It was back to the sports bar this morning for breakfast before leaving shortly after 8. Our first stop of the day was only minutes away at the Bristol Motor Speedway.
Bristol Motor Speedway.
We arrived in Bristol well before the day's first scheduled tour at 9am. And since it was Monday, four of us were the only participants. We bought tickets at the gift shop and loaded up into a van with our tour guide, Sandy. The tour included a drive through the Thunder Valley drag strip, a visit to owner Bruton Smith's suite and a walk onto the stands. Normally we would have also been able to visit the infield but it was currently undergoing major overhaul and was nothing more than dirt.
Bristol Motor Speedway with the infield under construction.
At the conclusion of the tour it was back to the gift shop for a couple of souvenirs. Then we continued east towards the second stop of the day. The plan was to see the Natural Bridge in Virginia. As we were moving east, the temperature kept going lower with light rain/mist eventually starting to fall.
Heather and Sandy with tour guide Sandy in front of the tour van.
We stopped shortly past Marion, VA for lunch and for Heather and I to put our rain suits on. Shortly after getting back on the road, rain intensified to the point where we had to stop again so that everybody could rain suit-up. The rain stopped for a short while but it started again as we were back on the road. That's just the way of the road. As we passed one of the overpasses on I-81 we saw a couple of motorcycles hiding from the rain. Those same motorcyclists were the ones we encountered at our previous stop. Now, for the second time on this trip, Heather and I finished our day very wet.
At the entrance to the Natural Bridge.
When we arrived in Natural Bridge, VA (also the name of the town), we checked in to the Natural Bridge Hotel and after a few minutes went to the Visitors Center to purchase tickets to the local attractions. We were really looking forward to seeing the natural bridge at night when a light show usually takes place. It happens usually because on this night an equipment malfunction would not allow it to happen. That, the inability to find a hotel with a working pool and numerous days of riding in the rain have not made it the best of times. Also, since it was after 5, the toy museum was also closed and we were only able to see the main attraction.
Natural Bridge, VA.
After viewing the bridge we had supper at the Red Fox Tavern which is located in the hotel and spent the rest of the evening watching TV and tomorrow's weather forecast.
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