You have to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway in Va - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

LUVMBDiesels · #1 05-18-2009, 09:55 PM

The Blue Ridge Parkway in Western Virginia is a total hoot to drive. The vistas are incredible and the road is well paved and smooth. The only drawbacks are the 45mph speed limit and the fact that it is one narrow lane each way. Of course the road is challenging and the views are so nice that you do not mind slowing down. We dia bout 70 miles on it around the Floyd area and it was very nice. Make sure to stop at the Chateau Morrisette for lunch and to pick up a case or two of their incredible wines.

We also drove back to Salem, Va on Twelve 'O Clock Knob Road going through and over the mountains. That road was a total joy! reverse camber curves double and triple curves going up and down the mountains. I had the suspension in the Suburban (yes I had the truck) WORKING as I went from left to right and back again. I just wish I had the BMW or John's 560 SEL for that road as I could have really carved up the mountain. As it was I had fun and got a good workout!

I love the south western part of Virginia!

Heck , we even got to take the big 'Burban off pavement as we churned up some of the dirt , and I mean dirt, not gravel, roads in the area

All I can say is YEE HAW!

Honus · #2 05-18-2009, 10:50 PM

Floyd County is one of my favorite places. I lived there many moons ago. I commuted to Roanoke on the Parkway in my 1973 MGB. They enforce that 45 mph speed limit, so I racked up a bunch of points on my driving record, but it was still a sweet commute. During the summer months I would leave the hot, sticky Roanoke Valley which is about 900 feet above sea level. My house was at about 2,400 feet. About half way up, it felt like someone turned on the air conditioning.

What a great place.

420benz · #3 05-18-2009, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

The Blue Ridge Parkway in Western Virginia is a total hoot to drive. The vistas are incredible and the road is well paved and smooth. The only drawbacks are the 45mph speed limit and the fact that it is one narrow lane each way. Of course the road is challenging and the views are so nice that you do not mind slowing down. We dia bout 70 miles on it around the Floyd area and it was very nice. Make sure to stop at the Chateau Morrisette for lunch and to pick up a case or two of their incredible wines.

We also drove back to Salem, Va on Twelve 'O Clock Knob Road going through and over the mountains. That road was a total joy! reverse camber curves double and triple curves going up and down the mountains. I had the suspension in the Suburban (yes I had the truck) WORKING as I went from left to right and back again. I just wish I had the BMW or John's 560 SEL for that road as I could have really carved up the mountain. As it was I had fun and got a good workout!

I love the south western part of Virginia!

Heck , we even got to take the big 'Burban off pavement as we churned up some of the dirt , and I mean dirt, not gravel, roads in the area

All I can say is YEE HAW!

My wife and i drive from Ga. to Nj about two or three times a year.My GPS takes us on 77 then on to 81. Where is the Chateau Morrisette,it sounds interesting?

mzsmbs · #4 05-19-2009, 02:26 AM

BRP Milepost 171.5

dannym · #5 05-19-2009, 10:30 AM

I drove from Charlotte to DC last Friday and thought about detouring to do that drive.
I decided not to. I didn't want to add another 3 or so hours to an already 7 hour trip.
One day I would like to do that though.

Danny

Dee8go · #6 05-19-2009, 10:51 AM

I can't take more than 10-15 miles of that at a time, in spite of how beautiful the scenery is. It usually lulls me to sleep.

mzsmbs · #7 05-19-2009, 07:03 PM

Quote:

It usually lulls me to sleep.

..

curvy mountain roads do the exact opposite to me.. it's the straight roads that are booooooooooooring.

panZZer · #8 05-19-2009, 07:29 PM

Dont get a ticket though, I hear the minimum in Va is $1000.00 for moving violation.

Dee8go · #9 05-21-2009, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by panZZer

Dont get a ticket though, I hear the minimum in Va is $1000.00 for moving violation.

I don't think it's quite THAT bad, but they are pretty brutal here with the fines. Virginia comsiders fines for traffic viol;ations the same way the District looks at parking violations, a major source of revenue.

JimFreeh · #10 05-21-2009, 08:35 AM

We drove the skyline drive (northmost leg of the blue ridge) last fall in the 560SEL. Stayed in a log cabin for the weekend, drove up the mountain each day.

Jim

LUVMBDiesels · #11 05-21-2009, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mzsmbs

BRP Milepost 171.5

The Chateau should be a point of interest in your GPS. It was in my Nuvi260.
If not, punch in 287 Winery Road in Floyd, Va. That should take you right there. A word of caution, though, if the GPS tries to take you on the local roads and not the BRP be prepared for dirt and gravel surfaces not a place for an SL

Their website is http://www.thedogs.com/

It is well worth the $50 to join their 'Kennel Club' I saved more than that with the 20% discount they gave me. You also get the discount on online purchases and when they have one of their open houses, you get 30% off!

LUVMBDiesels · #12 05-21-2009, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dculkin

Floyd County is one of my favorite places. I lived there many moons ago. I commuted to Roanoke on the Parkway in my 1973 MGB. They enforce that 45 mph speed limit, so I racked up a bunch of points on my driving record, but it was still a sweet commute. During the summer months I would leave the hot, sticky Roanoke Valley which is about 900 feet above sea level. My house was at about 2,400 feet. About half way up, it felt like someone turned on the air conditioning.

What a great place.

It really a great place. My in-laws moved over there a few years ago from even further out in the country. SW Virginia is a wonderful area. The temp difference as you go up is quite something. According to the display in the truck it went down 15 degrees from Salem to the winery!

Did you ever do the 12 o'clock knob road run... I bet that would have been a blast in a 'B'! In the Suburban it was challenging but damn fun!
The MBCA local should get them to close that road one day and run a rally up there

Honus · #13 05-21-2009, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

...Did you ever do the 12 o'clock knob road run... I bet that would have been a blast in a 'B'! In the Suburban it was challenging but damn fun!...

I'm sure I did, but I can't say I remember which one it was. I was just looking at it on Mapquest. The southern end of 12 O'Clock Knob Road ends at Route 221, which is the road I used when the BR Parkway was closed for snow/ice, so I'm sure I have been on it.

Another great place to drive, at least back in the 1980s, was in the Catawba Valley on west side of I-81. Lots of nooks and crannies back there.

Honus · #14 05-21-2009, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

...I bet that would have been a blast in a 'B'!...

Just about anywhere you go in SW Virginia is a blast in a B, but I just noticed the '74 CJ5 in your signature. Lots of opportunities for one of those down there as well.

I'm feeling the need for a road trip.

John Doe · #15 05-21-2009, 11:31 PM

That 45 mph speed limit probably saved my life more than a few times, camping down the BRP after the Deer Creek and RFK shows, heading to Charlotte after the four day break in Spring Tour.

Swede--where yat? You are probably the only one here that knows what I am talking about

Prettier in NC though, IMO. Although I am an AVID hunter, I resolved never to take a bear while sitting on an overlook at 3 am with a spotlight (when the first 1M candlepower ones came out and they were still novelties) near looking glass falls in 1990 or so, looking down into a valley at a black bear sow with three cubs going about their business. At that moment in time and still very vividly in my memory, they just struck me as too close to humans in their mannerisms that I had no desire to kill one.