Got in a little Wind Therapy Yesterday......

[3fan4life]

Yesterday's forecast was pretty decent and with much rain in the forecast for today and tomorrow I decided that it was now or never to get in a little wind therapy.

I had a general route laid out and a check of the radar verified that it should be fairly dry.

A light rain began to fall as I left the driveway but it wasn't enough to get me or the road wet so the plan was still on.

The first stop was for gas since I was already on reserve from the last ride that I got in.




I don't think that I've ever filled up an empty Valk for so little $$.


I took back roads to Appomattox, VA

By the time I got to Appomattox the skies were beginning to clear nicely.

As I arrived in Appomattox hunger pains struck so I decided to remedy that.

I pulled into a Wendy's only to discover that it was drive thru only so I opted for a nearby grocery store with a deli.

Thankfully, I knew of a peaceful spot nearby to sit and consume my lunch.

There were a bunch of old soldiers there but I'm pretty sure that they didn't mind.



I've stopped here many times to take a break.

It's a peaceful spot to pass a little time.

The Confederate Cemetery is on the edge of the Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park.

The park itself is closed right now but this part is still accessible.







I noticed that each one of the headstones had a penny glued to them:



I'm not sure what the significance is.

A Google search found some info about the meaning of leaving coins at a grave site.

But there was no mention of gluing them to the tombstone.


This plaque speaks of a sentiment that Only, a "Good Ole Boy" can understand:





After leaving the cemetery I stopped to take some pics of this old Store/Gas Station.





Check out how fancy the eaves are.


This marker was also there:



Although, after reading it I'm so sure why it is where it is.



I also discovered this old house:




While I was taking pictures of it a young man came by and said that his father had grown up in it.


I had planned on stopping at Crabtree Falls which is a waterfall in the national forest.

But, the parking area was closed off.

So, I stopped at one on the BRP instead.





My round trip excursion only amounted to 195 miles.

But it got me out of the house for about 5 hrs and led me down one road that I hadn't ridden down before.

It's supposed to rain for the next several days but maybe I can squeeze another ride in next week.

After all, Our Fine Governor's stay at home order does allow for "Fresh Air" and "Exercise".


 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Awesome post Mark  
Love rides like that I went to Champ Ferguson's gravesite last year and remember seeing a penny on his headstone. Champ was a notorious Confederate guerrilla fighter some even say The Outlaw Josey Wales movie was " kinda " based off him. Never gave the penny a thought until reading this I didn't touch it so not sure if it was glued down.

[Oss]

Wonder if Lincoln head is not shown on all of the ones on the Confederate headstones

It is what I would do but I am cold that way

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Wonder if Lincoln head is not shown on all of the ones on the Confederate headstones

It is what I would do but I am cold that way

Good point I don't remember if it was heads or tails . Now I gotta do a road trip to see if its still there. Thanks for inspiration my Yankee friend 

[Willow]

Wonder if Lincoln head is not shown on all of the ones on the Confederate headstones

It is what I would do but I am cold that way

Wouldn't that be moderately meaningless?  The other side is the Lincoln Memorial, isn't it?

[3fan4life]

Wonder if Lincoln head is not shown on all of the ones on the Confederate headstones

It is what I would do but I am cold that way

The majority of the ones that were placed on the graves of known soldiers were placed heads up.

But not all of them were.

So, I still don't have an answer.

[hubcapsc]

Wonder if Lincoln head is not shown on all of the ones on the Confederate headstones

It is what I would do but I am cold that way

Wouldn't that be moderately meaningless?  The other side is the Lincoln Memorial, isn't it?

Better than nothing...



Thanks for the pictures Mark! I saved the old station building. It takes a long time to
download your giant pictures... the Internet's super highway goes dirt at my house...

-Mike

[3fan4life]

Thanks for the pictures Mark! I saved the old station building. It takes a long time to
download your giant pictures... the Internet's super highway goes dirt at my house...

-Mike

You're welcome.

You can find some more pics of it here:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2712964105589275&set=pcb.684692418956742&type=3&theater&ifg=1

[Oss]

I found this

A coin left on a headstone or at the grave site is meant as a message to the deceased soldier's family that someone else has visited the grave to pay respect. ... A nickel indicates that you and the deceased trained at boot camp together, while a dime means you served with him in some capacity

I remember my mythology was Charon who took the dead to Hades needed a coin to get them on his boat but that is the custom of putting a penny over the closed eyes or in the mouth of deceased person

Maybe better to be carried by a beautiful naked Valkyrie babe to Valhalla

But what do I know, I have been to wakes just to make sure the SOB actually died

Why they call it a wake I dont know, if the person got up everyone would freak out

[Jess from VA]

Hey Mark, nice ride and thanks for taking us along.  

Your pics (of the pennies on the headstones) reminded me of a pic I have of the two of us standing and talking together at Stonewall (Thomas J) Jackson's grave in Lexington VA a couple years back. (Roanoke Inzane).

There were lemons thrown to the base of his big monument inside the wrought iron fence, and at the time I was thinking it was garbage vandalism against confederate monuments, but it turned out that he was famous for always sucking on lemons during the war, and someone was remembering that, and not vandalism at all.

It was a real nice day, and I had every intention to get a ride in (got the bike out and wiped the pollen off), but my Toro mower broke and I ran it over to the shop, and it was going to be a few weeks to fix, but they had a mint used Honda HRX217 for sale, and I traded up for $225, so happy as a clam about that.  Apparently Toro's have a plastic carburetor.  But the harry homeowner thing took up the whole day, so it'll be more rain before I'll try again.



Never been here (private cemetery at Ellwood Manor near Chancellorsville, near the field hospital where it was amputated.)

https://www.npr.org/2012/06/28/155804965/the-curious-fate-of-stonewall-jacksons-arm

[DDT (12)]

Mark,

Great post about a worthwhile ride! A tragic time in our history, but much about our national character came into focus because of that calamity. I'm glad I didn't have my time back then... the decisions that had to be made by each individual were mighty difficult yet profound!

I shared your thoughts on getting out before rain arrived... I got in a ride too, but it was nothing like yours and no pics were taken... Oh well, at least I have your write-up to view! Thanks for sharing...

DDT

[henry 008]

"Why they call it a wake I don't know, if the person got up everyone would freak out"

i heard somewhere that in the old days the cups were made of lead, and when someone drank a mess of whiskey, they would pass out to the point they appeared dead. that's why we generally wait 3 days before you bury someone on account some would wake up 

[henry 008]

Great RR 

[signart]

Great report and great photos. Your Valk (or any Valk) would be so calendar worthy in front of that gas station. You should do it and send it in. Looks like something out of a magazine, great photography!
...and goes without saying, I would have loved to had lunch with those brave citizens of Dixie.

[3fan4life]

Great report and great photos. Your Valk (or any Valk) would be so calendar worthy in front of that gas station. You should do it and send it in. Looks like something out of a magazine, great photography!
...and goes without saying, I would have loved to had lunch with those brave citizens of Dixie.

Thanks, I can't take complete credit for the photos though.

I edited them with HDR software before posting.

I really like what you can do with a photo using the HDR software.