‘More than a road’: New superintendent discusses her vision for the Blue Ridge P

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https://smokymountainnews.com/outdoors/item/32748-more-than-a-road-new-superintendent-discusses-her-vision-for-the-blue-ridge-parkway

[3fan4life]

Thanks for posting this. 

It sounds like the new boss has a lot of plans and most of them sound good for the BRP.

I left some motorcycle specific comments, hopefully they'll be read by the right person.
 

[Jess from VA]

More passing spots.  All I need is 30 feet.  

I've passed on the double yellow up there 40 times.  I try not to do it, but if I get behind a Winnebago doing 20 knots (that never pulls off an overlook), I look for park police, then a 3.5 second pass.  But the ticket for that is not a good one.

Otherwise, you can be behind that Winnebago long enough for a short nap.  
Which really harshes the ride.
   

[Avanti]

You can always pull off at the overlook and wait for the next Winnebago.

[..]

 But the ticket for that is not a good one.

Lat one a few years ago was $125

[Jess from VA]

 But the ticket for that is not a good one.

Lat one a few years ago was $125

Winner winner chicken dinner.   

It used to be that all Park Police up there drove flesh tone/beige SUVs and scouting them out was pretty easy.  But I think they have some different ones now. 

I will never forget watching a bicyclist coasting down a steep mountain (at about 65) get pulled over for speeding. 

You can hardly blame a guy who spent 2 hours pumping his ass off in low gear getting up those hills wanting to enjoy the coast down the hill.  The cop followed him pretty close for a long way (giving him a chance to slow up), before going lights on.   

[Jess from VA]

You can always pull off at the overlook and wait for the next Winnebago.

When I'm just up there enjoying a ride, I usually will not pass, but when I'm trying to make time south or north, I'm not waiting.

[..]

You can always pull off at the overlook and wait for the next Winnebago.

It's always slower with a line of cars behind it. 

[..]

Now that I live 4.8 miles from the BRP entrance I have managed to mellow out....... a little.

If I'm following a slow poke that turns onto the Parkway I'll turn the other way. Both ways are good.

If I end up behind a slow poke on the Parkway there are a couple of side roads I can take if luck is my friend. They dead end so it's a there and back ride. But there are some great overlooks along the way.

This road becomes a forest road going to Cherokee, NC

https://goo.gl/maps/Ct5Ea46RSNvcEWws8

[..]

 But the ticket for that is not a good one.

Lat one a few years ago was $125

Winner winner chicken dinner.   

It used to be that all Park Police up there drove flesh tone/beige SUVs and scouting them out was pretty easy.  But I think they have some different ones now. 

I will never forget watching a bicyclist coasting down a steep mountain (at about 65) get pulled over for speeding. 

You can hardly blame a guy who spent 2 hours pumping his ass off in low gear getting up those hills wanting to enjoy the coast down the hill.  The cop followed him pretty close for a long way (giving him a chance to slow up), before going lights on.   

White with green on down here. Same color as the BRP worker bees.