Gravely interesting.

Posting this on Sunday morning, the 24th.

I stayed at a hotel again last night due to constant threat of rain. I’m really hoping that the rain will pass.

The best part about last night though was that I met up with Patrick and Kevin. They are from Virginia and were out riding the Blue Ridge Parkway. I know Patrick from a couple of years ago. He and his wife were my first clients when I began guiding with Utah Mountain Biking Adventures. We’ve stayed in touch and it was so fortuitous that we were able to meet here. I am going to ride with them today for awhile.

Yesterday was an easy day. I only rode about 168 miles but I stopped at so many places.

It was an accident that I was in Lexington on Saturday. I hadn’t originally planned to be there for any reason but the rain on Friday night made me stop sooner than expected. Lucky me though. As I was researching Lexington I discovered that there were so many things there worth seeing. First I went to the Virginia Military Institute and toured their grounds and museum. Then I went downtown and took a guided tour of Stonewall Jackson’s home. I then rode over to the cemetery where he is buried.

I also learned that Robert E. Lee is buried nearby at the college he was a superintendent of during the last years of his life.

I grabbed a bite to eat in Lexington before I finally got underway for the day. I took some back roads over to Appomattox Court House. It was very interesting walking around the old town. I learned that the surrender didn’t take place at the actual court house, but at the McLean house nearby. The whole town was essentially called Appomattox Court House.

The actual court house.

The McLean house.

I took off and went to Monticello. I have always been fascinated with Thomas Jefferson and so this was kind of my Graceland. It was not what I was expecting and I could have easily spent days here. I took the house tour and walked the grounds.

Just amazing. The ride to the hotel took me through Charlottesville which looked like a really neat town. If I didn’t need to meet up with Patrick and Kevin, I would have stayed a bit longer.

Sorry for the delay in getting this report out there but it was really nice to have people to talk with last night.