Day 4 - October 5 - Front Royal, VA to Floyd, VA (via Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway) 266 miles

Well,  I was concerned that rain would be a problem. Turns out, it was not, but cold was. I got out of the Cool Harbor Motel by 9AM and was on the road to Floyd. I had been on parts of the Skyline Drive in the past, but only in 4-wheeled vehicles ("cages" to the motorcycle set). On two wheels, the SD is much different, requiring concentration, and observation all the time. Speed limit is 35 mph, and I did see a US Park Ranger running radar at one point in the 105-mile-length of the SD. This road runs in a generally Southeastern direction in Virginia, and is entirely within the Shenandoah National Park.

Today's journey was delightful at times, but as the cold increased at higher altitudes along the road, it really started to bother me. At the highest point on the SD (about 3500 ft. ASL), I stopped at the Skyland area, got off the bike, and tried to get warm(er). After eating an apple, I met two real motorcycle adventurers: Deyanira and Brian Mendoza-Dominguez. They're Canadians from Vancouver, and have been all over Canada, up to Alaska, across Canada, down into the US, and are headed for Argentina. Woh!. See their adventure at: www.andthenweweregone.blogspot.com

We parted company, and then it was down the SD for a bit. Here's a typical photo from one of the many (putting it mildly) scenic overlooks on the SD...

Anyway, I continued on through the SD, and eventually came to the   entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The BRP is a much different road than SD.

The speed limit is higher, and generally the vistas are longer with more open space. I was not getting any warmer (I was seeing temps in the lower forties on the ambient temperature indicator on the RT). Somehow, FiberOne bars and water were not keeping me warm. The heated grips on the RT did make a huge difference. Eventually, a long, cold day ended in Floyd, VA, at the Hotel Floyd.

Floyd seems to be the Blue Ridge music center, with many outdoor venues ready for playing a watching. Kyle Knight (Laura and Terry's son) came over from Blacksburg, VA (he's an MS student at VA Tech), and we had a very fine Mexican dinner. I ate everything in sight and was still hungry. A long, cold day.