Tag: mill

The Ever Striking Blue Ridge Parkway

Road in a Difficult Place
Road in a Difficult Place

If you enjoy mountain driving you will be in your element driving the Blue Ridge Parkway from Virginia through North Carolina. The parkway is essentially a mountain crest highway joining peak to peak through the long Appalachian chain of mountains. This means there will be a lot of climbing up the side of one mountain, and descending the other side for over 469 miles.

Always Great Scenery
Always Great Scenery

However, if the weather is good, it will be 469 miles of forests during the climbs, and tremendous panoramic views from the mountain tops. Mostly it will be necessary to use the lay-bys to see the valley sights. Years ago the forests had been cut and it was easy to see across the countryside below as you drove. Now the trees are maturing and are too high to see over.

Viewed from the Top
Viewed from the Top

The road is generally in good shape, but some sections are grown in to the point where you have to keep away from the edges or suffer scratches from limbs. It is necessary to watch for branches above as well or endanger your air conditioner if you have a high RV. There is a section of road at the southern end that has three tunnels too low for many RV’s.
There are several excellent campgrounds without hookups so it’s a good opportunity to try out your RV’s self containment features. One drawback is the use of noisy generators. Although there are new quiet generators on the market, many people insist of using the cheaper, noisy variety, thus ruining the camping experience for those around them.
In the spring miles and miles of beautiful rhododendrons line the route and these along with the other spring flowers make it a terrific drive. In the fall the leaves and mountain ash berries provide another colourful time to make the trip.

Blue Ridge Mill
Blue Ridge Mill

For more than four decades James Stoness has travelled the roads of North America, photographing and writing about what he has seen. His travel articles and beautiful pictures have been published in several magazines and newspapers. He is also the author of five western novels. Visit his website at: www.stonesstravelguides.com

The Blue Ridge Mountain Mill

The Mabry Mill
The Mabry Mill

“Down on the old mill stream” goes the song of long ago. A really great treat is to visit an old mill, such as the old Mabry Mill. It’s right on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia, and looks like a perfect Currier and Ives painting. At the turn of the past century these mills served the community by providing lumber for building and grind stones to turn the settlers’ grains in flour.

The mill, which has been wonderfully cared for, is an excellent example of craftsmanship. It is now looked after by the Park Service. Outside, there is a large waterwheel fed by a small stream that is carried for a long distance in a wooden sluice. In front of the mill is a small pond that gives perfect reflections of the mill.

The log saw
Log saw

Inside you will find the saw and carriage, where the logs were turned into boards, square timbers, and other framing material. The saw is cut from a sheet of steel, made circular, and then the teeth of the saw created by cutting into the circle. It’s a pretty good looking saw and probably created locally.

Part of the wood working equipment allowed a skilled craftsman to turn out articles produced on the wood lathe, and other objects required by the farmers.

Reflections in the pool
Reflections in the pool.

You might also see the mill grinding grain into flour, something that in the early part of the century would have been a regular operation. Wagons and teams would have stopped by the open loading area to off load several bags of grain while others would be picking up their bags of flour. Stone ground flour is sold here in the summer, although the flour is ground in another mill.

A High Wheeled Log Hauler.
A High Wheeled Log Hauler

Step over to the nearby blacksmith building to see how the early settlement created many of its metal products right on site. Outside you will see a two wheeled cart with high wheels showing how horses could drag logs from the woods. Along the highway there is a fine example of the old split rail snake fence.

The Mabry Mill is a great place to stop for photography too. Between exploring and taking pictures you are sure to spend a few enjoyable hours.

Happy RVing

For more than four decades James Stoness has travelled the roads of North America, photographing and writing about what he has seen. His travel articles and beautiful pictures have been published in several magazines and newspapers. He is also the author of five western novels.  Visit his website at:  www.stonesstravelguides.com