The weather is perfect. The week is behind you. You are itching to hit
the road but you don't have any real ideas of where to go. Not a problem.
Don't be afraid to take off and head wherever the road leads you. By following
these basic guidelines, you can turn any unplanned day into an adventure.
Bring water. It is easy to overlook this basic necessity. Unfortunately,
dehydration can be a serious problem and can occur faster than you realize.
Since you may be travelling where conveniences are not be readily available,
keep at least one bottle of water with you at all times.
Always carry a map and compass. A great map to have is the Scenic
Routes Map available at the Virginia Welcome Center. This is a great
resource for locating some interesting rides.
Never go into unfamiliar territory without at least a half a tank
of gas. It's easy to forget that some rural areas don't have a gas station
every few miles like we have learned to take for granted. Besides being
embarrassing, it may be a while before you actually see another person
to ask for help. Even if you carry a cell phone and can call for help,
it may take a while for someone to actually arrive.
Follow the signs. Brown colored state road signs are usually an indicator
of something of interest such as a historical site, a public access
fishing dock, a state park, etc. Following routes designated as Scenic
BiWays also offers the possibility of a nice ride in the country.
Visit Visitor Centers - That is their entire reason for being. The
staff members there are typically underutilized and would love to talk
to you and answer any questions you have, as well as make recommendations
of activities and places of interest in the area.
Old Townes are always an excellent area to explore. They usually offer
a wide variety of unusual shops, as well as a broad range of choices
of places to eat. Besides walking the streets is a great way to stretch
your legs after a long ride.
Take business routes off of major routes. In addition to breaking
up a monotonous ride, it will offer an opportunity to get a closer look
at towns that might easily be bypassed.
Don't be afraid to try new cuisine at local establishments. Just
follow this simple test: look for restaurants that have a lot of cars
in the parking lot and don't base your decision on the outward appearance.
Lots of hole-in-the-wall establishments have the best local fare that
you won't find anywhere else. After looking at the menu, if you are
still not sure what to order just ask the waitress what the most popular
items are and order that.
If you get lost - do not panic! Look at it as an opportunity to meet
some of the locals by stopping at a bar and talking to the bartender.
Not only will he be a great resource for directions but he may also
have ideas on areas of interest. (This in no way is an endorsement of
drinking and driving. Please drive responsibly.)
If you still need a reason to ride - Turn the day into a scavenger
hunt. Think of an unusual or hard to find item and make it your mission
to find it. We spent months searching for a sailor hat for a rag doll.
The ultimate goal is not to actually find the item on that particular
ride. Although it would be great if it actually did happen, the real
goal is the journey the search will provide.
