Spring 2008 I took a trip up to Annapolis to scout the city for a potential church plant. On my way back to New Orleans I drove the scenic route, running down the Blue Ridge Parkway through Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee’s Smokey Mountains before heading to Knoxville and I-40 West. I spent nights in Roanoke, Virginia and Columbia, Tennessee. Before I got to Roanoke, though, I came across forest fires in the Shenandoah Valley off of I-81 near Steeles Tavern. Being curious (and probably a little stupid), I got off the main roads and drove up into the hills to get better photos.
Fires in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia | April 2008
The morning I left Roanoke led me to the Blue Ridge Parkway on a dreary, foggy morning. The road was slow driving, but the scenery made me feel like I was in the thick Scottish Highlands. I’ve never been there, so I have no idea if it’s an accurate description. In the same way I pretend that I’m on an African safari, moments away from seeing herds of wild exotic animals when I’m driving the back roads of Texas, I figured I’d make an adventure of it. I know I sound crazy (I probably am), but sometimes it pays to have an imagination when you’re driving long distances day after day.
Fog on the Blue Ridge Parkway outside Roanoke, Virginia | April 2008
by Joe Kennedy
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