Monday, Day 3: Meadows of Dan, VA to Home

We woke up bright and early to make it to the Mabry Mill (Mile Marker 176) when it opened at 8am.  The shower had a bit of a mind of its own when it came to hot and cold temperatures.  I'm positive it wasn't just my room because I could hear the man next door cussing his shower through the wall.  Maybe the problem was that we were both using showers at the same time. Who knows?  We checked out, I grabbed some fruit out of a sad looking continental breakfast, and headed to the Mill.

Now that was a good breakfast.  It's right on the parkway and there is a restaurant is located next to the Mill.  I tried the sampler platter of sweet potato, buckwheat, and cornmeal pancakes. Pretty sure I've never tried any of those.  The sweet potato were my favorite, as they were a bit lighter than the other two.  I liked the taste of the buckwheat, but they were very heavy.  Cornmeal is much like cornbread: very heavy and needing lots of butter and syrup!

The mill was gorgeous.  It was built in 1903 and the water wheel still actually turns. 

Mabry MillMabry Mill
Blue Ridge Parkway, VA

Vintage Mabry MillMabry Mill
Blue Ridge Parkway, VA

Mabry Mill No.2Mabry Mill
Blue Ridge Parkway, VA

The overflow on the mill before the wheel broke free.

Mabry Mill No.3Mabry Mill
Blue Ridge Parkway, VA

Mill WheelMabry Mill
Blue Ridge Parkway, VA

It actually broke free while I was taking pictures of it!

Since we missed quite a bit of the parkway on our Mt. Airy sidetrack yesterday, we headed south along the parkway to make up some of the difference.  We drove to around mile marker 200, then picked up Hwy 77 to Hwy 81 to head home the fast way.  We really only missed miles 200-215.  Unfortunately, the Blue Ridge Music Center is at mile 213.  I really wanted to go there, but the schedule didn't work out to get there at a good time:(

All in all, we only missed about 33 miles of the parkway from mileposts 469 to 175.  One day we'll pick up those last 175 miles.  To truly see and do everything along the parkway, you would need a couple weeks. There are so many beautiful stops and parks along the way.  We had to skip an awful lot.  The most bang for your buck is probably around Asheville.  If you stayed there and then took day trips to specific sites, you'd see a whole lot.  Also, plan to camp and do picnic lunches.  That would definitely be the best way to enjoy it!

After getting on the boring highway, it was business as usual. I pulled out my phone and played on facebook.  Nothing beautiful to see here! Hwy 81 may be the most boring drive EVER.  Except for the stop at the Bass Pro Shop near Sevierville, and buying new black boots, the trip home was uneventful.  Welcome back to the real world!