James River

I went down to Richmond to ride for the first time this year. I love riding the trails in RVA and exploring the safe areas of downtown.

I spent the whole day in RVA with no plans other than to see some things I haven't seen in previous trips. My lunch break was on the rocks in the middle of the James River. The river levels are below 5 feet this time of year so there are tons of exposed rocks to ride, play, and rest on. 

One of my friends added me to a Facebook group called "Look at My Bike Leaning Against...". It's a silly posting thread with people submitting pictures of their bikes, well, leaning against stuff! I had to find a good picture to post so I spent some time leaning the bike and snapping photos.

 I tried to ride this rock edge a few times but my less than stellar balance and the threat of falling into the river ended my attempts pretty quickly.

 This Grateful Dead tribute is a bit of a popular stop near Belle Isle. Apparently some college students painted it long ago and every once in a while someone will freshen it up. This is painted on a large rock smack dab in the middle of the James.

 Belle Isle has a little bit of something for everyone. They have MTB trails, walking paths, kayak courses, and rock climbing. Hard to tell from the photo but this wall is about 70 feet tall.

 Another "lean" photo.

 You can ride (or walk if you'd rather) for a very long distance along or across the river.

 Part of the trail along the James River. This is a mild section of the Buttermilk Trail. Buttermilk is named after an ancient spring that emerges along this path.

 A view of the James from the Nickel Bridge.

 The local MTB groups have done a great job building and maintaining the trails. This is an armored section designed to protect a corner from erosion.

 Remember that comment about seeing things I hadn't looked at before? I sneaked into Hollywood Cemetery for a look-see. While it sounds like I was living lawlessly, the cemetery is open to visitors. I merely approached it differently than most - the trail runs right past the grounds and I was able to scale a steep little cut in the woods to gain access.

 Thousands upon thousands of people are buried at Hollywood. The dates ranged from pre-Civil War times all the way up to modern times. In fact, I had to modify my route twice due to ceremonies being held. I figured none of the mourners wanted to see a sweaty, panting rider cruising past them accompanied by the whirrr of the freehub.

I fell in love with this monument! It is a tree carved from granite. At first I thought it was cast concrete but nope - someone chiseled this intricate work from solid rock.

 More lean.