Route 522

Driving past farmers on tractors mowing hay and country general stores, fields of green corn stalks man height and poofy white clouds like marshmallows floating in an upside down ocean of blue sky. Route 33 west to route 522 north on my way through the heartland of central Virginia. From the plain and foot hills of the piedmont to the Blue Ridge through miles and miles of po' dunk country scenery and forgotten little towns. A wonderful way to spend a morning...

On my way to visit my friends Will and Julie, recently moved back to the state after living in Montana for two years. Living beside a horse farm in Rappahanock county and brushing shoulders with several farms and vineyards as neighbors. We went to go meet them and tasted wine along the way before getting lost exploring new found country back roads quilted in an odd mix of long lived farms and gaudy country homes of the rich and famous gentrifying the landscape. Ending the evening at a local tavern with a heaping rack of baby back ribs and a pint of ale. Sipping scotch on the back deck while the horses galloped in the field below and farm cats meowed in the barn cross the road.

I couldn't resist stopping and snapping a shot of this little slice of Americana transforming this old petrol station en route west, 522...