Very little planning went into this trip so after driving down, we wasted a lot of time looking around, figuring what to do. It can be difficult to get two people to agree on something but three people is much more challenging.

Richmond is the capital of Virginia and was incorporated in 1742.

After stopping at the visitor center, we paid a visit to the National Donor Memorial. Shown below is the Wall of Tears.
At the memorial, Carmen found her name on the Wall of Names.
We spent some of the day viewing buildings that Carmen found to be of architectural interest such as the Museum of Architecture and Design and Thomas Jefferson High School. We also checked out some graffiti art.

Next, the four of us did a little exploring near the James River. We walked across the 1,700-foot long T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge which crosses the James River.

Looking down from the bridge, I saw mystery snails. They are non-native but not necessarily invasive since its ecological and economic impact is unknown, according to "National Exotic Marine and Estuarine Species Information System - Bellamya japonica" (a broken link as of 2024).
Mystery snails are fascinating creatures:

The snails are gluttons for algae growing on the river's bottom, yet they excrete very little of the pollutants phosphorus and ammonium.

In their tissue, the snails concentrate spilled oil and other toxins, a trait that makes them potentially valuable as tipsters on pollution.

They can close their shell and survive out of the water for as long as a month.

Females live for about five years, males for three. They retreat to deep waters for the winter, where they hibernate in the mud.

The snails are native to East Asian rice paddies, where they are snatched up for the dinner table.

Merchants and sailors brought mystery snails to the West Coast in the 1890s for Asian food markets. By 1911, the snails had escaped to California irrigation ditches. Demands by food, aquarium and water-garden markets helped spirit the snail across the country. By 1960, mystery snails had found a haven in the Potomac at Alexandria.

- from The Washington Post - Urban Jungle Fall 2012

Railroads helped forge the city. Here's a view of a prominent railroad bridge over the James River.

We didn't see much wildlife but we did spot a few turtles.
Daphne gets her short legs from me. Actually, she is part corgi.
Under the Manchester Bridge, someone left us a warning "Beware ahead. Walkers." Fans of "The Walking Dead" know what this means.
Norma and I took Carmen to the airport. After that, I guess we checked into a motel and went out to eat. But I have no recollection of this since I'm recalling things a month later. That's why this blog is so short and uninteresting. Lesson learned...don't put too much trust in my memory. Write things down while they are still fresh.

I had mentioned that we went into Richmond without a plan. So our first day there was really more of a chance to figure out what was interesting.

I'm not much of a city person but lots of big cities (like Richmond) have put aside nice natural and/or historic sections for recreational use. Norma, Daphne, and I explored some of these sections. We walked across the James River on the suspended bridge under Lee Bridge to Belle Isle. This island is known for housing prisoners of war during the Civil War.
Looking back, we had a nice view of the urban skyline against the mostly clear sky.
The three of us walked along the quarry pond. These trails get used quite a bit so there were a lot of people out. But this was one area where Daphne could run off leash, at least for awhile. It is not a good place to go if you want peaceful solitude but in such an urban area, it is about as good as it gets.

The west side of Belle Isle is particularly interesting because of all the historic ruins.
We found the ruins of an old hydroelectric plant located just downstream of a mill race. I am reasonably certain that the race diverted water which powered the plant. A nearby information sign read
From 1904 to 1967, the Virginia Electric Power Company operated a power plant on the island's south bank.

I think this area would be great for a hard rock album cover photo.

Next to the hydroelectric plant, Daphne and I went into in the old transformer building.

Here is a view of the building ruins from the outside.

We saw the ruins of a bridge that reminded me of the Bollman Truss Bridge in our town.

The 1.25-mile long Riverfront Canal Walk is a nice oasis in the heart of the city. We actually walked on it about three times during our visit.

The trail took Daphne and me under a railroad bridge next to Kanawha Canal.

Next, we walked on a section that combined the Richmond Canal Walk and the 50+ mile long Virginia Capital Trail near Kanawha Canal.

We walked on a very small part of the Virginia Capital Trail. It would be nice to explore more of it and maybe combine that with a kayak trip. Much of it runs near the mighty James River. The James River is a big place. But if you're interested in its smaller tributaries, check out the Presquile National Wildlife Refuge near the New Market Heights Phase of the Virginia Capital Trail, not far from the Shirley Plantation. See map location.

Norma helped someone out whose car battery died.

We ended the day by exploring kayak launch sites. I made use of the Rivers of the Richmond Region map that I picked up from the Richmond Visitor Center. Originally, I had more extensive notes on this page but I have since transferred them to my Launch Sites page. Each site below is linked to the appropriate entry on that page.

The drive home was terrible. Ever since I went to Lake Anna kayak club training, I've had a strong distaste for northern Virginia. The only time I've found to be suitable for travel in this area is when most people are asleep.

Looking back, I really did enjoy seeing the ruins of Belle Isle and I look forward to the day we can return with kayak(s) and explore some of the narrow waterways.