The Bags Test Ride (May 27, 2016)

 Finally a nice day here, it has been a wet mess for quite a while. Off this Friday though and finally got to tackle the putting on of the saddlebags. It was a bit difficult but figured it out. Drawings were not real clear. However they are on and I think they look good. Be good to have them, over the last 10 years have to deal with what I bring to the ride, now I have more options. Will also be good for weekend rides. They are Viking Bags, and seem to be good quality. I was also real happy with the price of the bags and they came pretty quick via UPS.

Went out for a bit to see if they would fall off (they didn't which is a good sign. Went down Highway 5 which is one of my favorite roads. Made a stop at Fort Harrison. It was formerly a Confederate fort which was captured by Union forces during the Siege of Richmond. General Grant was there, and also Lee attempted to take it back.
There are a few other forts in the immediate area, and looked at those as well. As always amazed that so much of the history of the place remains so many years later. The earthworks here and at other battlefields have been preserved for a long time.  

This is the Battlefield at Malvern Hill. Happened as part of the Seven Days Battles....the first effort to take Richmond. Union forces to cover the retreat of the Army made a stand here with cannon and troops and held off Lee's forces. It was said to be one of the greatest uses of artillery during the Civil War.
Today's ride covered a hair over 50 miles. It is a very humid day, and I believe the second 90 degree day of 2016. Still, it was dry, the bags didn't fall off, and I had a great time. Stopped in a Legend's before heading back to the house on a ride that was short but very nice. It has been too long since I have gotten a ride in. Planning another tomorrow which is supposed to be another very nice day in Richmond.  

Motorcycle Maintenance and the Test Ride (May 15-16,2016)

Sunday May 15 as you can see, badly needed brakes and did the maintenance work on it. Had done it the first time I needed them (it is not a difficult job). Last time had them done at the now closed Velocity Motorcycles. I decided to take the job on again, and it was not bad. Thankfully I have the Kawasaki Motorcycle Service Manual for my bike, and that is a wonderful thing to have. In fact I get that just as soon as I get a new motorcycle (which thanks to that book, plus Japanese quality, is not very often.
Have a nice area to work in at the house now, before it was mostly parking lot mechanical work at the apartment complex I used to live in. It was actually a fun job and did not cause me any major problems. I got a few tools to make it easier and that included a torque wrench which will come in handy for other tasks.
The Vulcan so far, with the exception of a thermostat last year, has been trouble free though tires, brakes and other things need to be done from time to time.    

Took it for a test ride around Richmond on a beautiful day. About time too...big problem here has been its a very rainy Spring of late. Not much time for riding, but it made up for it on this Monday. I am on vacation this week, of course the forecast is not looking real good.
This was one of my stops during a 59.1 mile ride, which went to a number of places. Did want to make sure the work I did was good, and no problems at all.
It was nice to get out and about and to see some of the different sights with my knees in the breeze rather than the car wipers wiping the rain from my windshield.

Jamestown and Yorktown Battlefield (April 16, 2016)

Took one of my favorite rides yesterday. Headed down Route 5 to the City of Jamestown. A bonus for me was the week ahead the admission charges at Yorktown Battlefield and Jamestown were waved. I got to Jamestown which I had seen a few years before. This is the monument to the founding of the colony. Considering that the colony was founded over 400 years ago its an interesting places. Through excavations many items from the period have been found. Since my last visit three (well most of three) bodies have been dug up and are on display. One killed by a shotgun, one believed to be a ships captain (due to items found with him) and a girl who was believed to have been....eaten. They had a period of starvation in which the vast majority of colonists died. It is truly an amazing and remarkable place. There is also a restaurant there which was not before as I remember, and I have to say it is well worth a visit. I really enjoyed seeing this again, and the additions they have made since my last visit are really something to see.

Second stop was Yorktown Battlefield, which again had some remarkable items. There was for instance the tent actually used by General George Washington (which is according to the sign near it a "National Treasure" and many of the weapons. Of course the field itself is well preserved. Of note is that during the Civil War many of the fortifications were used by the Confederate Army (there were also Confederate forts at Jamestown). This photo is of the surrender field where The British Army under General Cornwallis surrendered to the American/French Army under General George Washington.  
 I had a good time touring this again, and saw a lot of interesting items and places. Very pleased that so much has been preserved and kept up for once again what is a long time ago.

I made a quick stop at Yorktown Beach. Made a quick stop in to the Yorktown Pub there, and after that was quickly back on the road again. Went back to Richmond via VA60 which is sort of a different route. Saw some new sights and visited some fun places.on the way back. All in all the day of riding and exploring was some 6 hours long, and covered a total of 154 miles. I had a fantastic time on a very beautiful day.

Food Court Ride (April 3, 2016)

Sunday was a nice day after a Saturday...that was not (weather wise anyhow). Got out for a bit in search of a ride.
I did not get out for a great many miles, it was still rather cool out and did not plan to go far this day anyhow. I did head out to the Food Truck Rodeo at the Chesterfield Town Center (which is a mall) that sounded like fun.
The only problem was I think the entire region had the exact same idea. The place was totally slammed. I did wander around a bit, first to find a parking place and then to see just what was going on. Long lines though soon had me moving on.

 I headed up the road a little bit. Went to Buffalo Wild Wings further up Midlothian Turnpike and enjoyed that. Got to see some of the NASCAR race, some baseball as it was Opening Day and which was pretty neat some of the MotoGP race which I don't get to see very often.
It was pretty neat...I like motorcycle racing. I used to go to a few. Went to some flat track races both when I lived in Louisville and also in Concord, NC. Neither place though hosts that anymore. Damn shame, was a lot of fun. In fact a few days ago read some on the decline of the Daytona 200 motorcycle race...which is also in a decline. Was a good article on Cycle World site.  

Anyhow rode around a bit around the city and ended up at Legend. Always a nice stop and got me a beer before heading back to the house. I always enjoy this view of the city from their deck and this day was no exception.
As I noted did not get a lot of miles in, and did not get to go very fast as wind chill is a factor of speed. I was well dressed for it but still was a day to keep the speed down. Actually the weather looks even cooler for the upcoming weekend with a chance of snow flurries for Saturday! That is not happy news but better weather is just around the corner.

Return to Farmville (March 26, 2016)

On Saturday March 26, bundled up a bit on a very overcast and somewhat chilly day. Still, the weather said that there was a zero percent chance of rain and nothing quite like living dangerous.
So...decided to take a ride out for a bit. Wanted to head out to Farmville, VA for a couple of reasons. One, its a very good ride and it was. Rolled down VA 360 and past quite a few farms. Traffic was relatively light. Got a few good blasts of "country air" but overall it was really neat. I had been to Farmville a couple of years before. It was chilly; though I was dressed for cold, and was ok, a little more would have been better.

This is at Sailor's Creek Battlefield. Had never been there, and the Visitor Center was quite nice. Was the last major battles before the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia and the end of the Civil War for all practical purposes. This house was built around 1780-1810. It was used as a Union hospital where some 358 Union and 161 Confederate soldiers (or around that number) were treated. Read from the brochure I took this from that bloodstains from those soldiers still remain on the floor.    

Entrance to Farmville. Farmville, which is the town, not the game, was started in the 1700's. A very nice town with a number of stores and shops and some very cool old buildings was a fun place to explore. It is some 70 miles from Richmond, VA.
As I noted had been there before, and it is also the home of Longwood College. Did not get to explore the school this trip but did get out and see some of the sights around town. It was a very pleasant hour or so walking around.  

This is more of Farmville. As I said very old, and High Bridge State Park is also nearby. That was also one of the last battles as the last three days of the Civil War were counting down. Due to time did not get to see High Bridge, but will on a future trip,
Headed out and back toward Richmond, via a different route which shaved some miles off. So got back to my house with around 130 miles on the trip meter. Never got a drop of rain though it did rain later that night A very, very nice ride indeed. Looking forward to the next one  

The Last "Winter" Ride of 2016 (March 18, 2016)

 Calling this the last winter ride because "Spring" officially starts this Sunday. However tomorrow will be much cooler and Sunday (Day one of Spring) positively cold with a high expected around 39.
During the vacation this week had three remarkable days of riding to the mountains (with temperatures in the 80's) and to the Petersburg area with temperatures in the 70's. Today was in the low 70 range and a hard north wind blowing. The cold air will be in that wind.
Still a great day for a ride. Went to the Shockoe Hill Cemetery in Richmond, which opened in 1822. Lots of Richmond and US history is buried there. A few weeks ago I went to the house of John Marshall who was the Third US Chief Justice from 1801-1835. He had a very interesting career in the Supreme Court and prior to that as well. He is just one of the many interesting people who are at rest at that cemetery.  

Rode around that area a bit...watched two Richmond motorcycle cops at work (luckily they had nothing to do with me) and explored some new roads. I ended up via a roundabout route in Church Hill. Interesting part of Richmond and very old. In fact will be going to the Church Hill Irish Festival tomorrow...at least until the rains come. While I was there today stopped again at Alamo BBQ. Bikers and BBQ are a popular combination, and Alamo is really good. Three bikes there, two Kawasaki motorcycles (the silver and black one is mine) and a Ducati. Nothing like a great lunch on a wonderful day.    

Stopped on the way home and wandered around Canal Walk. They have some most interesting art there, and its a nice place with some good places to eat, the Canal (which is very fun to watch flow) and some condos if you have some serious coin to spend on a place to live.
I like going there, and used to bring my dog. In fact the last time I took a photo of this, she was in front of it looking confused. She was used to me taking photos though so it was all good (she died last November and is still greatly missed). Nothing quite like a border collie!
Still, it was a great day to ride in what has been a great three days of riding. Weather will be a break for a while as will the return to work as my vacation ends with work on Monday but I had a wonderful time. Virginia has so much to offer and I do love to explore its many wonderful places, eat its fine food, and just take in the sights and sounds of this amazing state.  

A Little History Ride (March 17, 2016)

Sure is a lot of history in this region and it goes way back. Rode to City Point, VA which is part of (but was not always) Hopewell, VA. At one time, that time being the Civil War it was one of the busiest ports in the world, and the supply depot of the Union Army. This cabin, of which 10% is original, was used during the period by General US Grant. City Point has a number of fortifications, period buildings, and one amazing cemetery in the area. I have been there before but always enjoy my visits to the area. One reason is the history, and the other is that the ride to City Point is a damn fine ride.    

From City Point went to Petersburg, Va which is another historic Virginia city. The fall of this city lead to the fall of Richmond and for all practical purposes the end of the Civil War. This is the old Train Depot that is being restored. Nice area is Old Town Petersburg with a lot of cool old buildings and some very good places to eat. In fact I had lunch at an Irish Pub there and it was very good.
After the stop there, headed up the road. Rode through Colonial Heights, and Chester before making my next and final stop.    

The place was Drewry's Bluff and the fort was known as Fort Darling. The site was the scene of a major battle on May 15, 1862. A Union fleet which included the USS Monitor (one of the first Ironclad ships) attempted to sail past the Confederate fort to shell Richmond from the James River. They were stopped at this point and no further sea action happened during the war (though the city was taken by land). These mounds are what remains of the fort today.
Another amazing day of riding though a little less than yesterday....covered some 80 miles. It was a bit cooler with highs in the 70s but another very fun day on the motorcycle.