War Between the States Ride

[gPink]

My son and I are looking to put together a Civil War ride for late May early June. Centered around western  Virginia. Need ideas for great roads and historical sites. We'll have 7-10 days to play. We plan to slab out and back to leave most of our time for the good roads. Any ideas are welcome. Thanks.
Gary

[Pokey]

Bet Jim can help ya. 

[gPink]

 

[MAN OF BLUES]

do you have a Garmin?
I put together a bunch of routes for the General's Ride we had wayyyyy back.
Might even have them in Streets n trips format also, lemme look, and shoot me you e-mail in a p/m

meantime see if there is anything in the past rides section of the other site...

[gPink]

Thanks Rich
pm sent

[VirginiaJim]

Not much of a Civil War buff, I'm afraid, so I can't help you there.  Battles were fought all over VA and Sherman came down the valley doing his thing as well.  Most of the major battles were in the middle north/south section of the state.  Western VA is a big place and in my mind, anything west of I81 and a little bit east encompasses the western area.  Depends what part you are going to be in, Gary.  Hopefully Rich can send you few things but it would help if you can narrow it down some.  Also, let me know when you are going to be in the area and maybe we can pull off a meet.

[gPink]

Thanks Jim. We're looking at the last week of May. Going to my sons' this weekend and have a planning session. He just bought an 06 c10 and is looking forward to a long ride. When we know more I'll let you know.

[Strawboss]

September 2005 was the Generals Ride. New Market VA has a great KOA with Kampin-Kabins, a great place for a home base for day rides all over the breadbasket of the Confederacy, the Shenendoah Valley. Close to all things of riding interest. I'm sure MOB will get you going.

[Jim M.]

Unfortunately, there aren't many unspoiled battlefields and sites in western VA like there is in the east. There are a few large scale battles like New Market and Cedar Creek that are well marked, but others such as Cross Keys and Port Republic and Kernstown, not so much. I'm originally from Harrisonburg, now living in Fredericksburg. If you decide to come further east, I can lead you on some great tours of F'burg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania all within 15 minutes of my house. Plus there is the whole road to Richmond-Petersburg to follow. Here's a couple of pics from just yesterday at Massaponax Church-

[Jim M.]

Just for giggles, here's another set from yesterday at Spotsylvania-

[gPink]

Thanks Jim M.
As we start getting plans finalized I'll be in touch. Right now it looks like we'll burn the slab the first day out and overnight in Charleston WV.

[Jim M.]

Feel free to get in touch with me. My friends all complement me on my battlefield tours, I'd be more than happy to take you along if you get this far east. 

[motocopter]

What sort of radius might you have around western VA? Chattanooga has the mountain top with interesting sites. Just west of Knoxville, you might even be interested in Oak Ridge for the atomic bomb history.

[MAN OF BLUES]

September 2005 was the Generals Ride. New Market VA has a great KOA with Kampin-Kabins, a great place for a home base for day rides all over the breadbasket of the Confederacy, the Shenendoah Valley. Close to all things of riding interest. I'm sure MOB will get you going.

I sent him the files for the loop rides I laid out from New Market down and around Richmond, and back.
They are super nice routes, circling monumental battles and fields, pretty much outlined in the "Civil War" books about the Road markers and such.
As Jim notes also, the Civil war "trails" were moreso located central in Virginia, very few venues in the southwest area, more up in the 100 mile radius of Richmond.

While Playing ADV Tag-o-Rama I compiled a massive library of photos, kinda the before and after versions....

[MAN OF BLUES]

I was trying to link matching before and after photos from the glass plate photo site, but seems they won't link right...
http://www.mikelynaugh.com/VirtualCivilWar/New/Originals2/index.html






Ft. Harrison, adjacent to Ft. Brady.. within walking distance


slave jail
Libby Prison, Richmond, Virginia.



train depot is here at this site








Railroad roundhouse/garage, Richmond Va.



Roy Chimneys



Evacuation of Port Royal, Virginia, May 30, 1864















North Anna bridge





Federal earthworks on north bank of North Anna River--Confederate earthworks on south bank--in distance


Gaines mill

Battle-field of Gaines Mill, Virginia


Rocket's Landing/Libby hill Richmond va.




Views in Richmond, Virginia - view of Rocketts Landing and south side of James River from Libby Hill




Quarles Mill, N Anna River Ashland Va.




Mechanicsville, Virginia Ellerson's mill



Rappahannock Station, Virginia. LOC Summary: Soldiers, horses, tents and buildings in backgrd.; railroad tracks in lower, right foregrd. Date Created/Published: August 1862

[Pokey]