Where Love Lives
Like Pennsylvania, Virginia has a pretty good and quite extensive tourism Web site. They also have a Flickr site, Facebook page and Twitter account as well as an eTravel Guide. And, like West Virginia, they have a special site just for motorcyclists, MotorcycleVirginia!.
Virginia has nine travel regions, which are sort of hard to explain location-wise as it is such a large and irregularly shaped state, but I'll give it a shot:
Shenandoah Valley: The area between the eastern border of West Virginia and Skyline Drive / Blue Ridge Parkway from the West Virginia state line south and west to halfway between Blacksburg and Roanoke.
Northern Virginia: This region is not a clear cut as you'd imagine. You'll need to look at a map for sure to picture this one, which borders DC and Maryland in the east, stretches west to include Loudoun and Rappahannock counties, and southeast to include Culpeper, Spotsylvania and Caroline counties. Major cities include, but are not limited to, Vienna, Fairfax, Alexandria, Leesburg, Culpeper, Warrenton and Fredericksburg.
Central Virginia: Charlottesville and Richmond are the two largest cities in this region, which is characterized primarily by its Piedmont countryside. This irregularly shaped region stretches south and east all the way down to the Virginia/North Carolina border. Check out this MAP to get yourself better oriented if you like.
Chesapeake Bay: This region encompasses Colonial Beach in the north down to Gloucester in the south. Its eastern border is formed by the Potomac River in the northern section and the Chesapeake Bay in the southern section. The Rappahannock River splits the area just about in two. As one would expect of an area bordering two major bodies of water, its pretty flat through here. It does make for a picturesque drive, however. And it makes a great short-cut, avoiding I-95 and I-64, whne traveling from Maryland to the Hampton Roads region of the state.
Hampton Roads: Water, water and more water. If it's not water, its a US military installation of one sort or another. Don't get me wrong, I love this region, but I would never consider it a great motorcycle spot. Traffic and congestion are the rule rather than the exception. Of course, you might have more patience than I. The fact is, when I do go to the Hampton Road region, I always do it on four wheels, not two.
Blue Ridge Highlands: With Bristol, Blacksburg, Rocky Mount and Galax serving a rough perimeter and Wytheville in the center, this one of the easiest-to-describe regions of the state. Known as the birthplace of country music, it's made up of soaring mountain peaks and cool, comfortable valleys.
Heart of Appalachia: Virginia's westernmost tip is the Heart of Appalachia. Purported to be an area of rugged beauty in its landscapes, culture and people, it is one of the regions I most look forward to seeing more of and exploring.
Southern Virginia: The region is a small slice in the state that sits along the North Carolina border. At one time, it was the heart of Virginia's tobacco-growing industry. This region is not only brimming with Revolutionary War, Civil War and Civil Rights heritage, it is reported to be criss-crossed by stunning scenic byways and winding country roads. This are, which has six speedways/racetracks, is know by some as Virginia's racing region.
Eastern Shore: This often-overlooked, 70-mile slice of land, accessible from Virginia only via a 17.5 bridge/tunnel, is pretty much flat and intersected by one mostly straight road. It's a very pleasant area to visit, however. Perhaps when the weather grows too cold for motorcycling you'll head to Virginia's Eastern Shore.
Virginia isn't quite as generous when it comes to providing county maps. You can get a state map (by grids), but there's not nearly as much information available on these maps as one would expect to find on the county road maps. You can, however, order hard copies of the county road maps for 50 cents each, which is reasonable enough I guess. The same link provides an option to order FREE hard copy maps, including State Transportation Map. Scenic Byways Map, and Virginia Bicycling map.
As this Web site expands, I'll be adding more information about Virginia. If there's something you'd like to see, if you have a question, or if you have a story to share, drop me a line. I'll respond as quickly as possible. If you're writing in the middle of a nice day, though, chances are good I'm either out riding and/or taking more pictures. So be patient. I'll get back to you eventually. I promise. You can always reach me at webmasterSPACE@SPACEappalachiantours.com (remember to remove the "SPACE" before and after the @ sign).
