Lexington VA

SAT July 17

Wow is this place loaded with things to see for people like me.

I included Lexington on my list of places because I wanted to see the nearby natural bridge and VMI but when I started reading the Visitor Center brochures I knew I was going to have a full day.

I started at Natural Bridge as first stop because I knew that would include some hiking and I wanted to do that in the cooler part of the day, low 80s. Nice natural wonder of erosion and a nice hike along Cedar Creek Nature Trail, about 3-miles total with the starting decent a lot nicer, with gravity, than the ascent at the end. The hike along the creek was a pleasant walk, just taking my time and enjoying the woods. Oh yes, once again always ask for a discount even if it isn’t posted, I got 10% off for either being good looking or being a senior, don’t know which.

After Natural Bridge I headed back to Lexington to use my new ATM card to replenish funds and to ask a question about my trailer hitch. Trailer hitch just fine and when I was at Wal-Mart with the ATM card I could see a heck of a 1-cloud storm moving toward me so being flexible as you have to be when traveling, I just went to lunch 45-minutes early an let it blow through in the following 30-minutes, remembering that I had left the trailer windows open to let fresh air in and right then there wasn’t anything I could do about it. FYI, when I got back to the trailer at 7:00 PM it looked like it hadn’t rained at the RV park.

I started by getting suggestions from the Visitor Center folks and started on a 3+hour walking tour with the first stop at the Stonewall Jackson House that was only about a half-block from the Visitors Center. I then went to the local historical cemetery that has been renamed the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery because he is buried there along with 144 Confederate veterans, two VA governors and others. Jackson had 2 wives and 7 children and the children had children, there are lots of Jacksons and relatives buried there, so many in fact they had to move the General’s remains and those of his 2 wives and children to a larger family plot. Jackson was a Lieutenant General in the Confederate Army and died when he was 39 years old.

I then walked over to Washington and Lee University, that can trace its origin back to 1749 and was endowed by George Washington and that is why they named it for him, down one of the two main streets, two because they are on-way in each direction, east and west, through downtown window shopping along the way.

At Washington and Lee University I went to the Robert E. Lee Chapel and Museum where he is buried along with his wife and children and their wives and children. Also Lee’s horse “Traveler” is buried outside the Chapel. Between the host at the memorial crypt area and the cashier in the museum area I spent about an hour there talking history of the man and what he had made of himself and why we thought he was a patriot and a giant. I also picked up a couple of suggestions for videos and a book to get.

General Lee was instrumental as President of Washington College is guiding the college back to prominence, they told me enrollment increased 10-fold during his time as president with students coming from as far away as California to attend. Lee’s name was added to the College’s name after he died. The University boasts it is small by choice with enrollment kept at about 1800 + 400 more in the School of Law and that it has a 10 to 1 student faculty ratio.

I then walked next door to the University to VMI and spent another hour at the GEN George C Marshall Museum; Marshall was a 1901 VMI graduate. Great videos, displays and presentations of his career and the times he lived in and how he worked in those times. I also walked around VMI.

As a side note you can see the pride that both institutions take and the grounds and buildings I saw were in excellent shape, it probably helps them not to be totally dependent of the state for funding.

Lexington is a quiet and historical city and I wonder what the students from W & L and VMI do afterhours for relaxation.

I missed going to the birthplace of Sam Houston, maybe next time.

I also spent time at an internet coffee house because although the RV park says they have Wi-Fi access and I can connect, it is a weak signal and I can’t get through to the internet.

With the heat and humidity and the rainstorm, SAT was a 2-shower day but around 7:30 PM it started to cool off and was fabulous and I slept without the AC on and with all the windows open.