Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 1:08 am
For a few years now I have found it fun and sometimes relaxing to drive around with out an idea of where I want to go or what I want to do. Sometimes I am out trying to take photos, sometimes its just to enjoy the scenery and listen to some tunes.
I had some free time today and decided to go out for a drive and see if I could find any thing interesting.
I started out along the Brown Mtn Beach RD in caldwell County, NC, it runs alongside Wilson Creek which a few of you are familiar with.
I have driven past this sign and bridge a thousand times but never stopped until today.
I continued on BMB RD and passed by the old Cotton Mill just south of Mortimer.
After that I continued along BMB RD until it intersects with NC 90 in Mortimer, NC, I went North, or is it West? Towards Edgemont, NC. Along this road and the others I drove on one lane bridges are the "norm". This is the biggest. excuse my blown highlights.
Once I got into Edgemont I went north along the Roseboro RD which will eventually intersect with the Blue Ridge Parkway about 5 miles south of Grandfather Mtn.
About 200 yards onto this road I rounded a corner to find this fella standing in the middle of the road.
He quickly darted off the road and I sped up to see if I might be able to get a shot of it.
Our portrait session got cut short as I was taking up pretty much the only lane of this two lane road and another car was coming in the opposite direction (1 of only 2 cars I passed in 1 1/2 hours).
Enjoying one of the many sharp corners along the road.
After this I continued north for another couple of miles, stopped for a while and photographed some water though nothing worth posting. In the middle of no where the road becomes paved for about a mile and there are a couple of houses. I would love to have been involved with the decision to set the speed limit for this road.
Not too far past the unusual speed limit sign I passed a cool farm with a neat fence with bird houses that are home to the most patriotic birds in NC.
Continued north, eventually coming to the BRP. I decided to head north towards Blowing Rock.
I photographed these flowers in downtown Blowing Rock.
Not the coolest photo ever but I liked how the flower looked backlit by the sun.
I cant remember when I shot these two photos, but these green things are kind of creepy looking.
And I am always representing Sigma.
From Blowing Rock I figured I would take the "globe road" south from Blowing Rock to Collettsville NC then to Lenoir, instead of 321 directly to Lenoir. My figuring was that I might see something interesting to photograph. I have driven up the Globe Road countless times, but never down it. I didnt make it a mile before I started having problems, the gravel was extremely loose and my very light 2 wheel drive S10 was sliding around worse on it than it does on snow. My next issue was that I was riding my brakes at 5-10mph, with it in its lowest gear I still had to use the brakes and by the 2nd mile my brakes were smelling really bad then I lost them completely, luckily I was on about a 100 yard straight away, I put the truck into park and it finally stopped. Then my brakes smoked pretty bad for about 5 minutes then after letting it cool down for another 10 minutes or so I drove another half mile or so, turned around and headed back to Blowing Rock. I decided to be the slow car on 321 down the mountain using 2nd and 3rd gear trying my best not to use my brakes.
I am the king of run on sentences. enjoy.
I had some free time today and decided to go out for a drive and see if I could find any thing interesting.
I started out along the Brown Mtn Beach RD in caldwell County, NC, it runs alongside Wilson Creek which a few of you are familiar with.
I have driven past this sign and bridge a thousand times but never stopped until today.
I continued on BMB RD and passed by the old Cotton Mill just south of Mortimer.
After that I continued along BMB RD until it intersects with NC 90 in Mortimer, NC, I went North, or is it West? Towards Edgemont, NC. Along this road and the others I drove on one lane bridges are the "norm". This is the biggest. excuse my blown highlights.
Once I got into Edgemont I went north along the Roseboro RD which will eventually intersect with the Blue Ridge Parkway about 5 miles south of Grandfather Mtn.
About 200 yards onto this road I rounded a corner to find this fella standing in the middle of the road.
He quickly darted off the road and I sped up to see if I might be able to get a shot of it.
Our portrait session got cut short as I was taking up pretty much the only lane of this two lane road and another car was coming in the opposite direction (1 of only 2 cars I passed in 1 1/2 hours).
Enjoying one of the many sharp corners along the road.
After this I continued north for another couple of miles, stopped for a while and photographed some water though nothing worth posting. In the middle of no where the road becomes paved for about a mile and there are a couple of houses. I would love to have been involved with the decision to set the speed limit for this road.
Not too far past the unusual speed limit sign I passed a cool farm with a neat fence with bird houses that are home to the most patriotic birds in NC.
Continued north, eventually coming to the BRP. I decided to head north towards Blowing Rock.
I photographed these flowers in downtown Blowing Rock.
Not the coolest photo ever but I liked how the flower looked backlit by the sun.
I cant remember when I shot these two photos, but these green things are kind of creepy looking.
And I am always representing Sigma.
From Blowing Rock I figured I would take the "globe road" south from Blowing Rock to Collettsville NC then to Lenoir, instead of 321 directly to Lenoir. My figuring was that I might see something interesting to photograph. I have driven up the Globe Road countless times, but never down it. I didnt make it a mile before I started having problems, the gravel was extremely loose and my very light 2 wheel drive S10 was sliding around worse on it than it does on snow. My next issue was that I was riding my brakes at 5-10mph, with it in its lowest gear I still had to use the brakes and by the 2nd mile my brakes were smelling really bad then I lost them completely, luckily I was on about a 100 yard straight away, I put the truck into park and it finally stopped. Then my brakes smoked pretty bad for about 5 minutes then after letting it cool down for another 10 minutes or so I drove another half mile or so, turned around and headed back to Blowing Rock. I decided to be the slow car on 321 down the mountain using 2nd and 3rd gear trying my best not to use my brakes.
I am the king of run on sentences. enjoy.