In the Heart of Virginia

Experience, travel – these are as education in themselves. – Euripides

We love Virginia. There is so much along these pleasant drives to satisfy the wanderlust. The rolling farmlands, small towns, history, horse farms, mountains, and more are spread before us. Something meaningful comes along every ten miles. We are amazed at not only the variety of sites but also at their maintenance and care that accumulate a pleasant memory for the miles we trade.

Today we added another enjoyable Harvest Host to our list. Sacred Acres Farm at Wildwood proved a delightful stop. A simple and efficient farm for alpacas, we quickly found a level spot nearby for the RV and set up for an unusual experience. We soon met our host, Mary Jane, who gave us a fact-filled tour of her custom alpaca farm. She had carefully planned the best use of the rolling acreage, which provided several areas for the animals, as well as trails in the adjacent woods for guests to hike or lead alpacas. We learned a lot about the breed, its history, and its ancestry. One of our questions for Mary Jane turned out to be one she's often asked: how did you develop such a unique apricot-colored alpaca? Her response had us laughing as she repeated the easy answer that her animals like to roll in the red Virginia soil. As she patted their coats, the clouds of apricot dust made her point.

After a restful night, Mary Jane led us to her shop and store on the second floor of her barn. Here we found a number of quality woolen items to keep us warm this winter. She also demonstrated her process for preparing the alpaca wool for production. We can recommend a stop at Sacred Acres Farm at Wildwood, near Palmyra, Virginia.

Later that morning, we followed the wavy ribbon road to Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson. As we had been to the property on previous trips, we wanted to spend more time at the welcome center and store, which were new additions since our last visit. There were a number of displays here that very effectively told the Monticello story, about both people and architecture. We were glad for the stop. Tom was gracious enough to pose for a quick photo.

As we worked our way toward the nation's capitol, our next stop was the home of President James Madison, Montpelier, near Orange, Virginia. The approach to this beautiful home is memorable. There is a rich history here, including the contributions of Dolley Madison, the critical documents written here by Madison, and Montpelier also has a history with the duPont Family. The duPonts purchased the property in 1901 and, in addition to preserving and renovating the property, established a notable equestrian center to house their stable of racing horses. There is a significant museum section devoted to the contributions of the duPonts. With our tight schedule, we weren't able to include a house tour, but we enjoyed the visitor center displays and shops. We shared a parking space with fellow Leisure Travel Van owners.

Further along the route to D.C., we noticed an increasing number of Civil War monuments and sites. The multiple references to battlefields and monuments became a bit confusing, and we were trying to select which site might be the most advantageous for our travel schedule. Soon, we saw signs for Chancellorsville Battlefield and drove in to check it out. This was the right pick. While Sue took the afternoon time to relax, I toured the Chancellorsville Battlefield Visitor Center and enjoyed the films and many displays. This particular center was very well done; I'm glad we landed at this one. After my time at the center, we drove the quiet roads through the woods and noted each display sign or referenced in our brochures. It told an amazing story of the actions of that day.

As we moved toward the metro DC area, traffic was noticeably heavier near the main routes. Our next objective was the National Museum of the Marine Corps at Quantico Marine Base. These impressive grounds are well maintained and effectively blend the base into the Virginia landscape. The GPS guidance had us suddenly at the main gates of Quantico, which was an intimidating sight in itself. We told the guards about our search for the museum. When he pointed out the turns I would need to make, I mentioned that turning around an RV would not be that easy. He said no problem and opened the gate to the base, indicating to the other soldiers that I would be making a U-Turn past the gate and then heading out. That was the most observed U-Turn I had ever made, but soon we were on our way to the nearby museum.

I can't say enough about this museum. There are lots of exhibits and exceptionally well prepared recreations. Unfortunately, we arrived too close to closing time and were not able to see the acclaimed film on the history of the Corp. We plan to return to take in the many sites in a more timely fashion.

Virginia is an amazing state for travelers. Pick your historical battle, natural wonder, or scenic mountain splendor; you'll find it in Virginia. You could spend weeks traveling the beautiful highways and scenic byways of this unique state, and if you do, it's likely you'll find us there Along the Pooka Trail.