Things are cooking now! I'm getting to the wire, and, have to get near home.
At this point it's a little foolish to try and navigate all the small roads in the NE. So, I'm going to use the interstate a little more. I'll break away at times, but, on the super slab it is!
The first day was pretty uneventful. (Any day is uneventful on the interstate.)
My map is throwing me off too. Because of the density of roads, the scale is magnified more than the maps out west. So I'm coming up on destinations sooner, and, roads are changing names all the time.
See what I mean.
And that pic was taken a little more south in Virginia! So I didn't cover much ground, but I covered a lot of territory.....Does that make sense?
Anyway, The first day I broke away to go into the Poconos for a while and it got dark.
The deer here are fearless!
I shown the light on these guys for a while as I fumbled for my camera, and, they just stood there wondering when I was going to leave.
Connected back with the highway and spent the night at a truck stop.
The next day was great! Got going right at sunrise.
Here's one for Battlestar Galatica fans!
I'm in Pennsylvania! Was that Maryland? Oh Ok, I'm in Mar.... West Virginia..... Virginia-Virginia.
I'm aiming for Shenandoah National Park which includes Skyline drive, and, the Blue Ridge Parkway.
I get to Front Royal. Grab some lunch and get back to some beautiful mountain roads.
The famous Skyline Drive!
WOW. That's a cool shot.
Of course, met a lot of riders.
Heading up to camp, and, BEARS!!
Hung out and watched them for a while, but it's getting dark.
Get to a camp in good time to set up, get firewood, and catch an awesome sunset.
Met another rider from Indiana that's doing the same thing I am. Hung out and enjoyed the fire and some hot coffee.
Got going in the morning and ran into another bear.
This one kept staring at me and getting up on her hind legs...... What?
Then I heard a sound that you recognize no matter what species you are.
A cub was on the other side of the road... with me in the middle.......
I had my engine off once I saw the bear initially. Luckily I was on a hill and was able to roll out of the way. The cub made it back, and they were on their way.
Skyline Drive turns into the Blue Ridge Parkway. I follow for a while, the head toward Natural Bridge.
This area is really cool. Right on one of the oldest highways and has a great roadside feel.
I love roadside attractions. There are still a few in this area surrounding the natural bridge. (I suppose because the natural bridge won't close anytime soon.)
There was a a fantasy land studio that had closed but still had some some stuff lying around.
A zoo a-la Jungle Gardens.
The best was FOAMHENGE!!! A full sized replica!
LOVE IT! Great roadside weirdness! And FREE! Up there with the shoe tree!
This guy rocks!
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/VANATfoamhenge.html
The natural bridge was pretty cool too. Peculiar. I really loved some of the old pictures that they had of it in the museum.
Like so:
http://www.vmfa.state.va.us/beyer/natural1_1.jpg
http://www.lewis-clark.org/content/content-article.asp?ArticleID=1752
It's privately operated so it's costs a bit, and because of the state of affairs with roadside anything these days, is just dwindling. And now they've built an "attraction" around it. Kinda sad, because it really is beautiful.
Apparently, those are George Washington's initials. Little vandal.
I'm close enough to Blacksburg now that I continue on the smaller roads.
Getting lost is always strangely annoying, exhilarating, and, enjoyable all at the same time.
See what I mean..I have no idea where I am, but, I'm so glad I'm here!
I find a road called Blacksburg Rd. that will no doubt take me there.....it doesn't.
I finally come into town on the road with all the Greek houses.
........ What the hell is a Hokie?
I'm staying the night with Diana and Brian!!! They just moved up here from Sarasota not too long ago.