Encouragement for the more timid among us

[RockyR]

But of course! We park rangers are in general a friendly (and eccentric) lot! :mrgreen:

Have not ever met a park ranger that I did not like - all very nice people and always helpful. How long have you been at it?

==========================

Yesterday afternoon my wife and I took a picnic lunch up on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Freedom we indeed have been crossing paths. I have spent so much time on the Parkway this year.

Did you get on at Balsam Gap, Pigeon Gap or Brevard Road? What Overlook did you stop at.. I been there no matter which and I might have a photo of it...

Hope we bump into each other up there sometime..

[macwilkin]

JohnAllen,

I have been a Seasonal Ranger with the NPS since 1999. Just got back from Fort Smith National Historic Site in Arkansas (www.nps.gov/fosm)tonight, in fact, working a military living history timeline as the Spanish-American War Soldier.

Cheers,

T.

[Freedomlover]

Freedom we indeed have been crossing paths. I have spent so much time on the Parkway this year.

Did you get on at Balsam Gap, Pigeon Gap or Brevard Road? What Overlook did you stop at.. I been there no matter which and I might have a photo of it...

Hope we bump into each other up there sometime..

I used to live on the North slope of Pisgah and always used NC 151 for access to the Parkway. But now I use any of several: US 276, NC 215, NC 151, Waynesville, or Asheville. NC 215 Is closed at the moment because the September floods took out a bridge. 276 has a couple detours for the same reason.

We were not at a proper overlook, but you probably know the spot anyway. A couple miles North of the 'highest point' there is a view to the North of Lake Logan. That's where we were.

[Andrew Breecher]

I hiked along the BRP this summer, though I was on the Appalachian Trail, so didn't see too much traffic. I did find that bikers are very accepting of the kilt, and I often struck up conversations with them, even in the South. In fact, I never had any negative comments about the kilt in the South - perhaps because along the Appalachians there are many people of Scots/Irish descent. I know I was invited to two different Highland festivals as I walked along, one in Tennessee and one in Virginia.

Andrew.

[Freelander Sporrano]

This all goes to show that often what we Think about how others will react isn't true. In many ways we are our own worst enemy.

So get out there and Kilt 8)

Ps Freedom .....Nice story

[RockyR]

I used to live on the North slope of Pisgah and always used NC 151 for access to the Parkway. But now I use any of several: US 276, NC 215, NC 151, Waynesville, or Asheville. NC 215 Is closed at the moment because the September floods took out a bridge. 276 has a couple detours for the same reason.

Yes, I have been on all those roads to get on and off the PW. Beatiful! nice winding roads, I want to take a MC trip down there sometime. I know about the wash outs, we were up there right after and had to take several different routes, I had my computer map and GPS with me so I found roads few other Yankees ever saw. Really rough country in some places, very nice.

I keep up with the staus of the parkway re-construction by checking with their web site. Looks like a good bit of it will be closed for a long time, probably a year or more while they try to figure where to put the new road to replace what got washed off the mountain. I also heard the Paper Mill in Canton had to shut down.

http://www.nps.gov/blri/pphtml/newsdetail14752.html

Parkway Closures and Detour Information

Three Tropical Storms hit the Blue Ridge Parkway in September and carried tremendous amounts of rain, causing damage to some sections of the Parkway. Numerous rock and debris slides and complete loss of the Parkway occurred in several places. Mitigating these damages and impacts will require re-engineering of some sections of road, stabilization of the roadbed, and major construction. Construction companies are removing debris in some of these areas, and technicians with the Federal Highway Administration are drilling at the collapsed roadway sections to determine the geological stability of those areas. This analysis is necessary before repairs can be engineered.

We were not at a proper overlook, but you probably know the spot anyway. A couple miles North of the 'highest point' there is a view to the North of Lake Logan. That's where we were.

Yes, I know the place.

[Atticus]

I wore my new Patriots kilt to the game last Saturday. 70,000 people got to see my new kilt. I got a lot of remarks from people. Funny the most negative comments game from my friends in my own tailgate. Jealousy is one ugly emotion!

Most of the women I saw made eye contact and smiled. A few came right over and chatted with me. Of course they all wanted to know what I was wearing under my kilt. What a great ice breaker. Too bad I am a gentleman who is already married...

Football fans in America are a mixed breed. Many of them saw my kilt as a challenge to their masculinity and others thought it was totally cool.

Prior to the game I went to a Dunkin Donuts for coffee. There I walked by a bunch of younger guys wear very very very baggy jeans (their butts and boxers were hanging for all to see) and chains adorned every pocket. They had tatoos on their necks and bolts in their faces. They looked at me like I had 3 heads...I guess in the future I should dress a bit more conservative. I'd hate to offend the youth!

My wife thinks my kilt wearing is a mini midlife crisis and that somehow the kilts will keep me from getting a convertible. That being said I am in the clear to buy a few more I think.

[Blu (Ontario)]

... Patriots kilt....

Never heard of one... got any photos??

... I'd hate to offend the youth!

Well, I know they try hard not to offend us!

... My wife thinks my kilt wearing is a mini midlife crisis and that somehow the kilts will keep me from getting a convertible. That being said I am in the clear to buy a few more I think.

This is great!... I can hear it now....
-"Honey, I'm having another crisis... a bad one this time. I'm going to order another kilt, ok?"
-"Alright sweety, how about one with some blue in it this time... I like blue."
-"Anything you say, dear!"

(Am I close? )

[Atticus]

... Patriots kilt....


Never heard of one... got any photos??

Blu,
Follow this link to the thread about the Patriots kilt... I will get some photos up in a week or so. I am in between 2 houses and my stuff is all packed up.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2089