Riding around Central Virginia, USA

[Lannis]

So yesterday, Fay and I realized “Hey, we’re RETIRED!   It’s 1:00 in the afternoon, it’s a bright, hot day, the bike is ready to go … why don’t we just take a RIDE somewhere?”   We’ve both lived in this area most of our lives (50 years anyway) but there are roads 50 miles from here that I’ve NEVER been on and parts of the countryside I’ve NEVER seen, and this seemed like a good way to fix that problem.

It was 88 degF and a bit humid, but we donned our mesh gear (we’re both old enough and wise enough that it’s ATGATT no matter the weather, and took off.

Found some neat old houses and barns from the Tobacco Days:






and made sure we were on roads with no stripes on them (“county” roads)



This is a really straight, quality example of a tobacco packing house, probably built around 1890 or so:



That’s a lot of hay.  Each roll weighs about 750 pounds and will sell for $35:



This is “Heptinstall’s Store”, one of thousands that used to dot the Virginia countryside until people “graduated” to WalMarts 25 miles away.   Why not, eh, gas is dirt cheap .. ?  Yuck.



Wide open country, with the Blue Ridge Mountains JUST visible in the background ..



We’ll ride through the woods for a while ….



A little creek; might be nice for a quick dip, or not …



Might be up for the Bridge Club here – not many wooden-decked bridges left.   It DOES clatter a bit as you ride over it!



We saw a small sign for a Pottery Shop, so we rode past fields and gates and old chimneys:





until we landed up at this old house all by itself, built in 1825 and still being lived in, and used as a pottery shop.   They had some really beautiful pottery; we didn’t have room to carry a lot of breakable stuff so we bought one dish, and we’ll be back for more ….



And we headed home.   On the way out, passed this neat cattle operation …



And then we rode home …. This sure does beat working.   And I don’t know how they do it, but this 1215cc rortin’, snortin’, 134 HP Triumph Triple is averaging 56 mpg … or 70 of the Imperial kind of gallon.

Lannis

[azgman]

Nice... I love Virginia. 

[Phil]

Wow, never been to Virginia but wish I was there.  What beautiful countryside, there is nothing better than discovering a new road in areas you thought you knew.  I lived in East London / Essex all my life (62 years) and thought I'd ridden every road.  Then suddenly a friend leads me down a lane that I did now know existed. Bliss.

Here's top the next new discovery. 

[cropbiker]

Whats that blue thing that seems to be in the top half of many of your pictures??? 

[trophied]

Ain't retired life grand with a Trophy!  We see a lot of old tobacco barns when we go to Kentucky to visit friends just outside Louisville.  Listening to tales of working in the tobacco industry growing up in Kentucky reveals another interesting facet of the agricultural life in America for those of us not lucky enough to have grown up in that environment.  Thanks for showing us some beautiful roads and views in Virginia. 

[Lannis]

Originally Posted by Phil

Wow, never been to Virginia but wish I was there.  What beautiful countryside, there is nothing better than discovering a new road in areas you thought you knew.  I lived in East London / Essex all my life (62 years) and thought I'd ridden every road.  Then suddenly a friend leads me down a lane that I did now know existed. Bliss.

Here's top the next new discovery. 

My wife and I have done a few thousand miles touring the UK and it's one of our favorite places.   We did it on BSA A10 650s (two different ones) and my son and I rode a pair of MZ250s around Merseyside and the IOM.

Nothing like exploring Kentish lanes, or riding the 1-in-4 hills and dales of Yorkshire, or bimbling down to the East Sussex sea-side.

Although I DO claim Virginia as my favorite, having lived here most of MY 62 years ...

Lannis