyline Drive was started in the middle of the summer in July 1931 and was one of the first scenic highways ever built in the United States. After you drive the 105 miles of The Skyline Drive you will be on The Blueridge Parkway witch has a forty five (45) mile-an-hour speed limit and continues South West for the next Four Hundred and seventy (470) miles to Cherokee North Carolina, yes I said Cherokee North Carolina and this is where the Cherokee Indian Reservation is, and I highly recommend you spending as much time there as you can.

This is on The Skyline Drive at Dickey Ridge at mile marker 5 1/2; this is a nice rest stop with good food, great gifts and a place to get gas if you need some as well as a very clean picnic area. Dick just loves taking pictures of me.

We were on The Skyline Drive, heading South just past the Dickey Ridge picnic area and I had to stop real fast, I didn't even have time to say hang on Dick! This big Black Bear, stopped and sat on the yellow line for about 45 seconds, before it slowly got back up and went across the wall, looking at us all of the time. More than likely it was going over to the picnic area for some lunch.

I now know that Dick's heart is not only a very good heart but also is very strong heart, but I also now know, it will restart beating all by itself after 45 seconds.

Bikers love this road. Don't you wish you were with us.

Did I tell you that bikers really, really love this highway system?

Even on Rainy days bikers still really, really love this highway system?

Even on Rainy and overcast days this highway system is still more beautiful than most roads are when they're completely dry and sunny.

Looking to the West.

Looking to the East.

Well it's not a very well kept secret that cars love this road system too. Especially sport cars.

Does a road get much more beautiful than this? This is not an isolated picture; there is 575 more miles of this road system that looks just like this or more beautiful.

As you can see there are tunnels to go through, for those of you that love to ride side-by-side and hug and kiss in the dark.

And if you ride side-by-side going through here, you will more than likely be doing some and hugging and kissing in a way that you don't want to be doing in the dark.

I don't remember saying anywhere that I stay exactly at 35 miles-an-hour, but I do did try.

This sign speaks for itself.

Below are the complete maps from top of the Skyline Drive at Front Royal Virginia to bottom of the Blue Ridge Parkway at the Cherokee Indian Reservation in North Carolina.

As with the Skyline drive, we are still on top of the world on this highway system also. It also starts in upper Virginia where The Skyline Drive stops, at I-64.

You'll find some of the most beautiful bridges up here too, and lots of them also, or should I call them underpasses? Ya know, there really both, don't you? I guess it all depends where you are in life.

You'll more than likely find more motorcycles on this part of the parkway because it doesn't cost to ride here, like it does on The Skyline Drive section.

There are many places to camp, picnic, hike, rock clime, dine and lodge along these two highway system. This picture of me sitting in front of this water wheel is so comforting and peaceful but also behind me is one of many wonderful restaurants on the parkway.

Try to find the highway that goes through that pass?

Here it is five minutes later!

A few more minutes up the road and this one you can see easily.

And now you can see and appreciate why this road is one of the most beautiful in our country?

Try this curve at forty five (45) miles-an-hour and see where it gets you. It is spiraling down hill as you're making about a 285 deg turn. Ole by the way this picture was easy for Dick to take

This is when we were just starting into the turn.

Somewhere in the middle of the turn? Remember we are also going down hill too.

As I was coming out of that curve and as you can see I'm still leaning to the left, I saw this sign in front of me. Sorry about the blurry photo, but I was wanting to go much faster than Dick was, so the results is, the blurry picture.

By the way, I won.

Hehehehe

I was wanting more pictures through these turns but for some reason Dick was hanging on and didn't take any more?? Herroumph.. I don't get it?

Our beautiful USA!

Dick just loves to take pictures of me, just about everywhere we stop he digs out the camera and starts taking photos of me, and it makes me blush and turn Red almost all over. I hope it doesn't show?Hehehehe.

See what I mean? There he goes again. I'd be very surprised if he doesn't sneak into the garage and take pictures of me wile I'm sleeping. This is so embarrassing; I know I'm turning Red.

There are so many tunnels up here.

Here goes a happy couple onto one of the many tunnels