fog bound

[rocketman]

In the summer of 2003 I spent several hours riding along the Blue Ridge Parkway in one of the densest fogs I have ever ridden in. While I have ridden many deserted roads at all hours of day or night in my years of riding, I can't remember ever having felt so totally alone as I did during those hours atop the Blue Ridge Mountains. At one point it seemed as if I was no longer traveling along the road surface, but rather that the section of road within my vision and I were moving as one through the void. When I finally emerged back into the daylight as the road descended from the cloud layer and the world was once more spread out below me, it was almost a reaffirmation of its existence, as though perhaps the world I now viewed had simply been a figment of my imagination formed during those hours lost in the fog. Then again, maybe it's that monochrome universe that is (or was) a figment of my imagination, (or perhaps, both (?)).

Regardless of what you may choose to believe, it is that impression of solitude and isolation from the rest of the world during those hours that I have tried to capture in this poem.

An Ethereal Passage

A fog shrouded existence
encased in a monochrome universe.
An ethereal globe of gray,
slipping forever forward, a tranquil passage
in a world beyond time.

Bound to a ribbon of blacktop,
guided by the rhythm of a mountain landscape.
Apparitions from beyond the boundaries of my solitude
appear for a instant,
then escape into the haze.

Descending from the clouds,
the phantasmal visions of the past hours fade.
Images held within my memory are all that remain
of my surrealistic passage
through a dreamscape sky.

RM

 

[manicmechanic]

'Tis something most cagers can't seem to grasp, IMHO. Very nice job!

 

[kbasa]

Nice.

We get plenty of opportunities to ride in fog out here in SF and your poem fits pretty well.

 

[rich]

Nice pic

I rode in fog that thick once, and I swear I will never do it again. I kept waiting for some idiot to mow me over from the rear. It's not worth it to me.

 

[ian408]

I like that!

Ian

 

[106427]

Sounds like a lyric from Neil Peart with the rock group Rush (thats a compliment). Are you like me; a product of the late 70's and early 80's?

Nice poem.

James O

 

[rocketman]

Sounds like a lyric from Neil Peart with the rock group Rush (thats a compliment). Are you like me; a product of the late 70's and early 80's?

Nice poem.

James O

Well close, born in '50 so I guess I'd say I hail from the 60-70's, just a burned out old hippie who never grew up!

RM

 

[100381]

Well close, born in '50 so I guess I'd say I hail from the 60-70's, just a burned out old hippie who never grew up!

RM

You're never too old to have a happy childhood....

 

[fiatvhs2]

Nice job capturing the essence of the BRPO. A group of just finished the complete Blue Ridge Parkway, North to South Saturday June 26th and 27th. It was empty for the most part and beautiful. We saw very few campers and motor homes and almost had the place by ourselves. We hit heavy fog south of Ashville and around Little Switzerland took photos similar to yours. We ended in heavy rain around Cherokee before we went on to Deal's gap. I have the route and stops if any one needs any more information. We only found one Parkway gas station open so keep the tank full.

 

[rocketman]

Nice job capturing the essence of the BRPO. A group of just finished the complete Blue Ridge Parkway, North to South Saturday June 26th and 27th. It was empty for the most part and beautiful. We saw very few campers and motor homes and almost had the place by ourselves. We hit heavy fog south of Ashville and around Little Switzerland took photos similar to yours. We ended in heavy rain around Cherokee before we went on to Deal's gap. I have the route and stops if any one needs any more information. We only found one Parkway gas station open so keep the tank full.

Thanks, it's one of my favorite rides too. I did it plus the Smoky Mt. in 2000 south to north and stayed in Little Switzerland at the Alpine Inn, great little palce right on the edge of the mountain, fantastic view of the eastern valley as it sits right on the edge at 3300 ft. I make it a point to stay there when I'm down that way. even wrote a poem about my second stay, but i seem to have a habbit of doing that esp. about the Blue Ridge.

RM

 

[ghostryder]

NICE!!!!!!!