Wonderful Day in the RVA (July 2, 2016)

Very nice morning which got a whole lot nicer as for the first time since the last time I got the bike out for a spin. Ended up being an interesting local ride of some 60 miles...well, almost anyhow. Was concerned about a problem last time, but turned out to be nothing at all. In fact that could have been the wind on the last ride...was hearing things.
Started out with a stop at the Farmer's Market at Forest Hill Park. That is the old stone house in the background, with my wonderful motorcycle in the foreground.
I always have a good time at the Market, good music there and lots of booths to explore. Usually I get there early, but today it was packed to the gills. Still fun to wander around and explore. One of my favorite things to do on a Saturday and at my favorite place in the neighborhood. Forest Hill Park is a treasure.
After that rolled down VA5. Considered going to a Civil War battlefield which took me to Malvern Hill battlefield. Instead of getting to Seven Pines I got a bit of a surprise during the ride.....    

...and ended up at the Virginia Aviation Museum. Or rather, what was the museum, which I found out yesterday was closed. I have some photos of a tour this month which I made while at the airport on my "Richmond and Me" blog. Apparently the building lease ran out.
Read that while the collection will be hopefully kept together for now its closed and this plane (and the A-7 which is also outside) will go back to the Navy and Air Force soon. The plane in the photo of course is an F-14 Tomcat. I will really miss this museum and hope that it returns in some form and fashion in the near future.  

Wandered some more. Had lunch at KFC (which considering my trip tomorrow is a good way to kick that off) but came to Richmond International Raceway. I was asked at the gate if I was there for some sort of RV thing (nope) or the DOG SHOW. Dog Show I said...hell yeah. Was a very pleasant surprise. Had a competition of a variety of "diving dogs" and the whole dog show judging thing. It was my first and very cool. As the former best friend of a very kind and loving Border Collie named Mollie this was a very wonderful event and I enjoyed it a great deal. I rode some more and made a trip down Broad Street. I think I have a few photos here of the WTVR TV tower, which is a huge thing. Well, got this one from a very different angle.

Finally ended up in Church Hill where I got a few more photos and this of course which I have a few times of Richmond is a favorite stop there. Church Hill is very old. I also wandered around St. John's Church (where Patrick Henry gave his famous "Give me Liberty or give me death" speech. I also made a stop in Manchester where I had one (and only one) Legend Brown Ale at Legend Brewing. It was a sunny day with low humidity and enjoyed the feel of the sun, the rush of the wind and the sound of the V-twin. Will be grinning for sometime after this ride