Weekend travel for other than pleasure? Make the most of it!
Whether walking the grounds of The Boars Head Inn,
Or exploring the downtown walking mall,
Be on the lookout for the bright and the beautiful
and enjoy those free moments.
Tag Archives: Photography
Wine and Roses
Our local wine and beer shop, Barrel Caves Wines, devotes one evening every month to women. The Divas gather for wine and tapas and friendship, and my camera is alway ready to capture the fun.
Kathy makes sure that the flowers are fresh,
the food delicious,
and the wine chosen just for us.
This particular night offered an extra treat. As we walked out the door, feeling relaxed after another great evening, we were treated to this gorgeous sunset.
Not a bad way to support local business!
Between a Wall and the Sidewalk
Even though I was balancing my camera, a plate of Stilton Cheese with Lemon Zest, and most importantly, the first Lemon Tart I’d ever made, I was distracted by this bright yellow flower growing out of the sidewalk. So, you know I just had to put everything down and shoot.
After all, yellow was definitely the theme of the evening.
Monochromia
The image of this intriguing old stump is my contribution to Monochromia this week. Pop on over if you get a chance and if you didn’t know it already, you’ll learn that I’m a tree hugger (like you didn’t know that already 🙂 ). As Joe always says, if you love B&W images, you need to check out Monochromia.
And We Breathe
The women rush through the kitchen door, hands burdened with bags of food from a quick run to the store, and faces burdened with the cares and worries of the day. Each one feels sure she is the only overwhelmed one in the group, but very quickly realizes that she is not alone.
The house is cluttered with the detritis of the week … piles of mail on the table, various pairs of shoes scattered about on the floor, books perched on every surface … but the porch chairs have been brushed clear and the table tops are clean.
The food is quickly laid out on the table,
flowers placed in a vase,
and the candles are lit.
The talk that initially bursts forth after being surpressed all day eventually calms, and the women begin to relax, surrounded by friends who know and understand.
The porch offers a welcome respite from the world, even if temporary.
And we breathe …
Ride to Paint Bank
The meet time for the ride: 10:45. The destination: Paint Bank, a small community in northern Craig County, Virginia.
The train depot dates back to 1909, when Paint Bank was the final stop of the Potts Valley Branch line of the Norfolk & Western Railway, which was expanded during the mining boom of the early 1900’s.
The lodge features a master suite, and 4 guest rooms each with private bath, and a gas fireplace.
The caboose has been renovated into a queen bedroom, complete with it’s own bath.
The Depot and the other buildings in Paint Bank have been beautifully renovated and visitors can shop in the General Store, eat in the Swinging Bridge Restaurant (which really does have a swinging bridge inside it), and explore the water powered Grist Mill.
I’ve ridden to Paint Bank several times through the years and it’s a great place for a stop along the way. Someday I’ll have to stay the night!
It was a misty ride back over the mountains towards home, but despite the dark storm clouds only a few of the 160 miles we rode were truly rainy. Another fun ride in the books.
And oh yes!
The best sign I saw along the road today was in front of a church: “Noah should have slapped those 2 mosquitos”
🙂
Just Drivin’ By … in Color
This barn sits alongside the dirt road on the way to my friend Cherie’s house.
Many times I’ve photographed it; many times I’ve been unsatisfied with the result. This day, however, it seemed just about right.
I’d love you to check out today’s post on Monochromia to see the B&W version and let me know what you think.
Still Summer
The calendar says Sept 4th,
3 days after Labor Day,
the traditional “end of summer”.
In my garden though, summer is still here!
Each morning, I get to enjoy seeing the flowers that still grace the space outside my kitchen door.
And thankfully, my basil is still growing beautifully!
It’s been awhile since I’ve attempted some macro shooting (even though I don’t have a macro lens) and I decided I needed practice. You, my dear blogger friends, are my guinea pigs. As fall approaches, I’ll definitely be practicing more!
In the meantime, I want to thank you for inspiring me with your craft, whatever it may be; for making me laugh; for causing me to sigh with both happiness and in thought, and for being here on WordPress with me!
Thunder Ridge
The Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) is a 469 mile drive that connects the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, and I’ve ridden every one of those miles on the bike. In fact, I took my first solo ride on the BRP, celebrating my 50th Birthday, 4 years, and 2 cameras, ago. You can read about that ride here and here if you’d like.
Even though I’ve ridden on the BRP many times, I still see something new with each visit.
Yesterday’s 230 mile ride, part of which was on the BRP, included a stop at Thunder Ridge, at Milepost 75.
A very short hike reveals a view of the Allegheny Mountains and Arnold’s Valley, elevation 3485 ft.
The view made me think of a blanket made of mountains.
We stood there admiring this incredible view, feeling the sun on our faces while the wind blew with gusto, and then took the trail back to the bikes.
What an incredible gift it is to live right near the Blue Ridge Parkway.
“Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2010, the Blue Ridge Parkway is a product of the New Deal’s efforts to provide jobs to the unemployed of the Great Depression. Construction began in September 1935 at Cumberland Knob near the North Carolina and Virginia state line.
The idea was to create a link between the Shenandoah National Park to the edge of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Completed in 1983, the Parkway’s history has been highlighted by documentarian Ken Burns in the six-part “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” series originally aired on PBS”.
Kentucky and the “Niagara Falls of the South”
As I wiped the mud and water from my bike, I thought about how grateful I was for the warm welcome that I’d received when I checked into the hotel the night before. Hotels typically treat bikers well, and this time was no exception. I was allowed to park the bike under the covered entrance, was given rags to clean the bike, given recommendations for local eateries, and received a gift of water and trail mix. Betty surely made me feel welcome and a note was sent to her manager to praise her efforts.
The continued calls for rain had me considering heading home a day early, but as I cleaned up the bike I made the decision to take my chances. Kentucky still had alot to show me after all!
After packing up the bike and filling the tank, I set out for Cumberland Falls State Park. 25 E was a beautiful ride, and I passed by wooded lands and farms situated on nicely curving roads. Once inside the Daniel Boone National Forest, where the park is located, I had to keep myself from pulling over every few miles to take photos. The woods were lush and green and I was captivated.
One of the first things I saw upon entering the park was the Dupont Lodge.
The Civilian Conservation Corps, under Roosevelt’s New Deal, put jobless men and boys throughout the United States to work. Built by the CCC in 1933, the historic lodge was destroyed by fire in 1940. It was re-built soon after the fire, and all rooms were completely renovated again in 2006.
The staff offered much information including directions to a half mile trail, with a 200 ft descent, that led to the falls. Since my boots were still a bit wet, I was glad I’d only be hiking a short way, but I was definitely ready to get off the bike and into the woods. I grabbed my water bottle and headed off on foot.
I have to admit to being a bit skeptical about the whole “Niagara of the South” label, but oh, I was pleasantly surprised!
Since the early 1900s, Cumberland Falls has been known as the “Niagara of the South”. “Falling 7 stories, it is one of the largest waterfalls in the southeastern U.S.”.
Even though I was just one of many people there to enjoy the falls, I never felt that it was crowded.
I spent over an hour wandering about, taking pictures from a variety of angles and places, and learning about the history of the river and the falls.
The hike back up aggravated the new blister on my heel (thanks to the darn damp boots). But what fun it was to sit outside the lodge, applying first aide to my heel and talking with all the folks who stopped by to admire my bike. I’d been missing the human connection this trip as the rain kept me from alot of stopping and chatting.
While I’d been lucky this day, I knew that as I turned for home the weather would change, and I’d eventually run into rain again, so I made the decision to head on back towards Virginia. I rode through more beautiful country on curvy roads and found myself singing out loud with the joy of the wind in my face and even the occasional glimpse of sun.
As the day waned, I turned onto Rt 58 and my happiness continued.
My friend Tim helped me to find a hotel in Johnson City, Tennessee and one of the first things I did was ask the hotel clerk where I might find a cold beer 🙂
Once back at the hotel, the clerk told me to be sure to park right in front. It’s good to be a biker!
Next Post: The Ride Home
Life on the Bike and other Fab Things 