EasePease life: I am on the Blue Ridge Parkway!

Monday, October 28, 2024

I am on the Blue Ridge Parkway!

For the past few days, I have been in Cary, NC, taking care of Lulu. She is such an easy dog to care for, and for some reason, she loves me! The only issue is she often eats too fast or has high anxiety, causing her to regurgitate.

I left Cary, NC, at 8:30 a.m. heading to Mount Airy, NC. Mt. Airy is the birthplace of Andy Griffith and the self-proclaimed Mayberry from the Andy Griffith Show. They host an annual Mayberry Festival. This is also the birthplace of country singer Donna Fargo (1945).

This charming town is a must-visit destination for everyone. Downtown offers a plethora of attractions, including the iconic “Andy & Opie” TV Land Statue, vintage 1962 squad car replica tours, and the Andy Griffith Playhouse, where Andy Griffith spent his elementary school years and performed in the 1930s and 1940s.

Don’t miss the Mayberry Jail at Wally’s Service Station, a pork chop sandwich at Snappy Lunch or Barney’s Cafe, get a haircut at Floyd’s Barber Shop, and have your car repaired at Emmit’s Fix It Shop. The downtown area is also home to numerous unique shops and excellent dining options.

The downtown area has a well-equipped visitor center. When I stopped, I was the only one in the center, and the host was very friendly, taking great pride in the city’s offerings. It was a pleasure to find the welcoming kindness I witnessed on the Andy Griffith Show!

The photos below offer a glimpse of what Main Street has to offer.

Vintage patrol car

Inside Floyd's Barbershop

I proceeded to the Blue Ridge Parkway, at least the portion that was open. On the way, I saw desperate barns and an overlook along Squirrel Spur Road. Angel Overlook is near Ararat, Va. Douglas and Judy Angel donated the land in loving memory of their son Brian Douglas Angel, who I found died at 43 on September 15, 2005.

Squirrel Spur is a scenic drive, and I highly recommend taking it if you are in the area. (Images below)

Angel Overlook

Mount Pilot - before Mount Airy

Once on the Blue Ridge Parkway, I visited the historic Puckett cabin on Groundhog Mountain. It honors Orlean Hawks Puckett, a legendary midwife symbolizing the strength of Appalachian women. Despite limited formal education and marrying at 16, when Orlean was in her 50s, a neighbor went into labor, and no doctor was available. That’s when she started her journey as a midwife, and for almost fifty years, she roamed the Virginia countryside, offering her services without charge. People came to know her for her incredible compassion and skill. In over 1,000 deliveries, she never lost a mother or a baby. Orlean delivered her last baby at the age of 94 and passed away in 1939. Her cabin was her final home. The story of Orlean Hawks Puckett has been brought to life in Phyllis Smith’s play “They Call Me Aunt Orlean,” which is performed at the cabin several times a year, and in Karen Cecil Smith’s book “Orlean Puckett: The Life of a Mountain Midwife.”

Pucket Cabin

Pucket Shed

Looking East from Pucket Cabin

Groundhog Hill

Shortly after the cabin and Groundhog Hill, I ventured west and came to the closure of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

I decided to check out Blacksburg, Virginia, since it was my first time there! My first stop was the Virginia Tech campus, and wow, I have to say, it’s absolutely beautiful. I’ve seen several campuses, but this one really stands out. The architecture, the way everything is laid out, and the green spaces are just amazing.

On Kira's advice, I went to Pandapas Pond (about ten minutes north of the Virginia Tech campus). There, I found a beautiful trail around the pond. Unlike in Blacksburg, Virginia, the area around the pond had passed its peak color.

Admissions

Campus Courtyard

Pantapas Pond

Since it was already close to 4:30 p.m., I decided to head to the cabin, where I was to check in before 6:00 p.m. The drive was scenic, and the cabin was better than I expected. The cabin is fantastic.