Photo Session - Rough Ridge

Rough Ridge is one of the most scenic and beautiful spots on all of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Enjoy this sampling of the many images I captured from this favored spot:

 

   

Photo Session - Linn Cove Viaduct

Many of you know that I enjoy photographing this interesting bridge on the Blue Ridge Parkway. This year I was able to add some very nice "full-color" shots to my collection of Viaduct snaps.  Here is a small sampling, starting with landscape orientation shots:

And here is an assortment of Portrait shots:

Photo Session - Blue Ridge Parkway at Mid-day

Here are some photos that I shot along the Blue Ridge Parkway between Grandfather Mountain and Rough Ridge. These shots were taken at mid-day under full sun and a cloudless sky. While these might not have been ideal conditions, the photos serve to show just how colorful the mountainsides were early in the week of our visit.

In these next two shots you can see the "Mile High Bridge" located atop Grandfather Mountain:

Here you see another shot of one of many knobs on the side of the mountain:

And, finally, this is a shot across Linn Cove looking at the lower flank of Grandfather Mountain and the Linn Cove Viaduct:

Flat Rock Overlook - Blue Ridge Parkway

After a short and easy hike through the woods, the Flat Rock overlook provides a commanding view of the valleys and mountain ranges to the north and west of Grandfather Mountain.  You also get some really good views of portions of Grandfather Mountain from Flat Rock, but you have to walk a little bit further for those views.

Ride - Pine Level, Florida - July 19, 2008

Today our fearless leader (Glenn) guided us to the ghost town of Pine Level, FL.  The morning started out with the usual meet and greet routine at the depot:

The meet and greet was followed by a hearty breakfast at Snellgroves:

That's one of our newest club members, Kyle, between Robert and Lloyd.  And, yes, he is old enough to ride a motorcycle:

After breakfast we headed south as we made our way toward DeSoto County and the former town of Pine Level.  We didn't get too far before it was time to stop for water and to let JT chase a bee out of his helmet.  We stopped at this store in Fort Lonesome:

We rode through the farming areas of Duette, where I got ahead of the rest of the guys and got into position to take some shots of them riding.  Here is my bike parked in somebody's driveway as I wait to get my "action" shots:

I only got a couple of shots before they blew by me:

 

We made it to Pine Level and this is what we found...a sign!  Yes, just a sign! Apparently, whatever was left of Pine Level was blown to smithereens in 2004 when Hurricane Charlie passed through the area.  One resident (whose house is at the driveway you can see behind the sign) told me that the eye of Charlie passed just a few hundred yards east of this sign:

This is where the town of Pine Level, including the courthouse mentioned in the sign pictured above, once stood:

I walked the area and I found what may have been the Pine Level community barbecue pit:

I also found "evidence" that the town of Pine Level had insulated electrical cabling in the mid-1880s:

Here's my bike parked in the center, or downtown area, of Pine Level, Florida:

Boyd was wondering just exactly what the hell were we doing in the middle of downtown nowhere looking for a non-existent town called Pine Level:

Robert wanted to know if I thought the Dollar General had a location in Pine Level:

Kyle was just happy to be on his first trip out of Plant City...too bad it was to Pine Level!!!:

Kyle wants an ST1300 when he grows up:

So, Glenn, exactly where is this ghost town called Pine Level???:

A portion of this church is what was once the Pine Level schoolhouse:

On the way home we stopped in Myakka City for a short break.  This old guy was trying to sell me his 1954 Ford pickup truck for $6,000.  He told me I could just put my bike in the bed and drive it home:

The temps were in the 90s today, so shade was the place to be whenever we stopped:

Okay...that's today's ride report.  The town of Pine Level was apparently quite the place in its day and was apparently known as a place where gunfights in the streets were common and where outlaw gangs hung out.  You can read more about Pine Level by clicking on these links:

Ghost Towns - Pine Level, FL

A History of Pine Level, Florida

1878 Article on Pine Level, FL

Google Map of Pine Level, FL

Map Quest Map Locating Pine Level, FL, and Depicting Surrounding Area