The Historic Triangle - Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown

On Monday August 27, we arrived in Richmond, Virginia to visit our friend Garland.   We did a lot of visiting and catching up. Garland raises gorgeous orchids on his back patio.  He had one that smelled like vanilla and some others that had some unusual pollination contraptions. 

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On Tuesday August 28, Garland, Eric and I loaded up our bikes and headed for the Historic Triangle.  Our first stop was Colonial Williamsburg.  We had so much fun riding all over Williamsburg and looking around in all the gardens.  We had all been to Williamsburg before and agreed that touring by bike was the best way to see it all.  Eric and I decided that if we needed a business opportunity in the future we could open "Ye Olde Bicycle Rental Shoppe" at Williamsburg.   

No it's not Pee Wee Herman it's Garland on his Schwinn which he built himself from vintage parts.

Garland attracted so much attention with his bike that even one of the Williamsburg interpreters asked to go for a spin on it.

Two fine patriots.

We loved looking in all the gardens behind the homes.  We even picked a couple of figs and ate them. 

 After a morning of biking and exploring around Williamsburg, we ate lunch at Williamsburg's Dog Street Pub.  We had a great time in Williamsburg.  Garland was a fantastic guide since he had been there so many times and grew up in the area. 

After leaving Williamsburg, we headed to nearby Jamestown.  We stopped in the visitor center and watched a quick film about the area.  We decided not to see the recreated Jamestown settlement, since we had seen the recreated Roanoke settlement a few years ago and they looked very similar.  Instead we opted to drive the scenic loop around the actual Jamestown Island where the settlers actually lived.  That was some tough terrain on which to try to build a settlement and I can't even imagine the hardships of trying to build in that mosquito infested swampy area.  We saw osprey and eagles on the James River as we drove around. 

 

 

Jamestown fountain

 After Jamestown, we headed down the Colonial Parkway towards Yorktown on the coast.  We looked at the battlefield for the Battle of Yorktown and the cave where they found Cornwallis after the battle.  We walked along the waterfront and stopped in a waterfront tavern for a refreshing beverage.  

The cave near Yorktown where Cornwallis was captured after losing the battle of Yorktown.

There were still cannonballs in the brickwork on this house.  We saw two cannonballs and several holes made by cannons.