We woke in Staunton, VA today, a nice city with Amtrak service.

 The architecture is willy-nilly, with Victorians next to Railroad Houses next to Southern Mansions. 

I think my favorite thing about the city was the recycled  rail cars. Here's a yarn shop.
Then we went to the Blue Ridge Parkway and met some veterans that aren't honored on Memorial Day. There's another day in November for us.
Red, White, and Blue.
Purple mountains and amber grains.

Skyline Drive is for scenic meandering. Blue Ridge Parkway is for riding or driving. Riding would be better.
We exited via Rt 56, or Tye River Turnpike, a road that undulates vertically as well as horizontally. That's where we found Gertie's. Every bit as good as it was small. It included a two aisle grocery store and is worthy of it's own post.
Pork BBQ and slaw with fries has never tasted better.

There are infinite shades of green and blue. And white.Cameras cannot capture them all.
Did I mention the famous Southern Hospitality. It is real, as I have long known. Here are rest stops.
Virginia.
Tennessee.
Much nicer than entering Connecticut from the North on I-395.
Finally, a sunset scene at Douglas Dam.
We continued on to Knoxville, where we landed a suite in the penthouse of the Holiday Inn with a military discount. It is adjacent to the 1982 World's Fair site. More on that tomorrow perhaps.

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