Two Lane Adventures: Day Seventeen - A Summer of Bluegrass, Camping and Friends

We departed Bob & Tammy's home in Carson, Virginia. It will be almost 3 months until we see them again. They will be our tailenders on the American Mountain Music Tour in September.

We traveled on US 301 north for a while. We went through Petersburg VA. It's where Bob & Tammy's church is located. The closest Walmart to them is here too.

It's also home to the Petersburg National Battlefield. The Siege of Petersburg was the longest military event of the Civil War. Nine and a half months, 70,000 casualties, and the countless suffering of civilians. US Colored Troops fighting for freedom, and the decline of Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia all describe the fortitude of the soldiers at the Siege of Petersburg. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant cut off all of Petersburg's supply lines, ensuring the fall of Richmond on April 3, 1865. Six days later, Gen. Lee surrendered.

We traveled on VA 36 for a while and this route took us past Fort Gregg-Adams. On April 27, 2023, Fort Lee was redesignated as Fort Gregg-Adams in honor of Lieutenant General Arthur Gregg and Lieutenant Colonol Charity Adams. This post name honors American heroes who inspire hope and whose courage, dignity, patriotism and service exemplify the very best of the US military and instill tremendous pride in sustainment professionals everywhere.

In Hopewell VA, we saw our 3rd LOVEworks sign. We saw our first one at the Tractor Museum we visited yesterday. I missed capturing a picture of this one, but here is a picture of the 2nd one. In Virginia, it’s pretty easy to tell, they love LOVE. From their iconic "Virginia is for Lovers" slogan to the 300+ LOVEworks sculptures around the state, LOVE can be found in every corner of the Commonwealth. Virginia is for lovers of nature, cities, beaches, mountains, food, breweries, and so on and so forth. The vagueness has allowed this slogan to stand the test of time for more than five decades. The LOVEworks program was established in 2013 as a state-wide branding initiative designed to promote travel to Virginia, strengthen the awareness of the “Virginia is for Lovers” brand, and generate organic promotion. Since then, they have had more than 370 LOVEworks sculptures become staples in communities across the Commonwealth.

These LOVEworks sculptures have become special places, not only for local communities, but also for travelers. People are drawn to the LOVE letters and often choose them as backdrops for profound life moments such as engagements, weddings, family photos, senior portraits, memorable road trips, and more.

Hopewell, Virginia has a famous H. "The Big H" stands to greet visitors as the gateway to Hopewell. The town was formerly known as City Point. As visitors cross the Appomattox River this 65 foot tall structure says "hello." It was erected in 2018.

The Appomattox River is a tributary of the James River, approximately 157 miles long, in central and eastern Virginia, named for the Appomattocs Indian tribe who lived along its lower banks in the 17th century. It is the largest tributary on the tidal portion of the James River, originating near Appomattox Courthouse where Confederate Gen. Robert Lee surrendered to U.S. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in 1865.

VA 10 took us back to US 301.

Richmond is home to more than 100 outdoor murals. Mending Walls is a collaborative, community-engaged art movement. They aim to advance social justice by connecting community members from different backgrounds in conversation to foster empathy, understanding, and healing.

We skirted around downtown Richmond, but we did get a great picture of the downtown skyline.

We also saw the larger than life Virginia War Memorial. It is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s premier monument, museum, and educational center dedicated to Virginians who served to defend the United States from World War II through today. I would love to see her upclose, she was overbearing from a distance, I can only imagine how she looks up close!

We found more art along the walls lining the road.

As we turned the corner, you can not miss this mural. Titled "Struggles in the Ruffles" this mural was painted by Hamilton Glass.

We got on more traditional Two Lane roads on US 33 and US 522. We also ran into some rain.

We got onto a familiar road to us, US 15. We passed by Quattro Goombas Winery, we stayed there in 2022 with Gary & Sheryl.

Part of US 15 is America's Byway - Journey Through Hallowed Ground. Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area, is a 180-mile long, 75-mile wide region stretching from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia. Along this route you can experience the fascinating historical and cultural landscape that this area is rich with.

We crossed the Potomac River and entered Maryland. The Potomac River is approximately 405 miles long. It is the fourth largest river along the Atlantic coast and the 21st largest in the United States. Since the 1800's the U.S. Navy has been using its 2,000 acres reservation on the Potomac for munitions research and testing.