Hey, want to dig on some history from the Tour so far?????? Folks, this ride is different for JP and I. This is not about the ride as much as the stuff we want to see.
Well, I posted about the first day of riding to get some miles under us to get up to where we wanted to see stuff. First two days we were able to get a little over 1000 (hot) miles in which slingshotted us up to Virginia. Sorry about not posting until now, but Friday night we stayed in a Hindu-Hilton and asked if they had internet - yes! We just forgot to ask, "Internet that works?"
I apoligize to anyone that thought we may be somewhere other than where we were. We have an idea of what we want to see, but are making this tour up as we go. We changed the route on Thurssday evening in Guntersville to give us an extra day up north over a drink and a cigarette in the hotel room. We just changed plans this morning (big time) while we were still having coffee in bed. We figured it was Sunday and the traffic wouldn't be bad so we shot over to Richmond instead of going to Fredericksburg, so this is a very fluid ride. I also apologize for the length of this post, but there is a lot of history coming at you for just two days in Virginia. In fact, I am going to break this into two posts. This is the final day (Friday) of riding up and the first day of the ACTUAL HISTORY TOUR (Saturday)......
So, we rolled out of Guntersville, Alabama Friday morning and rode some really nice roads in North Alabama in cooler temperatures until we got to Chattanooga and then got on the superslab and superslabbed it up through Tennessee to Knoxville. In K-Town, we were met by the Tennessee "WILD BUNCH" - Smokin'Joe, Lucky 13 and Big Al. I always enjoy sharing a yarn with that gang. Had lunch in K-Town with the boys and they escorted us through Knoxville.
One slight detour (took the wrong turn) and superslabbed it up to our first state destination.........
We rolled on up into Salem, Virginia for the night. Great view from the hotel and the hotel was clean just the internet didn't work.
We look off into the valley and saw a Shoney's sign and since it was Friday, it was "all you could eat seafood" and for JP, "ribs" and the little gal that waited on us was a hoot!!! Anyway, we shot down the hill for dinner and back up to the room for a cocktail and to talk about things we were about to see!!!! THE TOUR HAD BEGUN!!!!!!
Got up the next morning (Saturday) and the MAGICAL HISTORY TOUR actually BEGAN. Thursday and Friday were getting there (except for the visit with the Tennessee bunch). There were other bikers there that were not going to ride because a little cell was blowing in from West Virginia. JP and I had watched the weather and it was moving fast so we figured we wouldn't be in it long if it hit us (which it didn't - great day for riding!). Man, it was time to ride!
We rode up I-81 from Salem, VA to Natural Bridge, VA. GREAT INTERSTATE. Very little traffic, great scenery and awesome road. Weather was perfect, bikes were humming......
Went to Natural Bridge. This was well worth the $18 to go into and see. The land was owned by Thomas Jefferson and George Washington carved his initials into the wall. THe bridge is 215 feet tall and 90 feet wide.
History Lesson: Before the settlers came to the New World, the Natural Bridge was a sacred site of the Native American Monacan Indians. George Washington came to the site in 1750 as a young surveyor on behalf of Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron. George Washington carved his initials into the wall. Legend has it that George Washington threw a rock over the bridge. Thomas Jefferson purchased 157 acres (635,000 m²) of land including the Natural Bridge from King George III of England in 1774. He paid 20 shillings for all 157 acres. Jefferson built a two-room log cabin, with one room reserved for guests, beginning its use as a retreat.
We also got to see "Lost River"
And "Lace Falls"
Awesome sights!!!! Much bigger than what we expected. Well worth seeing. We shot north out of there and continued up I-81 to Lexington, Virginia. There we were met by Lady Draco and Highbinder. We met up with them at the Southern Restaurant in Lexington. Great place and JP got down and dirty with desert.
Walk up and get to meet people like Meryl Streep and stuff.....
Then we walked up the street and saw General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's grave. Well, all of him is buried there except his arm - his arm that was amputated was buried by his doctor at Chancellorsville.
History Lesson: Confederate general during the American Civil War, and probably the most well-known Confederate commander after General Robert E. Lee. His military career includes the Valley Campaign of 1862 and his service as a corps commander in the Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee. Confederate pickets accidentally shot him at the Battle of Chancellorsville on May 2, 1863, which the general survived, albeit with the loss of an arm to amputation. However, he died of complications of pneumonia eight days later. His death was a severe setback for the Confederacy, affecting not only its military prospects, but also the morale of its army and of the general public. Military historians consider Jackson to be one of the most gifted tactical commanders in United States history. His Valley Campaign and his envelopment of the Union Army right wing at Chancellorsville are studied worldwide even today as examples of innovative and bold leadership.
Then we went to VMI (Virginia Military Institute) in Lexington - hey, for a history lesson, watch Gods and Generals.
History Lesson: The Virginia Military Institute (VMI), located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States.[3] Unlike any other state military college in the United States, all VMI students are military cadets. VMI offers cadets a spartan, physically demanding environment combined with strict military discipline. VMI offers bachelor's degrees in 14 disciplines in the fields of engineering, science, and the liberal arts. Although VMI has been called the "West Point of the South,"[4] it differs from the federal service academies in several respects. For example, while all VMI cadets must participate in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), they are not required to serve in the military upon graduation. Instead, VMI graduates may either accept a commission in any of the US military branches or pursue civilian endeavors upon graduation.
VMI's Mission Statement:
It is the mission of the Virginia Military Institute to produce educated and honorable men and women, prepared for the varied work of civil life, imbued with love of learning, confident in the functions and attitudes of leadership, possessing a high sense of public service, advocates of the American Democracy and free enterprise system, and ready as citizen-soldiers to defend their country in time of national peril.
We got to see inside the musuem at VMI that has such things as the jacket that was being worn by Stonewall Jackson when he was shot by his own troops and bullet hole that cost him his left arm.
Or Stonewall Jackson's horse....
Right next door is Washington and Lee University.
History Lesson: The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about 20 miles (32 km) north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of revolutionary fervor. The academy moved to Lexington in 1780, when it was chartered as Liberty Hall Academy, and built its first facility near town in 1782. In 1796, George Washington endowed it with the largest gift ever given to a college (at the time): $20,000 in stock, rescuing it from near-certain insolvency. In gratitude, the trustees changed the school's name to Washington Academy; it was subsequently chartered as Washington College. Dividends from Washington's gift continue to pay about $1.87 a year toward the cost of each student's education. Robert E. Lee was its president after the Civil War until his death in 1870, after which the school was renamed Washington and Lee University.
Washington and Lee's motto is Non incautus futuri, meaning "Not unmindful of the future." It is an adaptation of the Lee family motto.
Again, watch Gods and Generals....It is in there as well. In the foreground is the Lee Chapel.
Hey, want to see inside the Lee Chapel???????
Inside is the memorial to Robert E. Lee. We were not suppose to take pictures...but ya know.
History Lesson: When Lee died in 1870, he was buried beneath the chapel. His body remains there to this day, and for this reason among others, the Chapel is one of Lexington's major historical tourist attractions. A centerpiece on the stage of the chapel -- where the pulpit would be in a more secular place of worship -- is a statue of Lee, in his uniform, asleep on the battlefield (the "Recumbent Lee"), designed by Edward Valentine. On the walls are two nearly priceless paintings: one of General Washington himself, by Charles Willson Peale, from the Washington family collections, and the other of Lee in his uniform, painted by Edward Pine.
In the basement are buried our great general, Robert E. Lee, his family and his father, Lighthorse Lee.
Outside on the ground was something special to me. The name of my Valk is Traveler - from Robert E. Lee's horse. Traveler is buried right outside the chapel.
We had to finally depart from Lady Draco and Highbinder and continued up 64 to Charlottesville,Va (home of the University designed by Thomas Jefferson) where we got a room for the night. We did have time to run up and see Michie's Tavern (ca 1784).
To get there, we had to pass over some awesome roads from Staunton, Va to Charlottesville across the Shenandoah. Great road and great scenery!
History Lesson: Michie Tavern, located in Albemarle County, Virginia, is a Virginia Historic Landmark that was established in 1784 by Scotsman William Michie, though in Earlysville. The Tavern served as the social center of its community and provided travelers with food, drink and lodging. It remained in operation, in the Michie family, until 1910, when it came to be owned by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Well, that is it for yesterday on the Magical History Tour - Today was even better!!!!!!! Betcha can't wait!
More to come. We are having a ball!!!!! Bikes are running great - seeing awesome things, eating good food and passing a very, very large time and enjoying each other's company.
End of yesterday - Oh by the way, recommend the Days Inn in Charlottesville, Va. Very biker friendly - at least Michael, the manager, was. And there is a Red Lobster right there in the hotel so you can have a cocktail and walk for dinner.
More to come - stay tuned!
