A Great Rest Day in Western Virginia!

It was raining (hard!) this morning so we were glad to have planned a rest day.  We started off at 8 AM and drove to Appomattox, the sight of where Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Gen. Ullyses Grant.  This is run by the National Park system and they do a wonderful job of presenting the history of the surrender.

McClean home where Lee surrendered to Grant which marked the beginning of the end of the Civil War

In the afternoon, which was by now sunny, we had a beautiful drive to Lexington (we were there yesterday afternoon but were too late to really see anything).  We first went to the Lee Chapel on the Washington and Lee University campus; Lee, some of his family members, and his beloved horse Traveller are all buried here.  Lee became president of Washington and Lee after the end of the Civil War (It was known as Washington College until after Lee died; it was originally named for George Washington who made a substantial donation to the college).

Lee Chapel on Washington & Lee University Campus

One of original buildings at Washington & Lee University (the statute on the top is of George Washington, a major benefactor of the University)

After visiting the Lee Chapel we walked to the campus of Virginia Military Institute (VMI) which is adjacent to the campus of Washington & Lee though they are in no way associated with each other (VMI is a state school and Washington & Lee is private).  We visited the museum which was interesting though it had a somewhat odd/unusual selection of exhibits.  We did enjoy speaking with some of the students (only 8% are women).  The VMI mascot is a kangaroo!

Students practicing rugby at Virginia Military Institute

We decided to try a restaurant in Lexington, VA that had been recommended to us by several people - The Bistro (exceptionally good and reasonably priced for "fine dining").  When we entered the restaurant we saw two gentlemen who we had talked with briefly at the Lee Chapel.  They immediately asked us where we were from and when Dana and I told them Oregon one of the men said that he had just returned from Oregon having visited a cousin who he hadn't seen in 40 years.  When we asked about the cousin he said he was an attorney in Portland.  Dana and I, both being attorneys, asked who it was and he said Terrance Hall, somebody both of us know (Terry is an attorney who practices in the town where I was a judge and he was actually instrumental over 20 years ago in getting me elected).  It's a small world.

All in all we had a great day!  We have 5 more riding days and 1 more rest day until we reach Yorktown!