# Mabry Mill - Mile Marker 176 on the Blue Ridge Parkway



## kundalini (Nov 9, 2010)

Thanks for looking. Comments welcomed. Critique appreciated.​


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## PerfectlyFlawed (Nov 10, 2010)

Wow, gorgeous location and colors!


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## michaelleggero (Nov 10, 2010)

that's just the classic autumn shot.. is that a popular area? or is it hidden?

Mike leggero

http://www.michaelleggero.com


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## Frequency (Nov 10, 2010)

As beautiful as the oil painting of Constable...truely remarkable


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## Hokiehall (Nov 10, 2010)

Very good image. I like this version a lot. Good job.




michaelleggero said:


> that's just the classic autumn shot.. is that a popular area? or is it hidden?
> 
> Mike leggero
> 
> http://www.michaelleggero.com



This is one of the most popular spots on the Blue Ridge Parkway in southwestern VA, particularly on weekends in the fall. The OP is very lucky not to have had a crowd of people in his shot.


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## invisible (Nov 10, 2010)

Thumbs up from me, kundalini. A lovely autumn scene.


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## kundalini (Nov 10, 2010)

Thanks everybody for taking the time to comment. Yes, it is reported that this spot is the most photographed along the entire BRP. I thought it was the Viaduct near Grandfathers Mountain, but what do I know?

Me and my gal had been taking trails all day and the Mill was at our exist to the cabin (well, near enough). Since we were pretty tired already, the stop here was pretty cool. We had already burned a fat boy and carried a bottle of local wine, a bag of grapes along with some crackers and cheese and just chilled on the hill at the mill in the brilliant autumn afternoon. Glorious, I say.  It was packed with visitors. I sat the camera on a tripod and waited in the cool grass. 

The first shot I liked because of the ducks, but noticed the opened door through the front windows. I moved around and took another series that eliminated that speck of light, to keep the windows dark from within. It doesn't look like the PP was the same, but close enough tonight.

I have several more and if any are worthy, I'll add to this thread.





 


Thanks again for looking and commenting.​


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## kundalini (Nov 11, 2010)




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## Frequency (Nov 12, 2010)

First one has more life than the second

regards


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## matt62485 (Nov 12, 2010)

kundalini said:


> Thanks everybody for taking the time to comment. Yes, it is reported that this spot is the most photographed along the entire BRP. I thought it was the Viaduct near Grandfathers Mountain, but what do I know?
> 
> Me and my gal had been taking trails all day and the Mill was at our exist to the cabin (well, near enough). Since we were pretty tired already, the stop here was pretty cool. We had already burned a fat boy and carried a bottle of local wine, a bag of grapes along with some crackers and cheese and just chilled on the hill at the mill in the brilliant autumn afternoon. Glorious, I say. It was packed with visitors. I sat the camera on a tripod and waited in the cool grass.
> 
> ...


 
nice. i like #2 better personally. id like to make a trip up that way. wonder how long it would take if you started in asheville to drive there on the BRP? me and my buddy always talk about making a week or it or something. my wife is from asheville so we go to the BRP several times a year. always stay in NC though.

this spot looks awesome. much other nice photography spots in the surrounding area? and is the VA BRP much different than the western NC half?

linn cove viaduct eh?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/5094187389_6c35bef358_b.jpg

PP's a lil much but yea, tons of folks there about a month ago   i need to re-edit it and tone it down a bit


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## benjo (Nov 12, 2010)

Awesome colors!


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## Hokiehall (Nov 12, 2010)

matt62485 said:


> nice. i like #2 better personally. id like to make a trip up that way. wonder how long it would take if you started in asheville to drive there on the BRP? me and my buddy always talk about making a week or it or something. my wife is from asheville so we go to the BRP several times a year. always stay in NC though.
> 
> this spot looks awesome. much other nice photography spots in the surrounding area? and is the VA BRP much different than the western NC half?
> 
> ...



It would take a good full day of driving w/o much stopping to get from Asheville to Mabry Mill via the parkway due to the speed limit of 45 or less. If you had several days then it would be a great trip. You could take time to explore the area.

The Virginia portion of the parkway does not have the higher mountains that the NC section does. In fact from Mabry Mill northward to Roanoke it actually runs in some a relatively flat areas. Even though I am from the general area, that section is not the most scenic on the BRP (imho). Past Roanoke it starts climbing again and is pretty scenic the rest of the way.


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## kundalini (Nov 12, 2010)

Hokiehall said:


> matt62485 said:
> 
> 
> > nice. i like #2 better personally. id like to make a trip up that way. wonder how long it would take if you started in asheville to drive there on the BRP? me and my buddy always talk about making a week or it or something. my wife is from asheville so we go to the BRP several times a year. always stay in NC though.
> ...


I don't have the maps close at hand, but from Asheville to Meadows of Dan (Mabry Mill), you're probably talking about a 200 mile trip, one way. You could jump on highway 221 at Spruce Pine (lovely little town) to make quicker time on the way up and then take the BRP southbound back to Asheville.

I'll agree with Hokie about the Roanoke Gorge area. Not that brilliant, but still has some very nice areas spattered about. Now when you talk about the Peaks of Otter or Humpback Ridge, that's another story. Bee-you-tee-full. But I still prefer the NC section much, much more.

I've been doing the BRP for years each Autmn. My camping partners and I decided to start from mile marker 0 and end at the bottom. It will take several years to complete, but it is worth it IMO. The Viaduct, Bone-Blowing Rock, Grandfathers Mountain, Linville Falls and Brevard are fantastic, but I want to experience the entire parkway. It's my one refuge during the year to disconnect and I love it. Next year's campsite will probably be in the Cumberland Knob or Doughton Park area.

HOWEVER, for some photographic gems, look into the Transylvania County (Brevard & Dupont State Park) area. It hosts the most waterfalls per county east of the Mississippi.


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