The leaves are late turning here.
Rather than our usual trip into and across the mountain into North Carolina, we headed north to gain some latitude and perhaps more color. We drove on a 240 mile round trip north up US 23 through Big Stone and Norton into Kentucky to Pikeville. Then in a big loop, south to Grundy on US 460 to the intersection with US 19 at Claypool Hill and on to Abington I 81 and home.
The color was quite variable and the solid overcast did not allow the golden hickories to blaze. It was an enjoyable trip through beautiful country.
Bar B Que at Pig in a Poke in Pikeville was pretty good but not excellent. The road from Pikeville to Grundy is surprisingly pretty much built up all the way. In Kentucky we saw lots of United Mine Worker’s for Grimes signs. That makes no sense. the whole trip was through heavy duty coal mining country. The “Friends of Coal” stickers were seen on lots of cars, mail boxes and businesses.
The best section was perhaps from Wise Va across Pine Mountain into Jenkins KY
It’s a beautiful trip down Rt 23. I live just about a half hour from it in southern Ohio, and then we turn south and follow 23 (with I26 being in reality an extension of it) all the way to Asheville and then west to visit relatives in Swain County, NC.
It is a scenic drive the whole way.