POST 564: VICTORIA - LUNENBURG - KEYSVILLE, VIRGINIA

It was still dark at 6:30am as I walked away from SPIA in the town of Victoria, Virginia.

Leaving town, this unusual guard rail installation...leading into the bottom of a small creek well off the roadway...caught my interest.

Must be a story there somehow !


Victoria Water Tower.

Have included many water towers from across the USA...anybody notice ?

On my round-the-world-cruise, I photographed dozens of navigation buoys...one day, I will blog some of that 120-day cruise.


The sloping panel on the side of the house is a Root Cellar Door.

Our Stump Ranch had a root cellar just like the one above...we used to have a wee ditty of a song:

...Climb in my rain barrel (we also collected rainwater from our roof in a rain barrel)...

...Slide down my cellar door...

...And we'll be jolly friends...

...for evermore.


First walk of the day took me from Victoria to Lunenburg - and beyond.

Lunenburg is the County Seat...one block long consisting of the County Buildings Complex and an auto dealership...no other shops available.

The Court House is above.


This fellow, dedicated to Civil War Soldiers, stands in the Court House front yard.


On the other side of the Court House stands this massive World War I Cannon...

...inscription below:


This cannon - I could not find a name-plate from the manufacturer - was most likely built by the German Company "KRUPP".

I worked, first as a sub contractor, then later as Contracts Manager for KRUPP INTERNATIONAL in New York for over 20 years...subject all by itself of a book.


This entire unit is, I believe, a CAISSON. There was a World War I wee ditty that went something like:

...Over hill Over dell, we have hit the dusty trail....

...as our caissons keep rolling along...

...Oh it's hi hi hee... in the arr till er y...

...as our caissons go rolling along.

Been a long time' so I probably got it a bit wrong...as kids, Brother Jim and I used to sing it.


On a lighter side...a lake dedicated to Forever Be Wild.


...not far from this meandering brook.


Got his pic on my return walk of 12 miles from Victoria.


Victoria home...one of a few larger homes in town.


Victoria Main Street...that's it, two blocks long.


...with a much longer history.

Click click to enlarge photos.



After driving SPIA past Lunenburg on to Keysville, Virginia, I took the opportunity to park SPIA once again at a Food Lion, where we will spend the night.

Since I did not walk all the way to Keysville, I took the opportunity to walk BACK for 8 miles, during which I came upon this herd of quite charming Angus.

They enjoyed my chatting with them...at least, they paid attention without muttering a sound and did not run off.


A nice Ranch "spread"...not the home of the Angus.


Older than the good ol' US of A...i.e., pre Revolutionary War...is Lunenburg County.

Rather large fields in ranches in this area.

Many properties had "NO TRESPASSING" signs, some ranging for many miles along the highway.


"County" tends to carry a lot of pride in this part of Virginia...

Counties get much more media press than local towns.


We will stay the night in Keysville.

Received a telephone call from Barbara and Tim (I have been working on their new home at the Outer Banks for the past many weeks)...they live in their permanent home near Richmond, Virginia, which is only 70 miles from Keysville.

They will be arriving in less than an hour after which we look to enjoy a dinner together in a local Italian restaurant.


Downdown Keysville, Virginia...also only 2 blocks long in the business district...is much more spread out, however.

Must mention that today, I reached nearly full speed walking. The initial week has been a time of loosening up tight muscles and tendons; but, today, I let loose.

My normal walking speed is 4 miles per hour; i.e., one mile every 15 minutes.

During my walk from the Peace Arch (Canada/USA Border) to Key West via Bakersfield, CA; El Paso, TX; New Orleans, LA; Jacksonville, FLA; & finally Key West, I averaged 32.5 miles per day, i.e., over 8 hours actual walking every day.

The walk consumed 8 months, of which I took one day off each in Walnut Creek, CA; Phoenix, AZ; and Cocoa, FL (i.e., I did not walk those three days).

Today my speed was about 4.2 - 4.5 miles per hour...but only for a few short hours.

I have a bit of conditioning yet to do, but am coming up on the curve sooner than I expected.

So far, no injuries...and today, no pain at all.

Looking forward to my visitors and din din together.