Redskins Training Camp (July 27, 2014)

 Washington Redskins to be exact, and yes that is RGIII in the yellow jersey, walking onto the field. The team has its training camp in Richmond, VA, nice facility and fun to go there on a rainy day in Richmond. Unlike many sports, football is played in the rain (and as it seems practiced in it too). Told that crowds on the weekends can be terrible, but thanks to the rain that was less than you would think, though still a very good turnout.
It was fun to see all of this, its right downtown and not very far from where I hang my hat...maybe a 5 or 10 minute drive. Traffic was light and parking was no problem. Got to park on a nearby street ...parking lots (which charged from $5-$10) were not very full today. There were a lot of food vendors (food being kind of pricey as you would expect) but a good assortment, and also a lot of interesting things to see and do. There was also a nice team store just past the entrance. No charge to see the practices though some of the later ones (New England Patriot and Fan Fest) will require a free ticket to get in.

Kicker seen here was pretty cool....he could really boom the ball. Got to see them run a few plays and do some other drills.
I am a big football fan, though my favorite teams are the Chicago Bears, but still think it is cool that they have this here in Richmond. Like to get out and see things, and though I had been there last year, practice was not under way during my visit.
This is the second year for the camp to be here, and they have made a few changes for this year. There is a lot more food, and they have also improved the parking. Some of the further lots have shuttle busses to get there and back. At any case, it was a lot of fun.

Seen here is the sun of Jerry Rice, not sure if he will make the team or not, but he is there now. Saw his Dad play a few years ago when I lived in Louisville, Kentucky at a Colts/49er's game.
Fun area where the camp is held, lots of good places to eat (also many in the camp area, but others outside of it) and there is even the baseball stadium nearby as well as a very cool movie theater-so plunty to do between sessions. They have the early morning practice (around 810 though was late) and a walk thru practice around 4. If in the area, make it a point to check this out.  

Fireworks in the RVA (July 5, 2014)

Nice time...not far from me is the Virginia War Museum (I go there quite often, its a very neat place, and its free...plus I was a member of the USN for four years).
Liked this photo I took of Richmond, just before dusk, prior to the fireworks show which was said to be the biggest one in Virginia. It was actually centered from Brown Island which is right on the James River, this is above it, but thought this would be a great place to see the display. From the number of people there, I think I made the right call. Was my first time to see this display.  

It was a very good show. Said to be over 3000 shells, and the skies really got lit up. I did not have a tripod, but did manage to get a few photos of the fireworks...most of the time I think I was watching as my jaw dropped.
It was a lot of fun, a great crowd, and a fun display that lasted well over 30 minutes. As a bonus the museum was open before the display...my neighbor had never been there, and got to show him some of the sights inside there.
It was a very, very fun night and was glad to get to enjoy it.

Bit of History in the RVA (July 1-2, 2014)

 Good couple of rides....on July 1 went to Shockoe Hill Cemetery which is the sites of the graves of John Marshall (3rd Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court), a number of Richmond Mayors, one VA governor, some Union spies, girlfriend of E.A Poe, and soldiers of the Civil War and back to the Revolutionary War. It is an interesting place, was made when the graveyard at St. John's Church got filled up.
There is a lot of history to be seen here in Richmond, and in fact a lot of it can be found at every single turn to make in this city.

On July 2....riding with a purpose (looking for a building I have to visit on the 14th) went by this historic Confederate museum. This anchor was salvaged off the wreck of the USS Virginia. I was  at Hampton Roads a few days ago...there on March 8-9, 1862 the CSS Virginia  and the USS Monitor. On the 8th the Virginia sunk two wooden US warships and damaged a third, but the Monitor arrived that night and the next day fought the Virginia to a draw.
In May 1862 Norfolk fell, and the Virginia trapped was blown up in the harbor to escape capture. That actually happened on May 11, but this anchor was salvaged and also a propeller shaft which is also on display at this museum (and a photo of that is on my Racing with the Wind Motorcycle Blog.
Short ride both days as the heat and humidity are both rising. Felt like 102 both days early on....which does not not make for the best motorcycling. Still, enjoyed getting out early and escaping the heat of the midafternoon.  

Return to Hampton, VA (June 28, 2014)

Have not been to Hampton, VA for a while...but enjoyed my last visit some time ago. Read about Fort Monroe and wanted to see it; so got on the motorcycle on a mid 80's late June day (low humidity) and rode down I-64 (for the most part) to the Fort. Roads were real heavy with traffic-in fact came to a stop a few times. I actually got off near Williamsburg, but followed signs to Hampton Roads knowing that Hampton was nearby...and with more signs (VA is much better than Carolina telling you where things are) I was able to find my way to the Fort. I was impressed to say the least.  

"Fort" in Richmond being a dirt mound (which once had wood works but are gone) this was the real deal. Nice place until like 2011 (as I remember) it was an active military base. It also was during the Civil War. Got to see the building where Robert E. Lee lived while in the US Army..and the area where Jeff Davis was held for a time after the war (after friends posted $100,000 bail he was released and never tried) was also there. Very good (and free) museum in the Fort.
Photos above and to left are of the fort, its a big thing, and never fell (was in Union hands) the entire Civil War. I also have some photos on my Photo Page, but it was a very cool trip and enjoyed seeing it.  
Lots of interesting things in the area, and also being on the water got to see some fishing boats (commercial) and nice to be near the water anyhow.
Got back on the highway and headed back to Richmond...but first...

Stopped at the Hampton Air Park. There is also the Hampton, VA Air and Space Museum (which I have been to...charges admission) but wanted to see this free attraction. Has some rare planes and rockets. With a NASA facility and Langley Air Force Base in the area, they get some interesting things. Enjoyed my second visit here, looks like most of the items have been fixed up since my last visit with paint. Also had some people there to give information which was nice as well.
Coming back, same traffic problems....so at Williamsburg took VA5 back to Richmond. One of my favorite roads and a whole lot less traffic. Came to a 186 mile ride (thereabouts) and was a really good day for it. Hampton is a neat place to explore and plan to go back in the future....but with beach traffic (VA Beach is not far) might reconsider doing this again on weekends.  

2nd Annual Richmond Bacon Festival (June 8, 2014)

Went to this (the first one) last year...both were held in the 17th Street Farmers Market in Richmond, VA. The first was not well organized, beer lines were massive, they ran out of food...to be honest I was gone in 15 minutes.
The people who put it on said it would be better this year with more food, more beer, and a larger area. They were right...it was a whole lot better. The lines were shorter even though the crowd was much, much larger. It is one of the most interesting parts of Richmond held in the Shockoe Bottom area of the city.

 The main focus was Bacon and there were all sorts of bacon based treats...even bacon ice cream. There was all sorts of neat things to check out at a (usual) price of $4 for a sample.
Beer (as has been the norm of late) was $6 a cup (up from $5 in the last few years) but it is a good chance to check out and try some different beers.
It was a neat event, I like getting out to see some of the things Richmond has to offer, and it sure offers a lot as I have found. Fun to see all the people too...got to see some very interesting tattoos and this city is certainly fond of those!    

There were bands, there was bacon, there was beer, it did not rain (though it was more humid than the motorcycle ride the day before which is on my Racing with the Wind Page), and I also have some more photos (including one of the neat tattoos) on my Photo Page.
Richmond certainly (as you can see from the photo at left) loves these events as do I. Had a great time and am looking forward to the next one.
Closed out the night at Music in the Park, held on a regular basis in Forest Hill Park which is also in Richmond, VA  

Blue Ridge Parkway and Lynchburg (May 24, 2014)

 On Saturday May 24, got on the motorcycle and rode out to the Blue Ridge Parkway....always found it amazing in North Carolina (and sure to be some photos of it on this blog) when I lived there, this was the first time to explore at least a part of it in Virginia. Nice ride up I-64 to exit 99 which is actually the start of this great road. This was five miles on the road...a Mountain Farm display. This cabin was just one of many buildings...it was very neat. Wandered around and explored this, nice thing was the traffic was light (the whole day) and the weather was absolutely perfect for the ride.It was a great day to explore.    

Course the views there are remarkable, and I have more photos both on my Racing with the Wind blog and also on my Photo Page. Just a lot of oh wow moments along the way and a great many rock formations, flowers, animals, and just a remarkable road to ride on (or drive on if four wheels are your thing). While nearby Skyline Drive charges admission, the Blue Ridge Parkway is free and there is a lot of things there to see and do. I found the Virgina side to be every bit as pretty and interesting as its North Carolina counterpart-the road goes one for some 470+ miles into both states. It is really America's epic road.

Got off the Parkway after riding some 60 miles and headed via (near the mountains) a very twisty VA60 to Lynchburg, Va (via another short ride up VA29). This is part of the historic downtown; also a very nice Riverfront there (had lunch there) and a lot of other things to see and do (the War Memorial there is a must see). I did some wandering both on foot and on the bike. Be sure to know though this is a mountain town, and some of it is uphill.
After the visit there, headed back to VA60 and back into Richmond via that road, taking a few stops along the way. All in all covered some 311 miles of very beautiful Virginia which I have been finding is a very fine and wonderful state to explore. I have been on some great rides the last few weeks and got a feeling that the best is yet to come.
Take my word for it though, the Blue Ridge Parkway is well worth a visit to check out the amazing sights to be found there! 

Yorktown Motorcycle Ride (May 18, 2014)

Took a motorcycle ride to Yorktown, VA...this is my fourth trip there. I really like this area, love the ride there...went again down VA5 which is a great road on two wheels, or four for that matter. Go past a lot of plantations, farms, and many Civil War battlefields.
This photo I took from the York River, many warships from long ago (including the French Navy) have been on it, and so is the case with the US Navy ship (which I believe is a destroyer, but I could be wrong) which I saw during my visit. The road and the sights on the river are both amazing.  

I saw the big monument to to the victory over the British, and have photos of that (and other sights) on my Photo Page and my Racing with the Wind motorcycle blog, but this is a close up of the inscription on the monument (one of the four on it). It is near the Yorktown Battlefield which I have seen on a past visit (as well as Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg both of which are on the Colonial Parkway). Many things in all those places are very old including a number of items and buildings dating to the 1600's. Just a fantastic place with a lot of things to catch your eye.

 More ships and these you can ride on (for a price) without enlisting. In fact got to see the bigger of the two under sail (at the time though I was enjoying an ice cream cone from Ben and Jerry). All sorts of places to eat and drink, lots of stores to check out and places to walk around and see. There are even beaches to explore and lay around on; and they have sand. Though not on the ocean the crowds get pretty big especially in the summer. Yorktown is around 60 miles closer to Richmond than Virginia Beach. There are also hotels in the area if you want to stay longer than a day. 

This is a view of the beach..part of it anyhow and another view of the area as well as a look at the York River.
As I noted, have been there four times, once by car and three times by motorcycle. If you want a faster way (which I have done a couple of times) there is I-64 which will get there a little quicker than VA5.
One of the great motorcycle rides by the way is VA5 to Jamestown (via the Colonial Parkway) and then to take the ferry which is a blast to VA10 and back to Richmond. That I have done once and is a remarkable ride indeed!