Where’s the crowd?

It's August. Height of the tourist season along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Yet, drive by any campground on or near the Parkway and you find many empty spaces. A friend and I drove on the Parkway from Virginia Rte. 8 at Tuggles Gap to Staunton on Friday and saw just three cars (two oncoming and one traveling our direction) and no RVs. It's the middle of August and no RVs on the road?

It’s August. Height of the tourist season along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Yet, drive by any campground on or near the Parkway and you find many empty spaces.

A friend and I drove on the Parkway from Virginia Rte. 8 at Tuggles Gap to Staunton on Friday and saw just three cars (two oncoming and one traveling our direction) and no RVs. It’s the middle of August and no RVs on the road?

Talk to those who are supposed to know a thing or two about tourism and they will tell you that tourist traffic is down because of gas prices. RVs measure mileage in gallons per mile and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Tourist can’t afford to fill one up.

Not surprising. The lowest-priced gas in the DC area right now is $1.88 a gallon. It’s about 10 cents cheaper around here but that means spending $30 or more to fill up a tank.

Ye gads.

© 2004-2022 Blue Ridge Muse

© 2021 Blue Ridge Muse