Down by the old mill stream…

This is my second trip to the Christianburg area of Virginia. Last time, on the way back to DC my dad and I took a drive up the the Blue Ridge Parkway. Yesterday, I decided to head down there and check out the southern section.

I got a bit of a lazy start. didn’t leave the hotel till just after 11. Took a bit over half-hour to go down the winding Hwy8 through Floyd until I got to Tuggle’s Gap. Last time dad and I had breakfast here. Was good food, so I decided to stop again. Lunch this time, a cheeseburger with lettuce, onion, ketchup and pickles. It was a square burger, and better than Wendy’s. Oh yea, side of onion rings along with that - hit the spot and I was back on the road before 12:30.

There as a small visitors center just south of there, the host there warned me bout a downed bridge and washed out road once the parkway got in to North Carolina, as well as giving me a heads up on the gas shortage and to make sure and fill up before I got too far in to NC.

Just past the visitors center was Mabry Mill… and according the placard out front:

The mill was built about 1910 by Edwin B. Mabry, a jack-of-all-trades who had been a chairmaker, a miner, a coal company blacksmith, and a farmer. He and his wife, Mintoria Lizzie Mabry, operated the mill until 1936, grinding corn and sawing lumber for their Meadows of Dan Neighbors.

In 1945, the National Park Service restored and landscaped the mill. today, it is the most photographed feature ont he Blue Ridge Parkway.

This shot I took as I was leaving, through the open passenger window, and damn if I don’t think it’s the best of the bunch I took there. I have an album of the Mabry Mill shots if you want to see more.

All in all, I drove about 70-80 miles down the parkway, in to North Carolina a bit before turning up Hwy221, and then 21 back to I-81 to get me back to Christiansburg. It was a nice drive, the white puffy clouds fought hard against the grey overcast clouds for a good part of the day. Once I got far enough south the sun did manage to break out for awhile. The show below is from around mile marker 186, some old farm buildings that I saw that just caught my eye.

When you go north from Tuggle’s Gap, there are a TON of overlooks. It seems like they pop up every couple of miles. When you go south… not so much. There was one about every 8-10 miles. This next one is near High Piney Spur, Elevation of about 2805feet. I think this is in NC… and the smaller image here really doesn’t do the view justice… and of course it was hazy again like last time. One of these days I’ll take this drive and it will be crystal clear… maybe.

So I eventually turned back north, and managed wander across a couple other decent photo-ops, like this farm building…

After that, I stopped for some dinner and headed back to the hotel, getting back there bit after 8. All in all, a rather nice trip… put just over 200 miles in. Oh, and when I come back… it just has to be with the Jeep. This drive is just begging for a nice day with the top off, maybe doors too.

More Stuff!

My Mabry Mil Photos
My Blue Ridge Parkway Photos (this trip and last)
Welcome to the Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway (National Park Service)
Tuggle’s Gap Restaurant & Inn
Down by the Old Mills Stream Sidney Bechet