Day 4 - Prepping for the Parkway

Day 4 - My Layers of Clothing, originally uploaded by Gail S.

Here are all my layers of clothing needed for traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway on this unseasonably cold day. It was 36 degrees Fahrenheit when we left Cherokee, NC. From left to right: leathers, jogging suit with high neck, gloves, neck gator (from the hunting dept at Wal-Mart), shoes/socks, long underwear. Not pictured: helmet!

Day 4 - Me on The Blue Ridge Parkway, originally uploaded by Gail S.

Here I am wearing all the layers of clothing at elevation 5510 feet. I had removed the gloves for taking photos. Take a look at the next photo to see what was just across the road from where I was standing.

Day 4 - Noon on The Blue Ridge Parkway, originally uploaded by Gail S.

It's noon on a sunny section of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Yes, that's ice! Although the calendar says it's Spring, the weather keeps giving signs of Winter. We drove through a section with snow on the ground, but I didn't get a photo because I didn't want to take off my glove to operate the camera.

We were amazed to encounter other bikers who did not have face shields on their helmets. Their neck and ears were exposed to the wind, and they weren't wearing long underwear because their leathers were too snug to allow for another layer of clothing. Rule of thumb for your motorcycle travel notes: always buy your leathers a bit large to allow for extra layers underneath. The same goes for your rain suit.

The bikers were also fascinated by our neck gators - a fleece tube that tucks under the collar of your shirt and up over your ears and nose. There's a drawstring to tighten the top so it doesn't slip down. I bought mine in West Virginia in the hunting department at a Wal-Mart. Sid and I were looking at a ski mask for me, but he didn't think it would work under my helmet. A fellow shopper showed me the gator, and my neck/ears/chin have been toasty warm ever since!

Day 4 - Silver Threads, originally uploaded by Gail S.

Here's the Blue Ridge Parkway threading its way through the mountains...for 469 miles! We only traveled 170 miles today. We kept stopping to warm up - even if that only meant thawing our fingers near the hot pipes of the motorcycle. We must devise another plan for tomorrow when record low temperatures are predicted for Wednesday morning. We have another 170 miles to travel before reaching Roanoke, Virginia, where we will visit with my family.

Day 4 - The Linn Cove Viaduct, originally uploaded by Gail S.

I shot this back over my shoulder without looking. I can't believe it came out okay! This is the Linn Cove Viaduct, the last section to be completed and an engineering marvel!