The Steam Engine came through the City of Radford yesterday!
What a thrill for the 750 folks on the train, and for all of us watching, too.
So many thoughts to process and images to edit. I look forward to sharing more with you later.
(click on the image for better detail)
When life, health, work, and the damn shut down push us to focus on the negative, we need to stop and see the beauty that surrounds us. Even when it’s challenging.
Misty mornings like these encourage me to stop, and sigh, and find peace … at least for awhile.
… I can still enjoy the beauty of Southwest Virginia from the truck! It took me an hour longer than usual to get home from the 80th Birthday Celebration (see below) because I was traveling under this amazing sky and through these lovely mountains.
Aren’t I lucky to have such healthy, happy, and FUN parents?
The Draper Mercantile is a lovingly restored, 125 year old building in Southwest Virginia. It currently serves as a place to hear local music, enjoy a fine meal, and as a showplace for regional arts and crafts. The Merc has been providing goods and services to Pulaski County and the surrounding communities for over a century and according to the website “visitors could purchase just about anything”.
A receipt found in a desk by the current owners summarizes an eclectic purchase: sugar, burial clothes, salmon, lemons, and a coffin. At various times, The Merc has housed a barber shop, a blacksmith, the post office, and a dress shop. In the spring the farmers brought in their lambs to sell and in the fall their hogs, turkey, potatoes etc., which went towards settling their accounts (drapermerc.com).
One evening last week, I met my friend Amy on the upstairs porch and enjoyed a glass of wine in a beautiful setting.
Some would have used photoshop to rid the images of powerlines. Despite the fact that I don’t have photoshop, I think that the powerlines add historic accuracy to The Merc and the community of Draper.
If you’re ever in the area, check it out!!
It would have been nice to delay my start for home this morning, but since I had a long list of chores to accomplish, I hit the road early.
So glad I did!
This past Sunday found me needing some time on the bike, in a long, solo ride. Too many thoughts were jumbled around in my head and I needed to sort some things out. So I plotted my route and headed out for Burkes Garden.
Bowl-shaped Burke’s Garden is the highest valley in Virginia, and is named after James Burke who “discovered” the area during the 1740s (of course the Native Americans discovered it first). The historical marker notes that “the threat of Indian attack and the remoteness of the area discouraged permanent white settlement until the early 19th century”. It is still a very small community and the only store is closed on Sunday.
The ride to Burke’s Garden and back is one photo opportunity after another.
Old churches
Farms and the product of farming
Images that harken back to another time and warnings about eternity
I loved her little face peeking back at me.
While these 4 photos all have an organized religion theme, they represent 3 different churches.
And of course some fun, twisty roads.
By the time I arrived home, 5 hours and 150 miles later, I was in a much more peaceful frame of mind
My friend Dave likes to tell me that it’s important to train for big summer rides. He’s joking of course (well, he’s sort of joking). Dave & Martha are heading out west this year, so they have a long and wonderful ride ahead of them. While they’ll be covering thousands of miles, I’ll be heading to Maryland and Delaware, for a total of only 1200 or so.
I’m so excited about my upcoming trip and I’ve been riding as often as time and clear skies permit. So many things about riding my motorcycle make me happy. The joy of the wind in my face, the thrill of the sweeps and curves of the road, the towns, historical sites, and people along the way, and absolutely, it’s the adventure. You just never know what gift the road will give you.
Two weeks ago, I took a short 80 mile ride through the back roads of Floyd and Montgomery Counties, and for a good 45 minutes I was worried that I’d run out of gas. By the time I came across a gas station that actually had gas to sell, I was down to my last 10th of a gallon. Phew! I have never been that close to running out of gas!
Then while outrunning the rain, I managed to end up on a road that had recently been flooded and provided some challenging riding. And all of this, my friend Michael always tells me, is part of the ride. I agree!
This past Sunday, a glorious day sans rain, found me riding through Pulaski and Montgomery Counties. I just could not keep myself from stopping to photograph the beautiful scenery.
And the reward at the end of the day (like the ride isn’t enough of a reward?) … a lovely single malt scotch on the deck over looking the river.
My new luggage rack came in the mail today and this year’s adventure begins in just 2 weeks!!
I know … you thought that Montana was Big Sky Country. Well, we’ve got a little bit of that going on right here in Southwest Virginia, too!
You pull the bike over to take a few shots and you fall in love with the close up …
and then you marvel at the colors of the various grasses in the field.
You look up and notice how beautiful the grasses look against the clouds …
And then it hits you … you are indeed in big sky country!
I just LOVE the first long rides of the summer!
Those who truly love riding motorcycles, will ride all year long. Even on cold winter days, as long as the sun is shining. Winter rides are incredibly satisfying but they’re often shorter in duration, with far fewer miles covered. So when the warm weather arrives, the long riding begins, and there is nothing like it!
This past Saturday, during the middle of an early morning hair appointment, I got the call to ride. My two favorite bikers, Dave and Michael (My Guys) are great friends, awesome mentors, and have taught me so much about riding these past 5 years. They told me I had 10 minutes to be ready (I made it in 15) and off we went!
We rode 350 miles, through 8 counties, and on too many country roads to count.
This bridge was built in 1896 and was just closed to traffic this past year.
I’m told that this tower was used to measure river water levels.
It was a glorious day for riding!
Lunch at Devils Backbone Brewery offered much needed fuel for our bodies, and then we turned and headed for home.
We hit the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) and pulled back into Radford around 8pm that evening.
Sunday morning found us back on the bikes, this time joined by our good (and fun!) friends Cherie, Tim, Diana, and Jeff. Dave always leads the way and while I may not always know where we are headed, I am always confident that the ride will be a blast!
Total mileage today was 145 miles.
After a brief stop at Tuggles Gap, a restaurant and motel serving BRP customers for over 70 years, we took off in earnest.
Wide sweeping curves on the BRP and much tighter curves on Rt 8 in Floyd and Patrick Counties, eventually took us to Squirrel Spur.
Our final stop was the Kanawha Valley Arena. The arena “was formed in the interest of Equestrian Enthusiasts” and in addition to the professional arena, barn, and corrals, Kanawha has a Carriage House Museum and a Carriage House Saloon.
And a covered bridge!
This scene just made me chuckle and I had to take a picture!
What a weekend on the bike! I simply can’t wait for the next one!
It’s been steadily raining for hours here in Southwest Virginia, and it’s anticipated to do so for a few more days. During a quick break in the clinical day, I went outside and huddled under an umbrella in order to take photos of raindrops on leaves.
I found this little guy seeking shelter from the storm.
Life on the Bike and other Fab Things 