ROANOKE, VA AND THE D-DAY MEMORIAL

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Melissa planned a trip to Roanoke, VA which included visits to the Virginia Museum of Transportation, Hotel Roanoke, the Roanoke Star, the Pinball Museum, the O. Winston Link photography museum, the National D-Day Memorial, Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest and Floyd's Country Store in Floyd, VA. Plus we had lots of good food. We attempted to see all of this in 3 days.

My Honda Gold Wing went 605 miles, used 12.43 gallons of regular unleaded gas, which cost $40.43 an average of $3.25 a gallon. I averaged 48.7 miles per gallon.

For lunch on the way to Roanoke we stopped at Fishin' Pig in Waynesboro. We had a very good lunch.

"CATCH AND RELEASE IN THE GREASE"

Our first stop in Roanoke was the Virginia Museum of Transportation. It showcased all sorts of methods of transportation but definitely highlighted the rail industry.

We spent so long at the transportation museum that we had to skip the Pinball and Photography museums.

After we checked in at the Hampton Inn, which was within walking distance of everything in downtown, we head out for dinner at Table 50. We had a very good dinner at Table 50, then headed next door to the Old Salem Brewery for a beer. Warren was with us. After we quenched our thirsts we walked across the bridge to the Hotel Roanoke.

After a grand, but FULL day we headed back to our room where we had a nice view of the Roanoke Star.

We started the next day where we ended the previous day, at the Roanoke Star. From the star we had a beautiful view of the City of Roanoke.

The highlight of the trip was the D-Day Memorial. I had forgotten or maybe never realized what a massive operation D-Day was. Our tour guide did a great job of putting D-Day in perspective. I was really impressed. We are fortunate to have places like this, so we don't forget.

From the D-Day Memorial we took a short ride to Liberty Station for lunch.

Our next stop was Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest. I must admit, after the D-Day Memorial, it was a little anti-climatic

Poplar Forest is a plantation and plantation house in Forest, Bedford County, Virginia. Founding Father and third U.S. president Thomas Jefferson designed the plantation, and used the property as both a private retreat and a revenue-generating plantation

After Thomas Jefferson's Popular Forest to took a scenic ride down to the Floyd Hotel in Floyd, VA. We ate at DogTown and after dinner we went to live music, dancing and ice cream at the Floyd Country Store.

We had a really fun trip and great friends. I want to thank Melissa for all the hard work she did in thinking of every detail. It made for a really nice trip.

Of course, no trip could come to a proper end without ice cream

THE END

Post Script
It is hard to teach an old dog new tricks. You would have had to laughed at Melissa and I trying to figure out how to get into our room with a "digital key"

Floyd is one of several stops on the CROOKED ROAD "Virginia's Heritage Music Trail" if you are not familiar with and you like "flat footin' " you should look into it. Especially the Carter Fold. https://thecrookedroadva.com/

Virginia Museum of Transportation https://linktr.ee/vmtroanoke

Roanoke Pinball Museum https://roanokepinball.org/

O. Winston Link Photography Museum https://roanokehistory.org/

The Roanoke Star https://www.playroanoke.com/parks-facil ... tain-park/

National D-Day Memorial https://www.dday.org/

Thomas Jefferson Poplar Forest https://www.poplarforest.org/

Floyd General Store https://www.floydcountrystore.com/

You Tube Video of music at Floyd's General Store
https://youtube.com/shorts/7cdh3QFK-Js?feature=share

Hampton Inn Roanoke https://www.guestreservations.com/hampt ... AUQAvD_BwE

Hotel Roanoke https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/roacuq ... l0ZQ%3D%3D

Hotel Floyd https://www.hotelfloyd.com/

Table 50, Roanoke https://www.table50va.com/

Old Salem Brewing Company, Roanoke https://www.oldesalembrewing.com/

Liberty Station Restaurant, Bedford, VA https://www.oldelibertystation.com/

Dogtown Roadhouse, Floyd, VA https://dogtownroadhouse.com/