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Parkway Superintendent Phil Francis has announced that he will retire on April 1st after a 41-year career in the National Park Service. During his 8 year tenure at the Parkway, he has faced the challenge of continuous budget cuts, which have reduced the number of full-time employees at the Parkway from over 240 down to 160. The Parkway, which receives more visitors than Yellowstone, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon combined, currently runs on a budget of approximately $1 per visitor per year.

One of the ways Phil has managed to keep the Parkway functioning during these tough economic times is by forging a network of partnerships. As a people person, Phil has worked steadily to garner support for the Parkway from its surrounding communities, and has motivated the existing partners to come together and collectively develop new ideas and strategies for its protection and conservation. Carolyn Ward, CEO of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation says, "The legacy and the impact of Phil Francis on the Parkway, the community and the partners with whom he has served will be felt for years for come. He will be missed, and it was an honor to both work with him and to learn from him."   

The Parkway has announced the completion of its first-ever General Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, which will guide the Parkway's management for the next 20+ years. The more than 700 page document is available for review on the National Park Service website. 

According to a National Park Service news release, the "plan provides comprehensive guidance for perpetuating natural systems, preserving cultural resources, and providing opportunities for high-quality visitor experiences." The plan has been in the works for several decades, and its completion was one of Phil Francis' goals before retiring.

At noon on November 15th, friends, family, and coworkers of former maintenance worker Dana Bruce gathered in the courtyard of headquarters of the Blue Ridge Parkway to dedicate a memorial to him. Dana, a third year seasonal employee, died while mowing at the Haw Creek Valley Overlook on May 7th.  

The memorial was designed by Blue Ridge Parkway employees, created at the Carolina Bronze Foundry, and constructed by Brandon Hensley. It rests near a memorial honoring Joe Kolodski, a ranger who died in the line of duty in 1998.  

The National Park Service has issued revised prospectuses for several concessions along the Parkway in hopes of keeping the facilities open. The required initial investments to operate the venues have been significantly reduced to make the opportunities more attractive to potential concessionaires. We're keeping our fingers crossed that someone steps up to keep these iconic restaurants, lodges and shops open for future generations to enjoy.  

• The National Park Service is soliciting offers for a 10-year concession contract to provide craft sales, retail and limited food and beverage services at the Northwest Trading Post at Milepost 259. The prospectus can be found on the NPS website, and all offers must be received by February 13, 2013.   



• The National Park Service has also issued a revised prospectus for concessions at the Peaks of Otter with an option to provide similar services at Otter Creek Restaurant and Gift Shop and Bluffs Lodge and Coffee Shop. The prospectus is available on the NPS website and all offers must be received by the NPS by February 6, 2013.

One bit of good news - the Southern Highland Craft Guild has been  

awarded a concession contract for retail sales at the Folk Art Center in Asheville, NC for a term of 10 years, so it will continue to be open.

Drying out

In 2010 my wife and I did a self supported Transam bicycle tour east to west on a Tandem when we were both 77 years old. One of many truly memorable days was when we went from Charlottesville and did the steep climb onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. We are from Australia, and to be riding this iconic road was to us the stuff of legend. We had heard and read about it for so long that to be actually riding it was a magical experience; the views were fantastic, there was no traffic and we seemed to be in a world of our own.  

Suddenly it turned out to be a very wet world indeed; a thunderstorm broke literally over our heads, thunder, lightening and the heaviest rain we have ever seen. The road turned to a river and we and our wet weather gear were swamped. So -of necessity- we decided to camp. We shed our very wet clothes, crawled into our sleeping bags and listened to the rain hammering down on the tent and slept through the rain. In the early morning it finally stopped raining, we dried things out, had breakfast and got back on the tandem to continue our magical ride along the Parkway.  

On our journey across America we had many wonderful moments and memories, but none more special than this.

- Fred from Melbourne, Australia

Read Fred's full story and other great stories on our website or share your own special Parkway story or memory.  

Have you traveled the entire length of the Parkway? Our end-to-ender program is designed to celebrate those people who have traveled all 469 miles of the Parkway, whether done in one trip or many. To submit your story and receive your rewards package, please go to www.endtoender.org.   

photo by Cotton Ketchie

Do you know the location of this photo taken on the Parkway? Submit your answer on our website by midnight, February 25th. Three winners will be drawn at random from those who submit the correct answer, and each winner will receive their choice of an array of prizes.

Last month's challenge proved to be a tough one - the correct answer was the picnic area at Mount Pisgah (Milepost 407). If you submitted a correct answer, the randomly selected winners will be drawn this week, and you will be notified if you are one of the winners.