a few shots along Leads Manor
a nice fence shot
and another type of "fence"
While this is not really a fence, it serves more or less the same purpose. I like this style, not one you see that often, most stone work walls have more vertical faces and some of ones like this one, with sloped surfaces don’t have the wooden overwork. I’m mot sure if it’s for support or perhaps it discourage animals from jumping it. Either way you have to admire the folks that made these, some run for miles and the amount of work to haul the stones then place them, without mortar and have them last as long as they have, pretty impressive!)
As I rode along Rt. 50 I saw a sign that pointed to Goose Creek Bridge, hoping that it might be a covered bridge I turned around and took the side road which warned it ended in .5 miles. At the end was a gravel road to the right leading down to a flat area and a information plaque. When I got down to it I could see the bridge, not a covered bridge, but rather an old stone one dating back to the Civil War times. Indeed there was a major battle over it as it was the only one across the creek and flood plain it crossed.
And who said LT’s can’t do dirt (well gravel, anyway!)
After stopping at the bridge I kept heading east on 50 thinking I'd go down to Halfway Road that runs from Middleburg to The Plains but then I saw a sign at an intersection a little ways past Upperville pointing to Marshall down a road which I hadn’t ridden before so took that instead. Glad I did. Right past the intersection there were some nice stone structures, seen here; a old home and well house.
Rt 713, Atoka Rd, (which I now found myself on) took me to Rectortown Rd on which I headed east.
Once I got to Marshall I headed thru at the light and found myself back on 17. Just as I was waiting for the light an old motor went by me and I had to do a double take, but sure enough, it was an Ariel Square Four! I was really tempted to turn around and chase him down to take some shots. Now that’s a machine you won’t often come across just out riding around! Too cool! Looked to be in very good shape. Here's a picture of one from MountainFest
As I went down 17 just a bit past where it became 4 lanes I saw a sign for 619 and 605 so figured I’d take that since that would take me in the direction I wanted and I had never ridden that section of 605.
I soon found myself passing thru Airlie and just past that I came to an old stonework dam and bridge.
Another shot of the dam and stonework walls around the creek leading away.
Being so dry this summer there was no water flowing over it and the pond on the other side is probably pretty low as well.
On the other side of the road was more stone work.
The LT at the entrance to Airlie House, sure is one handsome machine!
All this was at the entrance of something called The Airlie House and Conference Center. I hadn’t heard of this so I looked it up when I got home. Quite a spread from looking over the web site. Seems they do a lot of “green” things. Here’s a link to the site.
http://www.airlie.com/
I’d like to go back and see if you can walk the grounds.
Just past there 605 ran into 29 and I realized that I had just come down the section of 605 that I had thought about riding up on my way out when I had turned onto 29 to head to 211! So that’s where it went! From there I headed back 605 to 28 then to 619 and home.
All in all a nice 4 hour 130 ride. I can’t believe how smooth the LT rides now and the way it handled, Nice, Very Nice. Having the tunes right in the helmet helped a lot too, no excessive roaring in the dead (right) ear and the left wasn’t buzzing from the wind noise like it has in the past. Now I just need an adapter to pipe both channels into one since my right ear is shot. Still the music did seem to act like white noise, which is what I hoped for.
A most excellent afternoon, hope everyone else was out riding, this was probably the best riding day of the year. Least it was for me.
RM
