[RacerDad]

Today I had the opportunity to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway between Roanoke, VA and Buena Vista, VA. This is the first time I have driven this car on mountain roads since driving it in Europe last summer. The biggest difference between the Alpine roads and this one was this one was not a winding. However, you had to pay extra attention as the road drops off at the edges with no guardrail. The car did great, but I only pushed hard in selected areas. This was my first time on this section of road and did not want to take unnecessary chances. That being said, it was fun.

Excuse the camera phone pictures, it is all I had on me.



The Great Valley Overlook (2,493 ft.)




Onion Mountain Overlook (3,195 ft.)




Arnold Valley (3,700 ft.)








The highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia is 3,950 feet near Apple Orchard. I drove through this part but did not have a place to pull over (maybe there was one, but I was busy driving ).

Otter Lake (650 feet, lowest part of the parkway)




These next images were taken just north of Route 60 on the parkway. I doubled back to route 60 after taking these pictures when I realized it would take almost three hours to get to I-64 east if I drove the remainder of the parkway.

Boston Knob Overlook (2,523 ft.)




Somewhere near Milepost 43






Irish Creek Valley (2,660 ft.)




Here are the maps from the sections I drove:

[3.0L]

Looks like you took your car where it does best!

Out here in the wild west, I occasionally take my M235i up coast highway 1. About 45 miles out, the highway starts climbing, resulting in steep drop offs to the Pacific Ocean hundreds of feet down. So, similar deal. Still, there are some curves and straight stretches a little inland here and there that allow a little more, ah, fun.

Unfortunately, California Highway 1 is closed up near Big Sur due to a missing bridge. Replacement won't be completed until maybe September. Heavy rains damaged the old bridge beyond repair.

[Dylan86]

Glad you had fun! Nice shots, too.

[Deutsche-Broke]

Beautiful.... Can't wait for the 240" of snow to melt back a bit so I can take a trip up into the mountains..

Thanks for sharing the great pics!

[RoundelM3]

Here's a couple photos I took on the BRP last summer when driving from Boone to Asheville. This first one is near the Linville viaduct, and the 2nd is near Little Switzerland, where a wall of cloud/fog appeared right where the road got curvy.

[StarMan]

Originally Posted by roundel335

..... Little Switzerland, where a wall of cloud/fog appeared right where the road got curvy.

I too drove from Boone, past Asheville, to the end (or i guess the Beginning) of the BPW.

Little Switzerland has one of the best roads in North Carolina in terms of twisty (it's right off the BPW) ... known as the Diamondback (Video below)!

Another one off a bit south of the BPW is the Devils Whip...good roads!

[RoundelM3]

Great roads indeed...but can you believe the bicyclists that get on the BRP with no cycling lanes and blind curves? Gotta be a death wish!

[Rayscott]

Originally Posted by roundel335

Great roads indeed...but can you believe the bicyclists that get on the BRP with no cycling lanes and blind curves? Gotta be a death wish!

I agree, I have friends who have biked it. I did bike the Blue Ridge mountains near Asheville. Lots of climbing but the traffic was not as bad as the BLP. Cant wait to take the 228 to those places.

[RoundelM3]

Originally Posted by Rayscott

I agree, I have friends who have biked it. I did bike the Blue Ridge mountains near Asheville. Lots of climbing but the traffic was not as bad as the BLP. Cant wait to take the 228 to those places.

That's what we drove...top down most of the way until the skies opened up on the way to Blowing Rock.

[RacerDad]

Originally Posted by roundel335

Great roads indeed...but can you believe the bicyclists that get on the BRP with no cycling lanes and blind curves? Gotta be a death wish!

I passed three cyclists on my trip. I think they are nuts, but more power to them. In Europe there were cyclists everywhere on the mountain roads.

[RoundelM3]

Originally Posted by RacerDad

I passed three cyclists on my trip. I think they are nuts, but more power to them. In Europe there were cyclists everywhere on the mountain roads.

My problem with them on that road is that there are no bike lanes, and the BRP is barely wide enough for two cars to pass with no shoulders in the forested sections. You could round a blind corner and run right into them. If you try to pass them, you could encounter traffic coming the other way quite unexpectedly. I don't think they take that sort of thing into consideration. It's like the SFBI who was rollerblading down the middle of a 35 MPH 2-lane thoroughfare in the development where I live, dodging oncoming traffic in both directions.

[Maynard]

Great pics, and inspiration for some mountain driving once the snows come off. Thanks for posting it. Less bicyclers, but more Amish up here in NYS - haven't lived until you come up on a buggy going 5mph.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Nice writeup and pics

[DaleHeinz]

Nice way to spend some time in the car! My in laws live in East Tennessee, and I can't wait to get the M240 down there and hit the skyways through the smokies. This makes me want to go soon.

[PChem]

Originally Posted by roundel335

My problem with them on that road is that there are no bike lanes, and the BRP is barely wide enough for two cars to pass with no shoulders in the forested sections. You could round a blind corner and run right into them. If you try to pass them, you could encounter traffic coming the other way quite unexpectedly. I don't think they take that sort of thing into consideration. It's like the SFBI who was rollerblading down the middle of a 35 MPH 2-lane thoroughfare in the development where I live, dodging oncoming traffic in both directions.

I googled SFBI and it stands for San Francisco Baking Institute. Somehow it does not seem you were implying the rollerblading person in your neighborhood was associated with that organization. http://www.sfbi.com Pray tell this aging Boomer what does SFBI stand for in your reference? My guess is S is for stupid. F is for the obvious F word and I is for idiot. What does the B reference? Inquiring minds want to know!

[RoundelM3]

Originally Posted by PChem

I googled SFBI and it stands for San Francisco Baking Institute. Somehow it does not seem you were implying the rollerblading person in your neighborhood was associated with that organization. http://www.sfbi.com Pray tell this aging Boomer what does SFBI stand for in your reference? My guess is S is for stupid. F is for the obvious F word and I is for idiot. What does the B reference? Inquiring minds want to know!

From one aging boomer to another: SFBI = $hit For Brains Idiot. You generally meet one every day, it seems.

[430409M2]

The road looks great, and what a view! Makes me itch to get up into the mountains..

[RoundelM3]

The Blue Ridge Parkway has a lot of scenic overlooks, "forest tunnels", real tunnels, and can be very curvy - but it also gets foggy in places, and sometimes it's actually clouds that you're driving through. Speed limit is 45, and probably not safe to drive any faster. It's an older 2-lane road built in the days when that speed was considered relatively fast. Best way to enjoy it is drive moderately and take in the scenery. And don't miss Grandfather Mountain - it's right at 1 mile above sea level, and you can drive all the way up to the Visitor Center which is only about 20 ft. below that level.