Ray Russell loves the Blue Ridge Parkway.

He’s on the board of the Blue Ridge Parkway Association. He’s co-chair of the High Country Chapter of the Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway. He even created BRPWeather.com, a custom weather service for the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Now, he’s in the middle of the monthlong Relay With Ray, a run that will “explore and celebrate every twist, turn, nook, and cranny of the Blue Ridge Parkway” – all 469 miles of it – and raise awareness for the scenic parkway that offers stunning views of the Appalachian highlands. Although dubbed a “relay,” Russell is the only one running from end to end. He’s hoping others will participate in one of three ways:

• Joining Russell for a leg of the run.
• Donating to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.
• Volunteering with the Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Russell, an associate professor of computer science at Appalachian State University, started his run May 17 at the north end of the parkway near Waynesboro, Virginia, and is covering about 20 miles per day. His goal is to finish in mid-June near Cherokee, North Carolina.

Every day, he is updating his blog with information, photos, and videos for those who want to follow along.