Local Chronicles

Divine Llama

Go for the wine. Stay to play with the llamas.

Many years ago I attended a Divine Llama wine tasting at a friend’s home, but until last weekend I’d never visited the winery itself. The visit was long overdue. We had a perfect Sunday afternoon to sit in the shade and sample wine, then walked through the farm to visit with llamas, ponies, and chickens.

Unwinding

What to do after several stressful but rewarding weeks? Unwind with a cruise up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. While sipping my morning coffee I plotted out a route that would take me to Galax, VA, but the prospect of fighting winds around Fancy Gap convinced me otherwise. So, I gassed up, headed up 421 N, with a detour to see the newly renovated Wilkesboro Speedway, then joined the BRP just outside of Boone. From there, I rode north, stopping at almost every scenic overlook.

At highway 16, I turned south to North Wilkesboro, stopped along 421 for an iced coffee, then blasted home in time to go grocery shopping.

Dodging storms

Saturday I headed north to Virginia, away from the worst of the thunderstorms that were developing. The weather app suggested that if I could stay clear of storms by 11 am, I’d be in the clear for the next couple of days. I brought along a change of clothes in case I roamed too far from home and wanted to turn my day trip into a two-day trip.

The ride to Fancy Gap, VA was a breeze. All highways and Interstate, no rain. When I jumped on the Blue Ridge Parkway it looked like I had mostly clear skies ahead. It wasn’t until I got to Groundhog Hill that I noticed a storm chasing me. I’d stopped to take a few photos then felt a drop. And another. And many more. I scooted away, continuing north, until I outran the rain for a while before passing under another cell that left me a little damp.

I got off the BRP at Floyd, VA, thinking I’d look for lunch. The crowds in the center of town convinced me to keep going, so I turned onto 221 N with the idea I’d continue on to Roanoke and find a place to stay. Going out town, this place caught my eye and I stopped for a biscuit and superb latte. If you’re in Floyd, visit. You won’t regret it.

The break gave me a chance to look for rooms in the Roanoke area. Dammit, it was graduation weekend. After looking at a string of overpriced hotel rooms, my mind was made up — I turned south on Hwy 8 and headed home.

That choice had its benefits. The route is lovely and I got to check on one of the few remaining covered bridges in Virginia.

All in all, not a bad day on the bike.

Spring Has Sprung

I was out for a walk last week and everything in nature signaled that spring has arrived. And yet it was February.