A High Bridge

We hit the trail on Monday, a little early for National Trails Day this Saturday, June 1. We chose High Bridge Trail, but knowing we weren't up for thirty-one miles of the old rail line, we got on the trail near Farmville so that we could walk the bridge itself.

A few remnants of the old railway remain and we read the story of how Union and and Confederate forces under the direction of Grant and Lee, respectively, converged here. Both tried to blow up the bridge after their crossings. I couldn't help but think of the movie Bridge over the River Kwai. General Lee had been a civil engineer for the US Army prior to accepting his post leading the South's army. Bridge-building and road construction were his strong areas at West Point. I wonder how he felt destroying such a long span of bridge.

 "There have been higher bridges not so long and longer bridges not so high, but taking the height and length together, this is, perhaps, the largest bridge in the world." C.O. Sanford, South Side Railroad's chief engineer, 1852

Now, above the green of a central Virginia forest, the canopy is lovely and the walk, though long, is quiet and leisurely. 

The Apommattox River

Our first-ever attempt to geocache was fruitless but it could be because we didn't really have a great GPS. We did, however, find a green snake a tiny frog.

As we ambled along we made plans for our return trip on bikes. Do you ever plan your return trip before you even leave? We do it all the time.