One of the challenges for any weekend is to somehow get all the chores on the “to do” list done, yet still find time to play. By 3pm this past Sunday, I’d accomplished enough to be able to head out for a little local ride. Luckily for me, local riding often means country roads, fields, lakes, and historic communities.
Dry Valley
Claytor Lake is a reservoir of The New River, created when a hydroelectric dam was built in 1939. I stopped for a water break and the chance to watch the geese and ducks. It was a perfect afternoon to ride, but the bright sun made for challenging photography.
Yes! That is a lighthouse! On the lake 🙂
Soon it was time to ride on down to the end of the road.
I’ve photographed this slowly decaying barn from many angles … it’s a beauty.
From there, I rode through the community of Newbern, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. I’ve ridden through the Newbern Historic District many, many times but somehow had missed these two structures.
The Old County Jail and site of the First Courthouse of Pulaski County
The original reservoir for the Newbern Waterworks
A little beauty, a little history, a little photography … all seen from the bike. Not a bad way to spend a few hours.
Life on the Bike and other Fab Things 
Looks like it was a great day for a ride. Beautiful pictures!
It was a great day … and that was already 5 days ago! I need to get back out there 🙂
Thanks!
🙂
And not a bad way for us to spend a few minutes. Nice photos, Laurie.
Thanks for spending those minutes here, Bruce!
The original reservoir from 1870 is awesome to see. I get such a charge out of old architecture. A fave photo here is the one with the signs beside the road. It feels very comfortable to me – a place I would fit in.
Crystal, the next time you are in this part of the country, I’ll take you there!!
Chuck the “to do list” and just play. That is what I am learning to do! Great post, Luv!!! Thank you for sharing! Love, Amy
Thanks for the encouragement, Amy. I’ll think of you when I chuck that list 🙂
GOOD! I chucked mine yesterday! Our nice weather is only here for a certain window. Chores and to does can wait until winter. Well, some can at least. 😉
It makes me so sad to see cities not maintain their history in the old buildings. But on the positive note, it sure makes for glorious photography…really enjoyed this Laurie!
We are nothing without knowing where we came from; our history. Yes, we need to do better about preserving more of our old structures, because for sure there are many new ones being built today that do not have near the character!
you know, I was ready to comment on the first photo, which is amazingly beautiful and should be considered art, but I continued to scroll and look at all your other work. Amazing. I still love the first, just beautiful and many thanks for sharing, xo LMA
Thanks LMA, I think the first one is really nice, too. You always have such great things to say and I’m grateful!
Great post and photos Laurie 🙂 I like the red bike a lot better than the old one too 🙂 Have a great day.
The red is awful pretty isn’t it? I like it, too! Just enough of a change to bring good luck and safe riding, dontcha think? 🙂
I think so too 🙂
Love, love, love how that shiny new red bike gets into those shots – especially the new contrasted with the old! Whenever I see old derelict houses something in me imagines me living there, bringing new life and honouring the old – I suppose that’s little old secret romantic me 🙂
If I had a bike it would be a shiny bright red one too! You live in a very beautiful part of the world Laurie and I love how you share it with your art!
With your talent, creativity, and love, you would turn any old place into a warm and loving home.
So glad you like the red bike! I’m pretty happy with that beautiful color, too.
Someday you’ll have to come see us over here and we’ll show you around (and of course, then we get to visit your beautiful country!)
Never say never! 🙂
What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Delightful photos LB. 🙂
Thank you, Suz, The sun was a challenge but most of the photos still told the story. Glad you came along for the ride!
I’m glad I did too. 🙂
I love the character of old wood and brick. They have stories to tell.
As always, fabulous photos. You live in a beautiful place.
I too, love the old brick. That old jail is such a beautiful structure … for a jail 🙂
You are welcome to visit anytime!!
Why thank you. xoxoox
What a beautiful spot…and I love the soft decay in your lovely photos 🙂
Thank you, Seonaid!
So happy you’re out riding again! Great pics. 🙂
Thank you! It’s been great to be back out there!
great way to spend a few hours! love the old buildings, especially old and decaying…
Me too! So much character in these old structures. Thanks Heather!
Wonderful and Interesting shots. It sounds like a great afternoon, and obviously you had enough sunlight to spend a fair amount of time out. I find a 3 stop ND filter essential for such days.
Thanks so much for the suggestion. Now … I can do some research on what is special about that filter (and if there is one for the Canon 60D) OR you can tell me 🙂
A 3 stop ND filter reduces the light entering the camera by 3 stops and comes in every lens diameter available. So for the same exposure, by adding the filter, you can open up your aperture, or decrease the shutter speed and get the same exposure.
In essence if you’re in bright sunlight at f22 and 1/4000 sec and you are still reading overexposed, then adding the 3 stop ND filter, and reducing the light entering the lens, you can get perfectly exposed shots. It’s why I can shoot my street shots at f2 and have perfect exposure in moderate sunlight.
What a beautiful day for a ride! I think taking photos makes you look at details that you might have missed and it certainly makes you appreciate the beauty of the place you live in so much more.
I’m sure it was a lovely few hours spent!
Ok, I wanna bike again..
On such a nice weather it must have a been a pleasure to be outside 🙂 great photographs
Thanks Klaudia … it was indeed wonderful to ride!
You live in an amazing part of the country. I love that you can see history unfold on the road ahead. Living in the west, you just don’t see as many really old buildings. Your photo’s really highlight all the charm of the rust and dust in this little town. I especially love the read handle. I can just imagine how many hands wore that red paint off over the century. There’s so much to see right in your own back yard isn’t there? Hey, how are you liking your new bike? Is it bigger than your other bike? I was looking at the broken brick and crocked window at your shot of the courthouse, thinking about how it was naturally air conditioned and then I saw your reflection and said, “hey, it’s Laurie” HA! Like I spotted you in the aisle of the local market 😀 So that was a fun surprise. xoK
You are the FIRST to notice the image of me in the window!! I almost pointed it out in the blog and then decided that I’d see if anyone noticed 🙂 Leave it to you to pick up on that … it’s your creative eye.
I AM enjoying the bike. It’s essentially the same as my wrecked bike .. one year newer, a few minor changes, and that beautiful red color.
Now I just need more time to ride. But who am I to talk about needing more time? YOU must be swamped with the work of making a new home.
That’s funny, cause being that it’s abandoned it’d have to be a ghost then
Wouldn’t that be freaky to find some apparition on a photo?
The move? It’s going pretty good I think. I finally feel like I’ve got a fair bit done. You know the part when you don’t know where anything is and you can’t even heat french fries in the oven for one of your gourmet meals? I’m terrible at that part. I get all flummoxed in an unorganized mess. Get this, this morning I was testing my aqua phone (old rotary) and absent minded, dialled 9 1 1. They called back to ask what was the nature of my call. Gads, what a dough head, I’m pretty exhausted, but thanks for asking LB xoK
Hey there!!!! I LOVE the photo of the window….with YOU in it (your reflection, that is!) and the close-up of the knob is wonderful. To tell the truth, other than the window photo, I can’t pick just one that’s a fave!!!!!! Glad to see the 2 wheels!!!! Hugs………………….
and now you are the SECOND one to see my reflection in the window. You and Boomdee both noticed … and of course, you are both creative and have a great eye.
Glad you noticed 🙂
😀
Quite a wonderful way to spend a few hours – I know what you mean by the tension between weekend chores and play – play is so important! I love that faucet!
That faucet photo has been a hit 🙂
We do need time to play, don’t we? Glad you get it!
Very interesting water works structure there!
I thought so too, and I can’t believe I’ve never noticed it before! And thanks for visiting!
Fantastic post and images Laurie.
Thanks Edith. Not quite as old as Petra, eh? 🙂
Beautiful new bike!! I was away for awhile. Playing catch up now. I’m so happy you are back on the bike again.
I’m just catching up, too! Thanks for liking my pretty bike … I do love the red!
so many great pictures and some cool pictures with textures 🙂