By Lindsay NashAsheville Citizen-Times
RICHMOND, Va. — Officials worry high gas prices may be partly to blame for a drop in the number of visitors to the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2005.
It’s the third consecutive year, the 70-year-old scenic road’s popularity declined.
Winding more than 400 miles through Virginia and North Carolina, the road is a source of lifeblood for the communities along the Blue Ridge, which count on parkway tourists for money.
Numbers released Jan. 8 show about 18.67 million people drove along the road in 2005. It marks a 6.3 percent decline from 2004, which saw 19.94 million visitors.
Along with the high prices, Park Service spokesman Phil Noblitt offers a few potential reasons for the decline. He feared years of homebuilding near the two-lane blacktop, along with air pollution, might have finally taken a toll.
“Is this some sort of canary in the coal mine?” asked Noblitt, referring to the steady drop in visitors. “We’re mildly concerned.”
I rode on there in Virginia about 4-5 years ago. Went to the Mabry Mill and it was cool. I even took a professional picture of it and entered it into the Dixie Classic Fair one year. It only got honorable mention. :(
ReplyDeleteConsidering how old you wer at the time, an honorable mention is not too shabby. :-)
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