Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 57
F
Flavors
Text and photos by Jes Gearing
The Buffet Classic: Peaks of Otter
A BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY SIGNATURE TRADITION WAS INTERRUPTED
FOR A TIME BUT THE SUNDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT BUFFETS ARE BACK.
SUMMER DAYS ARE MADE for leisurely
drives along the Blue Ridge Parkway
with its myriad of breathtaking overlooks, leafy nooks for picnics, and no
shortage of deer or turkeys meandering along the forested sides. It's no
surprise then that while America's
favorite past time, the weekend drive,
may have fallen into the dusty pages
of history elsewhere, it is alive and well
in the mountains of Virginia and North
Carolina.
One such must-do summer drive
begins, conveniently for those in the
northern half of Virginia, in Western
Maryland, northeastern West Virginia
or Washington D.C., at the asphalt
headwaters of the parkway near
Waynesboro, Va. Start your morning
at the soaring crest of Afton
Mountain, where the parkway begins
its way south, and aim for the Peaks of
Otter, some 86 miles down the road.
Along the way, the roadway winds
through temperate forests and offers
up craggy vistas at the Humpback
Rocks (mile post 5.8) as well as cool
fishing pools or leisurely, graded trails
to walk at the James River (milepost
60), with plenty of beautiful views in
between.
At the end of your drive waits an
unexpected gem - the Peaks of Otter
Lodge. Nestled at the base of the three
mountain peaks - Sharp Top, Flat Top,
and Harkening Hill - the lodge is a
welcome sight for curve-weary eyes.
Built, along with its small man-made
lake, in 1964, the lodge offers 63
guest rooms with all the creature comforts one could wish for on the open
(or, winding, as the case may be) road
- king sized beds, hair dryers, TVs -
along with an inviting great room near
the lobby full of overstuffed chairs,
picture windows, and several crackling
fireplaces to ward away the surprising
summer chill.
The build-your-own brunch buffet offers up a range of choices.
The highlight of any weekend overnight at the lodge, however, is the
famous Sunday brunch - a lingering
affair of custom-ordered omelets, dark
coffee, and one of the largest buffets
you'll find in Virginia. On one end, a
dazzling assortment of desserts like
fresh cherry pie, spiced carrot cake,
and gooey cinnamon rolls, on the
other a fully stocked salad bar. In
between, however, is where the genius
of the Peaks brunch lies - a smorgasbord of every breakfast item you could
dream up, plus quite a few Sunday
dinner favorites.
While you'll find standards like
fluffy scrambled eggs and crispy
bacon, there are also biscuits and
MAY/JUNE 2014 | 57
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014
Letters / You Said It
From the Editor
From the Farm
BRC Unlocked
Mountain Report
Creasture Feature
Great Buys in the Mountains
The Hike
Festivals and Events
Country Roads
It’s Weird, It’s Wonderful, It’s Asheville!
Photoessay: The Waterfalls of Western North Carolina
Mountain Adventure: Where to Play, Where to Stay
One Day on the Parkway, 1987
Little Zoos, Big Fun
Mountain Garden
Flavors
Cabin in the Woods: The Farms Cabins and Cottages
Guest Column
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - Intro
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 3
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 4
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 5
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - Letters / You Said It
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - From the Editor
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 8
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 9
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - From the Farm
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 11
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - BRC Unlocked
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - Mountain Report
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - Creasture Feature
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - Great Buys in the Mountains
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - The Hike
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 17
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - Festivals and Events
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 19
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 20
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 21
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - Country Roads
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 23
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 24
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - It’s Weird, It’s Wonderful, It’s Asheville!
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 26
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 27
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 28
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 29
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 30
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 31
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 32
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 33
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - Photoessay: The Waterfalls of Western North Carolina
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 35
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 36
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 37
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 38
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 39
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - Mountain Adventure: Where to Play, Where to Stay
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 41
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 42
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 43
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 44
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 45
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 46
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 47
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - One Day on the Parkway, 1987
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 49
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 50
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 51
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - Little Zoos, Big Fun
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 53
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 54
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - Mountain Garden
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 56
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - Flavors
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 58
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 59
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 60
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 61
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - Cabin in the Woods: The Farms Cabins and Cottages
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 63
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 64
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 65
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - Guest Column
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 67
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - Cover3
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