I wasn't anxious to get back on the road again but I knew that I had to move on. They had a huge project ahead of them getting their new home ready to inhabit and I needed to head north.
Before I got to Hwy. 77 north to Charlotte I needed to get some gas. One thing I don't miss about home is the high price of fuel. Check this out.
Even with the exchange rate this is an incredible price. In Canada we are paying roughly double this price per gallon.
My destination today was to wind my way over to Hwy. 85 which would ultimately get me to Asheville, NC. From there I planned to get on the Blue Ridge Parkway and ride the ridge up the Appalachian Mountain Range as far as it would take me. I left Mickey's place a little after 10:00 am and was moving along well until I hit Hwy. 85. I was just on the approach ramp when it came to a screeching halt. Assuming it was a early morning traffic jam from volume I tucked in behind a transport and inched along. The temperature was starting to climb and by noon it was 37'C (98.6'F). By then I had traveled 5 miles and was getting dehydrated so I pulled off and looked for a gas station. They told me that two semi's had crashed three miles up the highway and suggested I take a different route.
I found that Hwy. 321 would take me north connecting with I-40 which would run me west into Asheville. It was very hot still but it was great to be moving for a change rather than inching along and breathing in all the exhaust fumes. By mid afternoon I had reached the outskirts of Asheville but decided to avoid the town and get up on the Blue Ridge. By now the scenery, the elevation and the temperature had all changed to be replaced by beautiful mountains and much cooler temps. Along theParkway there are dozens of scenic lookouts so here are some of the views.
One great way to meet people along the way is to ask them to take your picture. Three lovely young ladies were happy to oblige.
I prefer now to stay at KOA camp grounds and the closest one to my route north was in Boone, NC. so that became my final destination. What was cool about this site was that each tent site had a sheltered picnic table with water and electricity. By 7:00 pm the clouds had rolled in from the west and the wind had picked up and it was sprinkling on and off. Normally I would have fixed a cold meal not wanting to cook in the rain but with the shelter I could set up my little mobile kitchen and cook up a fresh tuna steak and brown rice and not be concerned about the weather.
The temperature is very comfortable so I'm looking forward to a good sleep. Tomorrow I get back on the Blue Ridge Parkway and ride up into Virginia.
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