gratitude and vision

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. 
--Melody Beattie (b.1948) American author. 

Above: Blue at Chestoa View, Blue Ridge Parkway mile 320.8 (elevation 4090 ft.).

Chestoa View offers great views of the Linville Gorge Wilderness and is a short walk from the parking area. In the photo above you can see Table Rock in the distance (top right). More discussion of this fantastic overlook here.

travelers vs. tourists

The traveler was active; he went strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of experience. The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him. He goes "sight-seeing." 
--Daniel J. Boorstin (1914-2004) Historian and educator.

'Blue' being a tourist, taking in the beautiful sights from the Chestoa View Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Click here to read more about the overlook and to see a similar photo I took three years ago.

Chestoa View

A man practices the art of adventure when he breaks the chain of routine and renews his life through reading new books, traveling to new places, making new friends, taking up new hobbies and adopting new viewpoints. 
--Wilfred Peterson (1900-1995) author. 

Chestoa View Overlook is located at Mile 320 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, near two of the most spectacular waterfalls on or near the parkway...Linville Falls (Mile 316.4) and Crabtree Falls (Mile 339.5). There are so many pulloffs and overlooks along the parkway, it's hard to know which ones are worth the stop. Chestoa is definitely one of them.  It offers a terrific view of Linville Gorge, including Hawksbill Mountain and Table Rock -- and while there are great views to be had around nearly ever bend of the parkway, this one is exceptional. And it's only a hop, skip and a jump from the parking area -- only about 100 yards down an easy stair-stepped path.  For those who need more of a leg stretcher, there's a 0.6 mile trail (rated as 'easy') that leads to more views.  But the best view to be had is the one from the viewing platform you see above.  While you're in the area, I also recommend stopping off at Wiseman's Overlook to take in the beauty of Linville Gorge (but I recommend a high clearance vehicle for that one).

I don't know who the man is in my photo.  I was actually getting set up to take the photo, after waiting for various groups to leave, when he jumped into my shot.  To be honest, I was a little frustrated at first, but then I realized it was a better shot with him in there. :)  So thank you, my Russian friend.

More Chestoa View images here.