Combination of the Two

Nice weekend in Carolina started with a dawn drive on February 12. Got to have some coffee, and made a stop at McDonalds on the Midlothian Turnpike where I snapped this photo at left. Liked that one, and enjoy driving in both directions on this road when I am exploring Richmond. Lots of interesting places along the way here, and it is a popular drive for me to either get out of Richmond or into the city. I even do some walking along this road, though its not the best road for walking as there are no sidewalks or good ways to cross it (which brings running into play). For this trip though I was quickly on I-85 after a few minutes on VA 150.

One of my first stops on a trip is South Hill, VA. I tend to stop at the commercial area, though I get the impression that there is a quaint little town just before I get to that areas. I will check it out; like making stops on the way home to see things. Have made some stops at Durham, Burlington (both in NC) and also have made stops in Virginia at the Dinwittie Airport as well as a couple of stops in Old Petersburg. All have been really interesting; I figure if you have to travel you might as well see some interesting sights along the way, and nice to take a few minutes to get out and see something besides the normal "rest stops".
Had a great two days in Concord with my family, and it is always a joy to be there. It is also nice to see some favorite places such as Punchy's Diner seen here. Patty and I had breakfast there; the food is great and prices are reasonable. They also have some cars, motorcycles, jukeboxes and other items on display inside the restaurant. Displaying cars, etc seems to be a Carolina thing; there are a few restaurants that do that. Timing was good for this photo, a few minutes after I took this, the place filled up with barely an empty seat. I would like to think that it was because Patty and I were there, but I doubt that was the reason.
Got in a motorcycle ride on the 13th; just a short one on a very fine day in Carolina. Made a stop at the Concord Regional Airport which is the 4th or 5th (I forget) busiest in North Carolina. Like to watch planes take off and land, as I am a huge fan of aviation (and once even worked in the industry which was really cool). A father and his two sons were watching with me, that brought back some good memories of doing the same thing with my Dad many years ago. I have been fond of planes as long as I can remember; even longer than my passion for motorcycles. Airports are always interesting places, even the smaller ones. In fact Charlotte-Douglas International Airport has a great viewing area where you can watch the big jets take off from that very busy airport. I am sure I will take a ride out there sometime later this year. Like with Richmond International Airport they also have a very nice aviation museum there. They are planning to display the airliner which landed in the Hudson River a year or so ago, that will be pretty cool. They also have an extensive collection of other interesting aircraft.
Near the airport are a number of race shops; Earnhardt-Ganassi, Roush-Fenway, Hendrick Motorsports and Petty are all near the Concord airport. Many of the teams have aircraft based at the airport; they drive the cars and tools, but fly the drivers and teams to race sites. Just about time for NASCAR to crank it up for another year, and that will be a big deal in both Concord, NC and in Richmond again this year.
Made a short stop at Suck Bang Blow (which is getting to be my favorite beverage stop in Concord, NC) though as I was on the bike made it a short visit. Rest of the day had a great visit with the family, and I enjoyed a fine day and night with Patty, before heading out on a warm but windy Valentines Day for Richmond. Ah, the life of a migrant American factory worker...but lots of interesting things to see here, and looking forward to a great weekend here in the River City.

Hopewell and City Point (February 6, 2011)

Had a work related place to locate near Hopewell (upcoming forklift training) and always enjoy visiting Hopewell, VA. Its City Point section is the oldest part (founded in 1613). Hopewell was established in 1914 when DuPont built a dynamite and gun cotton factory there. The Beacon Theater in Hopewell was open from 1928-1981, but was restored in 1987. It is now used in other ways (especially it seems from visiting its web site for wedding receptions), but it a neat looking old theater. Hopewell has a very old look and feel, and there are a number of factories in the area. Nice to explore it, and very quiet on a winter Sunday in February.

Appomattox Plantation seen here has been (I believe) been re-painted since my last visit to City Point. Now part of Hopewell, it was the original town. During its founding, its location at the meeting of the James and Appomattox Rivers made it a major port in Virginia. This old house is not named for the surrender site (which is near Lynchburg, VA) but for its site on the river (guess they did not want to call it the James House....had a choice after all). Kitchen and storage were outside of the main house. Often you can tour this house, though not on this Super Bowl Sunday..it was all locked up for the Sunday. Still nice to see this fine house.
Less fine is this building, which was General US Grant's Headquarters during the Siege of Petersburg. The cabin was one of 22 on the site, but the only one preserved. That preservation included replacing some of the worn wood, so only a percentage seen here is the actual material used in the cabin. The front room was his office, and he had some rather spartan quarters in the back half. His family spent some time with him there, and President Abe Lincoln also visited with him there. The cabin was built to replace tents when it became evident that the conquest of Petersburg and Richmond would be a long hard and bloody siege.
This is a view of the Appomattox and James Rivers, and why it was such an important port. Many operations to support the Union Army were conducted there, and for a time during the period of June 9, 1864 to April 2, 1865 City Point was the busiest port in the world. Today it is much more peaceful, especially on a quiet Sunday. There are many buildings in the little town section of City Point which date to the Civil War, and they are marked with informational plaques on the buildings and often times nearby. On this day, fishing seemed to be a popular pastime on what was a very nice day. I have a few more area photos on my photo page.
On the way back from Hopewell, heading toward Chester, VA I snapped this photo of these motorcyclists enjoying a very fine winter Sunday in Virginia. There were a lot of motorcyclists out; you have to grab those days when you can. My motorcycle is in North Carolina at the house (have to keep it someplace) but I was with them in thought anyhow (though actually was in the Nissan). It is a great sport and a lot of fun, especially when the sun is shining, and the temperature is up a bit. Not just for the sights of today, it was a real fine afternoon to be out exploring in Virginia.

An American Turning Point (February 5, 2011)

On a rainy day in Richmond, nothing better than to visit one of the many fine museums in this city, and few are as fine as the Virginia Historical Society. That museum has a long history having been founded in 1831. Its first president was John Marshall, and its first member was James Madison...a good start indeed leadership wise. I went to see the exhibit "An American Turning Point-The Civil War in Virginia. This year is the 150th anniversary of that terrible war. Few wars are as violent as a Civil War, and the US Civil War was especially bloody. Richmond and Virginia was the center of that conflict with a great number of engagements happening here.
The items above were actually used in that period, as well as the gun below (which was last used in war by its owner...General J.E.B. Stewart). Over 200 objects and some 17 audiovisual displays tell the story of the Civil War in the state and in the city. It was a fine display and just opened February 4. It will continue at the museum until December 30. A great feature of the museum is that it is admission free. These photos seen here, can be seen in larger versions in addition to some other photos taken in the museum (there is much more to see there) on my Photo Page, of which there is a link on this site. I have visited this museum a number of times in the two years I have been here, and I am sure that I will be returning in the future as well.

Home and Garden Show, Concord, NC

Patty and I went out on a remarkable January 30 day (remarkable in that 70's and January 30 do not usually go together even in Concord, NC) to the Home and Garden Show in Concord, NC at the Cabarrus Arena. The Arena is seen at right, but it actually covered two of the three buildings there. We were lucky in that we got two free tickets, and the parking was free as well. This arena was built a few years ago, and is really an improvement over the old one (which was torn down last year) and is located just outside of Concord, NC on NC-49. It has lot of parking and lots of space for exhibitions. It also is the site for the Cabarrus County Fair in the Fall.

This is the inside of the arena, and a look at a small part of the show. It was pretty big and covered a lot of home and garden items. There were a number of displays, as well as wine tasting by some local wineries. Much of the wine was very, very good; North Carolina makes some good wines and they are getting better as I have noticed over the years. There was in addition to the wines to taste, a lot of free stuff to pick up and got some really good information on some possible future projects. It was fun to walk around and check out all the things to be done to a home and yard. Even saw an all-electric riding mower which I thought was very cool.
Paul James was there, and the former host of HGTV's show "Gardening by the Yard" was funny (as he was during that very missed show) but also gave some really good tips on growing things, as well as bringing all of us up to date on what he has been doing since the end of the show. The man has a lot of information on plants and landscaping; there was not a question that he did not have an answer for. He also spoke highly of the Carolinas; said that if he could live anyplace else in the US, that Carolina would be a place he would pick.
I have been to the show in the past, and certainly enjoyed this one. It was part of a great weekend, which included a fine motorcycle ride with some good friends, some nice dinners out and at home, and even some great TV watching (the X-Games this year were incredible). Nice weather, time with the family, playing and walking my good dogs; it was a most wonderful weekend! Can't wait till the next one, but will be doing some exploring of Richmond again in my next post here.

In the Grip Of Winter: January Hull Street Drive

On a cold, mostly gray day in Richmond, feeling the grip of winter with storms past and future looming in my mind, took a ride to Honda House at 14760 Hull Street Road. There I checked out some of the motorcycles. I love to ride (have a 2005 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 back in Carolina) and wanted to see some of the new designed Honda motorcycles. The ones I wanted to see were not there (of course) yet, but I did enjoy checking out some last years "new designs". This one at left (in blue) is the Honda Fury. Uses the VTX-1300 engine, this bike is designed as a
"factory chopper" and is a big change from the Honda Shadow that I used to ride before the Vulcan. A very sharp motorcycle indeed.
More conventional, but along the same lines is the Honda Sabre, seen here in red. Uses much of the same items (as does the Honda Interstate, which looks much the same as the Sabre but with a windshield and saddlebags) this bike uses much the same items as the Fury, but with a lot less rake, a slightly different front wheel, but the same VTX-1300 engine. Sat on both bikes, on the Fury you sit a lot lower (with the Fury feeling longer and lower) but for my taste really liked the Sabre. Not sure that the bike of the future in my case will be another cruiser, but I like what Honda has gone to update these bikes. Had a few Honda's over the years, and they were great motorcycles; and I am sure that these are no exception.
During the day made a short stop at Swift Creek Reservoir. Have not been there since my visit to The Boathouse with Patty a while back, but a very nice place. The area around it is called "Sunday Park" and is a very peaceful place. I enjoy the boats along the shore and in the water, the ducks and other water type birds, and various people you see there. Even on a crisp cool and overcast Richmond day it is a fun place. I also made a short stop at the nearby "Glory Days" which is a nice sports bar/restaurant. As the NFC and AFC Championship games are tomorrow (and sure to back the bar) today's visit was peaceful. Checked out some hoops and a very refreshing beverage from the taps.
Last visit on Hull Street was to Richmond Harley-Davidson. They do have some nice 2011 models, though due to the down motorcycle market can't really say they had anything really "brand new" model wise, but some interesting bikes nonetheless. Hull Street certainly has a lot of things to do as far as eating and shopping; other than Swift Creek though not a whole lot of scenic things to check out (though have learned on previous visits there is a lot further up the road such as the Richmond Zoo for instance) on what is a very long road. Not a road that I often visit (though did some this year for some of the "Tacky Lights Tour") but does have some places of interest during my visits. Its one of those places where if you are looking for something, generally you can find it on Hull Street.

St John's Lutheran Church, Concord, NC

While home for a few days, made a visit to St. John's Lutheran Church in Concord, NC. Read an article on Civil War graves and a marker put there during this 150th Anniversary year of the war. I have always found that period of interest, and had family members that served in the Union Army during the war. The church was founded in 1745, and I also read (from their web site) that they were the site of the first school in Cabarrus County. The building at left is the third (I believe) that was built and dated to 1844. Some additions to the structure were added over the years. They celebrated their 250th Anniversary in 2005, and this was my first visit.
Learned about the graves there from a Sunday Charlotte Observer newspaper article which stated some 100 Confederate soldiers from the congregation were buried there. The red building
seen here dates to the 1700's. One of the graves in front is a Confederate grave, marked by the small cross to its right which says "CSA."A number of those are seen in the graveyard. Of note in the other photo are two "new" markers; those soldiers served in the Revolutionary War. As noted the church had a very long history. Many of the graves (according to the web site) are lost to history as the stones have long since weathered and records have been lost over time. My wife Patty and I enjoyed the visit here (probably though me more than her to be honest) but I find history to be quite interesting, and this was a new discovery of sorts in Cabarrus County.

A Fine Day in the RVA (January 9, 2011)

Clear but cool on a sunny Sunday, took a drive out to one of my favorite Richmond areas; The Boulevard. There is a lot of interesting things out there; connects to the Diamond, borders the Fan, Carytown, Byrd Park, connects to Monument Avenue, and for today especially, has some really interesting museums. The perfect thing to do on a chilly day in Richmond. This building always has interested me; great use of a small piece of land between two streets. It is just a block from the trees, big houses, and the statues of Monument Avenue. It is also close to two very fine museums, the Virginia Historical Society and its right next door neighbor the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Both offer a lot to see, and free admission (which is great in times such as these). Took a great walk around the Virginia Historical Society, and especially enjoyed their "Oddities" exhibit; some very interesting things to see in there. I have a number of photos on my photo page which you can see via the link at this site. Been there quite a few times and enjoy my visits there every time.
Went for the second time to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. There is a great variety of art there, and some really remarkable things. Since my first (which would be the last visit) they have changed a lot of the exhibits. Some of the galleries DO require admission, but general admission is free. This room was very interesting. It was donated by New York City from what I read, and dated to around 1860, was the furnishings of a New York City Apartment. This museum is a lot more than paintings and sculpture, though they have a great deal of that as well. This though was a very interesting time capsule and a rare look at a long gone period.
Another interesting long gone period was these two pieces of Roman art. Read that the statue was of the Roman emperor known as Caligula. Like Julius Caesar, he was stabbed to death and all of his statues were ordered to be destroyed. This is one of only two known to exist. "Box" at right was a Roman coffin; the custom of burial rose in Rome with the rise of Christianity (according to the information on the wall nearby). VMFA is the kind of place where you can learn something or see something brand new (even when its very old) every time you visit it. Today's visit will certainly not be my last to either of these two museums.
Finally, have been interested in checking out some of the local music in the area. Made my way to the nearby Cary Street Cafe, which is said to be "Richmond's Oldest Hippie Bar", but was filled with very nice people, a large group of which was making some very fine music. Very friendly people behind the bar, very reasonable food and "beverage" prices, and a very nice vibe was what I found there. Frankly I could have listened to that group play all night long. It was their "Old Time Jam" and saw people while I was there come and go in that circle. All instrumental music, but it was very fine, and like with the museums I will be back to the Cary Street Cafe.
Have posted previously a number of Christmas photos, and got a kick tonight (and a smile) while up Midlothian Turnpike near 288 where a dentist office was all lit up with its Christmas lights still; and that brought a smile to my face on this cold January 9 night. They had a big display, and it was nice to see that again (even have bears in the dentist chairs at the front windows). This was a very fine day in Richmond, where I think it is safe to say, that if you are not having a fun or interesting time in this city....you are not trying!