Destination Doga Hits the Blue Ridge Parkway

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Warrior I in The Shade

Time certainly has flown by since our September trip up the Blue Ridge Parkway. This journey from the Southernmost beginning to the end of the road was a spectacle every inch of the way. One favorite stop, however, made the trip for me--Mabry Mill. It was here that I enjoyed some serious #DestinationDoga.

It was at this famed mill, where children gathered for history demonstrations, and tourists stopped to take in the beauty, that we found time for a little inspiration of our own in a few relaxing works of Doga. 

Our first spot was in the shade of a gorgeous tree overlooking the mill from the side. I chose Warrior I for its strength, as a great way to show off the proud view of this magnificent historical relic.

Planking at Mabry Mill

When crowds began to gather, Oliver and I pulled up our mat and moved along

down the path, finding a quieter spot for a few more poses. After hours of riding in the RV, I was really feeling the need to stretch as well as work some muscles. The plank is an awesome way to make my whole body talk to me. Whenever anything is amiss, this is the pose in which I generally will discover it.

I spent more time planking than any of the other poses I practiced that day and believe me I felt it the next day. My body was telling me that I better get back to a daily practice, even if only to plank!

A few other poses that hubs caught pics of didn't include my best form, but I'll share anyway as long as you promise no hurtful comments. My yoga is definitely a work in progress! 

The additional poses you'll find below are Downward Dog, Standing Forward Fold, and Easy Sit Pose. It's kinda hard to screw up the last one, but the other two are awful. Thankfully the beautiful scenery is distracting to the viewer. Be kind!

So, where's the most intriguing place that you've practiced yoga? I enjoy practicing on our pool deck when the weather is nice, but have no photos of this as of yet. One day!  Windows are nice also. Most of my earlier photos have been taken at the back doors of my living room, where there's an exit to the pool deck. Unfortunately, there are few areas in my home that can accommodate me and both dogs on a yoga mat without a piece of furniture in the way of the photo. I'm not a fan of rearranging rooms to practice. If yoga is easy to prepare for, I'm much more likely to dive in.

Tell me what you do to make your practice ready to go at a moment's notice. Thanks for joining us. Watch for more Doga posts coming soon, and feel free to visit our dedicated page of Doga videos, modification ideas and more, at this link.