Amtrak Adventures: Alexandria to Roanoke
We saw a lot of Virginia that day...
Alexandria, Springfield, and Manassas Park: After just a few minutes, we entered an area I’d never been to. We passed freshly constructed townhomes and those still being built between more overgrown industrial parts.
Manassas: A guy waved as we passed the main stretch of the historic town dominated by red brick and dotted with bars and restaurants.
Manassas, Midland, Bealeton, Remington, and Culpeper: The houses got further and further apart until there were no houses, just land. And then, suddenly, a community would appear again.
Culpeper, Orange, and Charlottesville: A ghost sign greeted us at our next stop while most of the downtown was obscured.
Charlottesville: The halfway point was both modern and traditional, manicured and unkempt, a chaotic blend of textures and styles spurred by gentrification.
Charlottesville and North Garden: The transition from city to country was sudden. And while the sidewalks disappeared, the roads we passed were often empty.
North Garden, Covesville, and Shipman: All are towns with populations under 1,000. I've only been to a town that small once before.
Arrington, Tye River, Amherst, Monroe, Woodruff Island, Madison Heights, and Lynchburg: While not the least populated, this stretch appeared to be the sparsest part of the trek.
Lynchburg: This industrial introduction reminded me of many cities, even parts of my old neighborhood of Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
Lynchburg and Forest: The train slowed to a crawl once we left the city and I nodded off until we arrived…
Roanoke! Until next time…