Good Friday Ride (April 14, 2017)

Interesting day. For the first time in a long, long time went on a group ride. We were riding to Virginia Beach. Traffic was not a real surprise. Thought that the idea to ride to the beach via I-64 was a bad one. Ride leader found that there were huge backups and so we went via some backroads to the area. Took a while longer than planned. Eventually we got near the beach but due to the traffic and the time of day, I decided to break off and head out on my own.  

Did not make it to Virginia beach but did roll out to see the Atlantic Ocean here at Norfolk Beach. Not a lot of people near the water, as it was somewhat cooler than it was in Richmond (where it got up to 75). One thing was cool, though clouds were bad all day and looked like it could unload at any second, there was no rain at all. I like that though with a motorcycle and being outside sometimes rain  happens. It is a fact of life on two wheels.  

Heading back to Richmond I took a different route but still mostly highway. Got to do though some different tunnels and before that saw three aircraft carriers off in the distance at Norfolk Naval Base. Could not stop for photos being in a train of cars. Sometimes on I-64 traffic would get real, real slow but it never stopped. I did see the Hampton Air Park and took a short trip off to take a look at one of my favorite places. Nice collection of old jets and rockets...some very unique. Hampton is the home to Langley Air Force Base and the NASA Langley Center (which was featured in the great movie "Hidden Figures"). Ride back was certainly interesting and for the day total mileage was 297 which was quite the ride. With the traffic it was a real adventure. Seems that Good Friday is a big travel day. Had a good time and the group ride (what I did of it) was fun. Nice to be out and about on a very special holiday!  

Sunday on the Bike in the RVA (April 9. 2017)

Beautiful day in Richmond, with temperatures in the 70's and under sunny skies. Got going around noon and made a stop at this site along Riverside Drive in Richmond.
Nice area below me, with rocks and the James River down a small trail. Beautiful area and a good start to the ride.
I have been down there in the past, fun areas to explore along the river which is one of the few cities with rapids on its river.  

Made a stop at Hollywood Cemetery. Here is the grave of Maury who was one of the leading Naval officers of the Confederate Navy. He in fact has a statue on Monument Avenue and was called "The Pathfinder of the Seas".
To his left in the light brown structure is President James Monroe who was one of the earliest Presidents as well as one of the founding fathers during the American Revolution. He is known for the famous "Monroe Doctrine"

Saw on the news a story on Bryan Park which back in the day was known for its Azalea Festival which up to 60,000 or more would come to see. The park over the years has fallen into decline but people are attempting to restore it to some level of its former glory.
These are some of the azalea bushes and it was fun to see the park which is undergoing some repair. Seems to be a popular place for soccer as the fields were full of some sort of league play and that was good to see. This park can be found in the lakeside area of Richmond just off Exit 80 of I-95.

I rolled into Ashland, VA and revisited this place after a visit to Hardywood Park which was having bands and booths to raise money for dogs...which to be a very, very noble cause. Had a great time at both places.
Following those visits had dinner at Zzaam in Carytown and then took the Nickel Bridge back to my neighborhood and home a little before 5pm. Total ride was a half mile under 60 miles on a wonderful day. Have not been out for a while and have to say it was fantastic!  

Return to Yorktown (March 25, 2017)

 After a morning at the Church Hill Irish Festival (seen on my Richmond and me blog) got on the bike for the ride to Yorktown. Rode there via VA5 which is a great road and one of my favorite rides. There were a lot of motorcycles out enjoying some remarkable weather with blue skies and temperatures in the 70's. A great day to get some wind in your face. There were a lot of people there but it was not packed to the gills like I have seen a few times when there.    Always like this bridge. Made my usual stop at the monument there (the site was the end of the Revolutionary War) and a short stop at the Yorktown Pub which is always worth a stop. Wandered around a bit and then headed back down the road. Went back via the very bumpy Highway 60. Hoped it was in better shape but was much like my last ride back from Yorktown.....a bouncy mess.
 Did make a stop at the Richmond International Airport where I saw some of the remaining planes from the former museum there. An A-7 at left, and a F-14 Tomcat behind the fence at right. There were also two Navy trainers passing through and got a photo of them (there is one behind the one in the foreground. It is a T-45 Goshawk which was built from a British design. For that matter, so is the motorcycle in the foreground of the two planes which is what I now ride.

Ride to BJ's Brewhouse (March 6, 2017)

After a busy Monday morning, got all my work done, and decided to get out on the motorcycle for a while. Was pleased, the day though cloudy was warm. Forecast was for a 0% chance of rain (and I am happy to say they nailed it!).
Got the bike out and warmed it up a bit. Got to wear my new shirt which I got yesterday at the National Air and Space Museum. That was a road trip in the car, and if you would like to see some photos from that check out my "Richmond and Me" page. It is one of my favorite places to visit in the state and this was my third trip there.
I went to see Apollo 11 which had been moved to the museum annex in Chantilly, VA. It will be going on a tour for the next couple of years and this was a good chance to see it before that.    

Enough of that though. Rode out to BJ's Brewhouse which is located in the Short Pump area of Richmond. Short Pump is a fun place to ride. I think if there is anything at all you wish to find, odds are you would find it there.
The restaurant was relatively easy to find. I did not make much use of it, but did have a beer. They have a really extensive list and some really good choices.
Lunch was on special and I had a bison burger and some slaw came with that. Slaw was more than slaw and it was very good. The burger was excellent and the place is really nice on the inside as well.
Friend of mine suggested it to me, and I enjoyed it. Have been to two suggested restaurants in the last few weeks; and both have been well worth the trip.
To get there I rode up I-64 but took the slower and longer way back down West Broad Street. Was a little worried about traffic as it was getting into rush hour but had no problem with it. It is a very interesting road with a lot of things to see and one of my favorite roads to travel.  

Heading back into Richmond I made a stop for awhile in Byrd Park. The trees have been turning white but are now heading into green. This seems a little early but may just be an impression. Weather has been unusually warm the last few weeks. Hung out with some Canadian Geese, ducks, and seagulls. They did not seem to mind me being there and was fun watching them. Anyhow, ended up being a really good ride on a very fine day. Only ride I got in this weekend due to a period of some cold weather so this was really a needed day in the wind.  

Return to Ashland (February 24, 2017)

Back to Ashland on a Friday. Visit to Kreggers was suggested by a friend at work who heard I was in Ashland last week.
It was very good food and has a very large beer selection. I did not have but one but loved the name of the beer which was - Satan's Pony. It was also very tasty as was the salad and the burger. The burger had a friend green tomato on it. I can only say this...Ashland is one of my favorite towns and I will be back to Kreggers.

Stopped at Ashland Harley-Davidson. Some impressive motorcycles in there of course. I like the whole Harley-Davidson thing, and they do make some beautiful motorcycles.
One of the things I am really impressed with on them is the paint. No motorcycle manufacturer does paint like Harley-Davidson does.
I moved to a lighter motorcycle from my big cruiser of the last 11 years (Kawasaki Vulcan) and so far very happy with the Triumph.

Stopped at Bass Pro Shop in Ashland, and this is the view from the restaurant in there. I have eaten there in the past, did not do so this trip, but sure love that big fish tank in there.
It is a neat store (has another big fish tank in the store) with a lot of cool things to see. I like to wander around there and check out things. Did not get anything while I was in there but have in the past and will in the future. It is a very nice store.

I did end up back in downtown (and historic) Ashland, VA. Here the bike and I watch a train roll by. There are two sets of tracks that run right through the downtown.
Ashland is a very cool town, and as I have noted one of my favorites. I love going there, and as I did last week, saw a number of new places while I was there.
Don't think though that all I did was go and stop at places. There was a lot of riding in between. I got to Ashland via I-95 but came back via Route 1. I rode some new streets in Ashland (new for me anyhow) and even a bit in Richmond...though those were familiar streets.
It was a wonderful day to ride with temperatures in the upper 70's and bright sunny skies. The clouds did build a bit during the ride but there was a zero percent chance of rain, and no rain came down during the ride.
The motorcycle performed without a flaw and to this point I am very happy with the Speedmaster. It is sure a lot of fun on a curvy road. This type of weather for the last couple of weeks are sure not typical of winter, but you won't find me complaining at all about it.  

A Short Monday Putt (February 20, 2017)

Nice ride on a wonderful Monday. It was not my plan to ride, but the day was so good, I was off work, and frankly the motorcycle was calling me. So I rode for a bit, starting out up Midlothian Turnpike. It was before rush hour(s) so traffic was not bad. I then rode up to Sedona Tap House for one beer (good selection there including the El Duderino I had Saturday, but they were out) so settled for a Hardywood Raspberry Stout. It is another favorite of mine.

Rode for a bit when I got close to the house, went though a cemetery I came across. Had not been in that one, was off of Maury Street and it is where I took the photo of my bike and the WWII Monument (seen from the back) there. This cemetery was right off of Jefferson Davis Highway.
The photo at bottom was waiting at a red light again on Jefferson Davis Highway getting ready to turn onto Semmes on my way home. It was a fantastic and wonderful ride. Not a lot of miles but a whole lot of smiles. Very nice time getting my knees in the breeze on the Triumph. Still a lot of fun with that motorcycle.

Ashland Virginia Ride (February 18, 2017)

Outstanding ride on a very nice Saturday in Virginia. For one thing, the temperature was to rise into the 70's. It did but not when I started out. First stop was to Hanover County Airport which was pretty neat. Some cool planes there and I do love aircraft. Nice early stop on the way to Ashland which is one of my favorite towns in Virginia and only some 10 miles from Richmond.

Took this photo from the bike in Ashland. Really like this mural painted on a building wall. Two train tracks run through the center of the city. They also have an old train depot there, but that is now used as a museum. I got a lot of photos there, and will add some more of them taken during this ride to my "Richmond and Me" Page.
Had a good lunch at Suzanne's which is there. First time I had eaten there and will not be the last. Was told it had the best ham sandwich in Virginia, and I have to say it was to this point. Lots of really good looking desserts also which I did not have this trip. Did get to sit outside and eat as the heat was for sure rising while I was there...and it did make and exceed the expected 70.
Took a walk after the meal and wandered around the Randolph-Macon College. Very, very nice, as it was an impressive school. Think it dates to just after the Civil War but now has a mix of new and old buildings. It was nice to explore that.
Decided to make a first time trip to Center of the Universe Brewing to check out the location and to have a beer there. Have had some before as some was sold last year at an event at the Poe Museum in Richmond that I went to.    

Center of the Universe Brewing was very good. Think I found a new favorite beer there. Very nice people but no food. They do have food trucks there and one was setting up, but knowing I was going to have beer wanted to make sure I did it on a full stomach so the earlier lunch was a really good idea. Prices were really reasonable and love the location. There was a nice outside area with tables and umbrellas. I had a beer with a guy named Ken who rode in from Virginia Beach on his Suzuki V-Strom 1000.  

After the beer played four of these pinball machines. Metallica, Ghostbusters, Game of Thrones and also The Walking Dead all got a workout from me. Love pinball and it was a lot of fun. A very nice and fun place and I will be back.
Ride back was nice, rode up on I-95 back to Richmond via Highway 1 which is one of my favorite roads in the area. Just a wonderful day and a very, very good ride. Don't expect this kind of weather in February, but was fine with me!