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| Wonderful restaurant in Staunton VA, started in 1952 and still open today. |
As I put together this trip I knew that the weather was going to be questionable. On Monday the forecast was for thunderstorms in the morning and cloudy weather by the afternoon. By Wednesday morning it was calling for thunderstorms after lunch ( as I sit here at 3:22 pm the sun is out and the clouds are scattered! ). I sat in my room until 9:30 and then decided to go out for a short ride with a close watch on the sky.
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| If you look closely at the picture you can see “tendrils” reaching down to the mountains. Those tendrils are in fact rain showers. |
With no specific plan in mind I decide to ride south on US 340 out of Waynesboro and then decide the next step as I went. Riding south on US 340 a sign said that it intersected US 11 in 11 miles. A plan was forming in my head. I decided to turn north on US 11, which paralleled I 81. This meant that if I ran into heavy rain I could shoot over to I 81 and then turn and burn for Waynesboro and the hotel.
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| Riding through Staunton VA I passed the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and museum. |
With an eye to the sky I rode north, enjoying the morning. US 11 is sometimes a 4 lane highway, sometimes 2 lane highway with a turn lane in the middle, and a simple two lane country road. I continued north, working on deciding when to turn east and begin the return trip to Waynesboro.
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| I have often ridden on the BRP in the rain and fog. No fun! As I looked at the mountains today I saw places where the clouds hid the mountain tops…this meant these areas were covered in fog. |
Looking at the clouds around me I decided it was time to head east. I came to VA 256 and turned east. This route passed through Grottoes VA. I reached US 340 and headed south. Most of the road was simply 2 lanes and a very nice ride. I looked at my watch and saw it was 11:30 and that I could look for a restaurant to have lunch. I wanted to be close to the hotel so that if it started raining while I was having lunch I would have a short ride home.
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| The interior of the Barn Restaurant in Waynesboro VA. |
After stopping for gas as I entered Waynesboro ( I had ridden 60 miles that morning. ) I saw a restaurant on the left side of the road with several local people going in. When I travel I prefer to eat in restaurants where the locals eat. You can often get an idea about what life is like there. I parked my bike and went in. I had a simple but good lunch, and then rode through Waynesboro back to my hotel. I arrived there totally dry. I had gotten a ride in on a day where there was a chance of rain all day. Tomorrow I ride home. I have to decide what route I want to take. Hmmmm…..let me think about this.
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| The Interceptor sitting in front of the Barn Restaurant in Waynesboro VA. |
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