After spending the weekend camping and enjoying the company of other wonderful motorcycle junkies at the Horizons Unlimited Travelers Meeting in Appomattox, VA, I spent 3 days riding the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway!
The renowned scenic highway, which is America’s longest linear park, runs for 469 miles from Anon, Virginia to Cherokee, NC. Linking Shenandoah National Park to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway has been America’s most visited national park every year since 1946 except 1949, 2013, 2016, and 2019. It runs mostly along the spine of the Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains.
Construction of the project began in 1935 when Franklin D. Roosevelt was president. Originally labeled the Appalachian Scenic Highway, Congress formally dubbed it the Blue Ridge Parkway in 1936, placing it under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. A massive undertaking that took 52 years to complete, those responsible for building it include private contractors, the New Deal public works agencies, the Works Progress Administration, the Emergency Relief Administration, the Civilian Conservation Corps, and the Civilian Public Service program.
My good friends Steve (of Moto Photo Adventures fame), Scott, and Kristi were kind enough to join me on this bucket-list quest to ride the entire parkway from start to finish. We broke the trip up into 3 days so that we could enjoy the ride, and stop to take in the beautiful views. I hope you enjoy this series from our adventure. If you’re looking for a truly spectacular road-trip, we HIGHLY recommend the BRP!!!