Love Those Scenic Routes
I live in the Western North Carolina Mountains and don't care to drive the Interstate highways, preferring to travel back roads and scenic routes. It doesn't matter if takes a little longer for me; although, I am looking for a faster way to work without taking an Interstate. I think I know of one but not sure if it will save time or take longer.
Part of my day job is to monitor the progress of our agency's programs, so I need to travel the four-county area of Buncombe (office location), Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania. There are many scenic routes you can take in the mountains which makes travel time more pleasant.
At first, I dreaded these drives but recently I have come to love them. Transylvania County is always a nice drive one you pass the airport on Hwy 280 into Brevard, being very relaxing and not the hectic push to speed of the Interstate. I've also loved the route to Madison County once I left I26 but even that section of Interstate from Asheville to Madison County isn't too bad.
A few months ago, I found a better route to Transylvania County, cutting out the need to go by the airport at all. I now jump onto the Blue Ridge Parkway and get off on Hwy 191 that will take me directly to Hwy 280. Love it! Isn't the image to your left much prettier than some old busy Interstate? I will admit there are also some beautiful views from the Interstate too--just not as close. On the parkway there are both the far off views as well as the up close and personal.
And this route can also be taken to Henderson County which I've driven a few times. Today, I found a new-to-me, scenic route to Madison County as well. To my right was similar to the left on the image above and to my left was a gorgeous river. My friend told me I was "so crazy" because I told her I didn't know exactly where I was but that I was in Madison County and it shouldn't take me much longer to get to her office. About ten minutes later I was driving into her parking lot. The trip actually took about the same amount of time as it would have on the Interstate. I loved it so much that I took the same way back.
I'm pretty good about getting where I need to go as long as I know if I need to go North, East, South or West. It may not be the fastest or shortest route but it is usually the nicest and the most beautiful and relaxing route--at least for me. I love my mountains.
Part of my day job is to monitor the progress of our agency's programs, so I need to travel the four-county area of Buncombe (office location), Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania. There are many scenic routes you can take in the mountains which makes travel time more pleasant.
At first, I dreaded these drives but recently I have come to love them. Transylvania County is always a nice drive one you pass the airport on Hwy 280 into Brevard, being very relaxing and not the hectic push to speed of the Interstate. I've also loved the route to Madison County once I left I26 but even that section of Interstate from Asheville to Madison County isn't too bad.
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| Blue Ridge Parkway |
And this route can also be taken to Henderson County which I've driven a few times. Today, I found a new-to-me, scenic route to Madison County as well. To my right was similar to the left on the image above and to my left was a gorgeous river. My friend told me I was "so crazy" because I told her I didn't know exactly where I was but that I was in Madison County and it shouldn't take me much longer to get to her office. About ten minutes later I was driving into her parking lot. The trip actually took about the same amount of time as it would have on the Interstate. I loved it so much that I took the same way back.
I'm pretty good about getting where I need to go as long as I know if I need to go North, East, South or West. It may not be the fastest or shortest route but it is usually the nicest and the most beautiful and relaxing route--at least for me. I love my mountains.
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