Blue Ridge Parkway

7/29/11
Camping at the Mallard Duck Campground was great.  The morning dew is the worst part of the experience.  Unusually we are packing a wet tent or ground cover.  However the dew here seems less than we experience on bike trips in Michigan.

 The route today took us up to and along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The "up to" part was a very steep climb for 3 miles. Dave said the "along" part was disappointing in that he expected a flat ride in the park, but the Parkway had many granny gear hills.  But it was beautiful. I saw one small bear and three deer along the route.

We arrived in Charlottsville after 61 miles and found a motel in the middle of the campus of the U of Virginia.  Thomas Jefferson designed the campus.  After the showers we drove to Monticello and toured the manor house and grounds.  Old Tom was quite a guy.

Tom's Place at  Monticello