Skip to main content

Civil War Road Trip Day 4 - Returning Home

Image
By

Virginia is for Lovers at the Buchanan Swinging Bridge

The final day of the road trip saw us head back south and home to Charlotte.  However, we did make a few stops, specifically Natural Bridge State Park and the town of Buchanan, Virginia.

Route: I-81, US 11, I-81, US 11, I-581, US 220, I-73, NC 68, I-74, Business I-85, I-85, home.

For the full photo set on flickr - head here.


Traffic wasn't too bad on 81 and the scenery this Sunday morning was very pretty.

Getting to Natural Bridge State Park from I-81 South involves a unique left-hand exit.

US 11 was a common theme along I-81 - weaving in and around the Interstate - almost inviting you to take a trip back in time.  We exited off the Interstate twice to follow US 11 - to Natural Bridge State Park and then Buchanan.

Virginia's Natural Bridge State Park

Natural Bridge is a beautiful site that demonstrates the power and wonder of nature.  Privately owned until transferred to the Virginia State Park System in 2016, Natural Bridge State Park features hiking trails, a small natural history museum, a living history exhibit showcasing the life of the Monacan Indians, caves, and waterfalls.  

Keep an eye out for name carvings within the rocks!

Admission to access the bridge is $9/per person over 13 and $6 for children between 3-12.  Admission can be paid either at the Natural Bridge Visitors Center or at the bottom of the gorge at a small ranger/concession stand.

Doug recently wrote a more in-depth feature on Natural Bridge State Park.  The park is a pleasant break from the traffic on Interstate 81, and you can easily spend an enjoyable 60 to 90 minutes here.

It's easy to get back onto the Interstate from Natural Bridge State Park.

After briefly returning to Interstate 81, we ventured onto US 11 again and into the Town of Buchanan.  Buchanan is home to a pedestrian swing bridge over the James River.  

Buchanan Swinging Bridge

The local landmark dates to 1938 after a new (and still-standing) concrete bridge carrying US 11 over the James River was completed.  The Buchanan mayor insisted that a pedestrian connection would continue over the river.  

The swinging bridge is one of several existing and former James River crossings at Buchanan since 1851, including three covered bridges and an iron bridge.

A unique combination of exit letters on Interstate 581 South.

We got back on the Interstate south of Buchanan. In Roanoke, we headed south on Interstate 581 and US 220 back into North Carolina.  Interstate 581 uses the old-style directional exit numbers using N, S, E, and W instead of A&B.  Though at Exit 3, there is a 3C, W, and E!

The trip with Colton was great! It was amazing to return to past trips with him.  There were some fun memories too.  We can't wait to go on our next father-son or full-family adventure!

Site Navigation:


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rep. Sue Myrick's letter to Gov. Easley and Sect. Tippett published in Charlotte Observer

By
US. Representative Sue Myrick's (R-Charlotte) letter to North Carolina's Governor Mike Easley and NC Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett was published in the Friday, November 30th edition of the Charlotte Observer . Why are we delaying the completion of 1-485 in Charlotte again? I read in The Charlotte Observer how rising prices of materials are leading to the delay. Why didn't these same rising costs delay the loops in Fayetteville and Wilmington? Why are we building loops in Fayetteville and Wilmington before we complete the one in Charlotte? We were working on the one in Charlotte back when I was mayor. That was 20 years ago! ... Last I looked Charlotte was the largest city in the state. There seems to be no recognition of that fact in Raleigh. No recognition that we are at a standstill with traffic. No recognition that we have a traffic problem. Nor is there any recognition of the fact that the state DOT utterly botched up the southern leg of our yet to be completed ...
Post a Comment
Read more

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve - Sandstone Falls

By
The New River, which runs through New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, is best known for its dramatic rapids and whitewater adventures.  Those features begin at one of the river's widest points: Sandstone Falls. From the Sandstone Falls Boardwalk a look at just a small part of the falls. Though the vertical drop of roughly 20 feet is less than many other well-known waterfalls in the state, the falls' expanse, where the river approaches 1500 feet wide, makes Sandstone Falls impressive.   The Boardwalk Trail leads to a better vantage point of the overall falls. It is a great spot for photography, fishing, or laying out in the sun. Access to the falls is relatively easy: from Hinton, cross the New River on Highway 20, then turn right onto CR 26 and follow New River Road to the Sandstone Falls Parking Area. The Island Loop Trail is a short detour off the Boardwalk Trail and shows a quieter side of the area. At Sandstone Falls, you will find a variety of activities fr...
1 comment
Read more

I-90 in Albany, New York and the Berkshire Spur

By
Today's Albany Times Union has a segment in their weekly Getting There? column that explains some of the history behind how I-90 is designated in the Albany, NY area as well as the Berkshire Spur. The long and short of the article was that I-90 was originally designated on the unsigned portion of the Berkshire Spur, but as free I-90 was built, the designation was moved onto the free portion of road. Additionally, there were talks in 1999 between state and federal officials about the possibility of moving I-90 back onto the unsigned portion of the Berkshire Spur, while extending I-88 onto what we know as free I-90. There would have also had been an I-88/I-90 multiplex between Rotterdam and Albany as a result. http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=916307
Post a Comment
Read more